Lovick’s Cafe celebrates 85 years in downtown Kinston
Lovick’s Cafe is marking 85 years in downtown Kinston, celebrating a family business that began with a $180 loan and has grown into a five-generation local tradition.
The cafe, located at 320 N. Herritage St., was founded in 1941 by Milton and Eva Lovick as Lovick’s Quick Lunch. According to the restaurant’s history, the couple borrowed $180 to open the business after leaving farm life during the Great Depression. The cafe served quick, affordable meals six days a week and became a regular stop for tobacco farmers because of its location between two tobacco warehouses.
Steve Lovick said the anniversary is about more than the business itself.
“Excited to get this up today,” Lovick said in a social media post announcing the milestone. “Excited mainly for my grandparents and parents that started this 85 years ago. Those were some tough times and they worked hard to keep pushing.”
Lovick’s Cafe remains one of Kinston’s best-known family restaurants, known for breakfast, lunch, homemade specials and its dough burger, a longtime menu item tied to the restaurant’s early years. The dough burger was created as a way to stretch meat during difficult economic times, mixing hamburger with flour, onion, salt, pepper and other ingredients.
After Milton Lovick’s death, his son Milton “Mac” Lovick took over the restaurant. The cafe’s published history says Mac Lovick began working there at age 11 and later left school in the ninth grade to work full time. He operated the cafe for nearly 60 years before his death in 2009.
The third generation, including Reid Lovick, Susan Lovick Turner and Steve Lovick, continued the family business and has carried the cafe through the last several decades.
“Along the way the third generation of Reid Lovick, Susan Lovick Turner and myself have carried the torch for the last 30 to 40 years,” Steve Lovick said.
Today, the business has expanded beyond its original 17-seat footprint but remains in the same downtown building where it started. The restaurant’s history notes that four other businesses once operated inside the current building and that customers can still see flooring changes that show where the original business spaces once stood.
Lovick’s Cafe continues to serve breakfast and lunch six days a week, with a menu that includes breakfast plates, omelets, hotcakes, biscuits, sandwiches, lunch plates, soups, salads, desserts and beverages. The restaurant also offers pickup and delivery through online ordering.
Lovick said the family business now includes fourth-generation family members and currently has fifth-generation family members working alongside them each day.
“It is just a real joy and blessing to serve our community and employ lots of great people from our area,” Lovick said. “We currently employ 37 folks.”
As part of the anniversary, Lovick said the cafe has anniversary items available for sale and will share more information later this month about drawings and giveaways.
“We thank you all for supporting us,” Lovick said.
Lovick’s Cafe is located at 320 N. Herritage St. in downtown Kinston.
