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Darrel and Sandra Hancock owned Darrel’s Root Beer Stand, also known as The Root Beer Stand, in Winslow for over 43 years, serving generations of Winslowites. They bought the restaurant, originally an A & W root beer stand, the month after their eldest son was born. On April 1, a legacy ended as they retired from the business and sold it to Cris and Leann Moss. But don’t expect many changes.
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The Hancock’s son, Roland Hancock, had fond memories to share. “One of my first memories of this place is the people who worked here and the pranks we would pull. Even as a young kid, I would be a part of pulling a fake ketchup bottle prank on customers. I basically grew up here, hiding in the back rooms and helping my parents. As soon as I could walk, I was running tickets from the front with my mom to the back where my dad was cooking. As soon as I could reach the drinks, I started making those and I was 12 or 13 when I started cooking.”
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Roland’s own children have built memories of their own of the root beer stand. “My kids run around here all the time and I had the same thing growing up. It was fun, and my kids are experiencing it now.”
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He spoke about feeling very grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside his parents as a child and teenager and again once he moved back to Winslow 10 years ago. “I think the biggest thing for me is knowing that my parents sacrificed everything for me. My dad was never in business to get rich and build a hundred restaurants. His goal was to have his own little quiet life in Winslow, Arizona, and provide for his family. For me, that is the ultimate humility. He never was after the spotlight, he is a business man that helps out in the community whenever and wherever he can.”
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He continued, “I will miss working with my parents every day. My dad is full of wisdom and I can talk to him about anything. It is time for them to retire and it is time for me to move on to my next chapter as well.”
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Roland’s mother worked the front of the business for 43 years. “I think she will miss the people and seeing the same customers all the time, dad is more ready than she is, but I think she will come around to retirement.”
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The new owners, the Moss’s, have never been in the restaurant business before. “We started talking to the Hancocks about a year and a half ago about this,” said Cris. “We have always kind of wanted to do our own thing and this presented itself as an opportunity. It was my idea at first and the more we talked about it, the more it made sense for our family.”
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Leann added, “We are not changing anything, so let’s get that out there. We are going to keep all of the food the same. We will have the same freezes, the same root beer. We have been working in here the last two months learning how Roland and his dad have done things over the last 40 years.”
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The Moss’s are looking forward to maintaining the momentum of the root beer stand. Leann said, “Eventually we will do some redecorating or remodeling but for now, why fix something that isn’t broken? We believe this will give us more time with our family (since) we will have the kids around. In fact, my 17-year-old is already working here, he was before we bought it and he will continue it.”
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Cris said, “The Hancocks made this place a great business and we just want to keep that going.”
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Leann plans to be in the restaurant on a day-to-day basis at the front of the shop greeting customers and taking orders. Cris will be at the grill and fulfilling those orders. “The chili, which is important, is not going to change. We can’t stress that enough. People have been concerned but we aren’t changing it.”
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One upgrade that has already happened is a new order and payment system. Cris said, “We have these new digital keypads that our carhops can take out to the cars. Now, they punch in the order and it prints a ticket in to the kitchen right away.”
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Leann added, “Before the carhop is even back in the building, the kitchen will have already started the order. And, we will be able to take credit cards at the car as well, we couldn’t do that before.”
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Cris and Leann plan to keep the same schedule set up by the Hancocks in the past. Currently, spring and fall breaks, as well as most of the summer the root beer stand is closed. It is also always closed on Sundays. “The thing is,” said Cris, “is that June and July are pretty slow business wise and we want to spend those times with our family as well. So yes, we will be keeping the same schedule. At least for now.”
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Leann said, “I am really excited to own a little piece of Winslow history. To be able to say that we are a part of something this important to the community is really great.”
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The Root Beer Stand is located at 1001 N. Williamson Ave. It is open from 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. They can be reached on Facebook and at (928) 289-2891.
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