By Kaylin Paschall, TME

Some of the reports we’ve read while browsing old archived editions of The Mountain Enterprise have been surprising. One eyebrow raising story comes from Don Edwards, the bartender of what was once called Mark’s Cove.

Bonnie Ketterl Kane, local historian and author of many historical collections regarding tales of our mountain communities, was asked if Ridge Route Communities Museum and Historical Society had any information on Mark’s Cove.

She told us that Mark’s Cove, or “Mark’s” as it was referred to, was a steak house and lounge that used to be located in Lebec, where China Red House Chinese Restaurant is today.

‘You can even still see part of the old sign…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

An ad that ran in 1971 for Mark’s Cove shows all-you-can-eat dinners for only $1.85, or roughly $8 in today’s rates.

Other ads we’ve found in the archives for Mark’s Cove included fun little one-liners meant to entertain readers. However, Mr. Linsey’s nightmare probably did come true, when he lost $146,000 in today’s rates after forgetting his shaving bag in the bathroom at Mark’s.

Today’s China Red House Chinese Restaurant building in Lebec once housed Mark’s Cove, a steak house and lounge in operation during the 1960’s and 70’s, then a pizza parlor. The remnants of Mark’s old metal sign can still be seen peeking out from behind the old pizza sign.

To see full stories with photos, please purchase a copy of the newspaper at many locations (click this link for a list) throughout the Mountain Communities.

Or, have your newspaper delivered via mail and include internet access. Just call 661-245-3794. Classified ads are FREE to paid subscribers! See front page at www.mountainenterprise.com for details.

The e-Edition is available now with full photos and stories at The Mountain Enterprise e-Edition. Select the 2022-1021 edition.

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This is part of the October 21, 2022 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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