COVINGTON—The Covington Dairy Sweet along Oklahoma 74 is set to reopen next week, according to owners Nick and Jorden Martin.
The old Valentine diner has been a sweet spot for the tiny rural town of less than 500 people since 1961 and has seen many owners in its 65 years.
The Martins purchased it in early 2022 after it sat empty for eight years. The intent was to open as soon as they could, but it took over two years to restore the diner to its former glory.
The Dairy Sweet officially opened its walk-up window for business in August 2024.
However, the couple soon discovered keeping the diner open during the freezing Oklahoma weather was near impossible since they only have outdoor seating and service, so they opted to temporarily close for a winter break each year.
The window closed after Halloween last year. The Martins are planning to reopen for the season, barring any setbacks, after the school spring break this Tuesday, March 24.
Stepping into history
The Martins moved to Covington six years ago. They met while working at Chili’s in 2009 and married in 2012. Both had worked at Callahan’s Pub and Grill in Enid on and off for two decades and dreamed of owning their own restaurant.
“We always wanted a place of our own,” Jorden said.
They noticed the abandoned red and white diner on the highway in Covington and wondered if it was what they had been waiting for.
In Northwest Oklahoma, there are few Valentine diners like the Dairy Sweet still standing and even fewer still in operation. Lenox Drive In, located on North Grand in Enid, has been continuously open since 1953 (albeit with several owners, the most current being Tammy Theilen Mercer).
Both Lenox and Dairy Sweet are the Valentine Manufacturing Company’s Burger Bar model, which was designed as a walk-up stand with no seating inside. Granted both restaurants have picnic tables as an outdoor seating option, but most people drive up and order at the walk-up window before taking off to their next destination.
Valentine diners were prefabricated mail-order diners originally produced in Wichita, Kan., after the Great Depression. Food entrepreneur Arthur Valentine created the concept, and manufacturing was first done by the Ablah Hotel Supply Company and then the Valentine Manufacturing Company after World War II ended.
Thanks to the introduction of the U.S. Interstate Highway System in the late 1950s, prefabricated diners like the Valentine diners saw a boom in business as motorists traveled from state to state and needed a place to stop and eat.
However, by the 1970s, Valentine diners fell out of favor. Most fell into disarray and were demolished or repurposed. Those still standing have more or less become historical roadside attractions or landmarks symbolic of yesteryear like those on Route 66.
The Martins reached out the previous owner of the Covington Dairy Sweet and went from there.
A fresh perspective
The community support was incredible, they both said, when they launched their version of Dairy Sweet in 2024.
Ironically, “neither of us had eaten at the old Dairy Sweet,” Nick sheepishly said, glancing at Jorden. She nodded, adding they created their menu based on word of mouth from Covington residents about what had been served before along with their own creations.
“We’ve both been in the food industry since we were 14,” Jorden said. “Only thing we kept (from the old Dairy Sweet) was the name and the original red bench out front.”
For those expecting the nostalgic soft serve ice cream cones, unfortunately those did not make the cut, because the Martins said the soft serve machine was too finicky.
However, customers do get the traditional burger bar items like the classic burger and fries.
The beef is locally sourced from T&C Meats in Enid (who also provides for Enid’s burger joints Lenox and Lotta-Burger) and all of Dairy Sweet’s burgers are made to order.
“We like to focus on the little things that make a burger good,” Jorden said. Nick chimed in, adding they cover the burger, whether it be loaded with pickles or condiments or whatever the customer wants.
“We’re not just opening a bag,” he said, referring to unnamed fast food joints’ burgers that are frozen and barely have anything on them.
“Everything is fresh cut that morning,” Jorden said, adding they now have a healthier option of salads too which has proven very popular. They also have rotating sandwich specials such as the pastrami Reuben, turkey bagel, and guacamole burger.
Food service in a small town
Around noon the diner is usually slammed with workers from nearby industries on their lunch break while the townspeople typically stop by in the evening for supper.
The Martins strive for consistency—that mantra is the driving force behind all they do at the Covington Dairy Sweet.
They have plans to expand seating and update the diner such as a fresh coat of paint … again, Nick noted, the harsh Oklahoma elements of sun and wind repeatedly strip paint from the building. Another long-term goal, Jorden said, is to have a farmer’s market on the property.
In the meantime, the couple will keep running the diner with their sixth-grade daughter occasionally stepping in to take phone orders and part-time help prepping the food.
“We went from working for others in food service to being our own boss,” Nick said, grinning at his wife. “We work pretty good together.”
Jorden grinned back in agreement.
“We love small towns. We love the hometown feel,” she said.
Dairy Sweet is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (580) 864-7911; FYI, walk-up customers get priority, so the phone isn’t always answered if there are several patrons standing at the window. Follow the diner for updates on Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077176545832.