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What a well-deserved
honor for End O’Main
Restaurant &
Catering to be
selected as
“Business of the
Month” for Watonga.
Steve, Cheryl and
their employees work
hard and travel
many, many miles
making their
business
successful. We are
fortunate to have a
business of their
magnitude located in
Watonga. Steve and
Cheryl also give
generously of their
time and resources
to help with school
and community
projects. While I
was working at the
Chamber of Commerce,
it was a privilege
and a joy to work
with Cheryl as our
Chamber president.
She was dependable,
had great ideas to
promote Watonga and
helped provide
leadership to carry
out all our
activities.
While working
part-time at the
Watonga Chamber
office in the early
90's, I recall
Cheryl and Steve
providing barbeque
buns, chips and
drinks when Channel
5 brought their news
crew to town for a
downtown
celebration. I'm
sure they fed close
to a thousand
people.
In 1993, I had just
been appointed
chamber of commerce
director and Gov.
David Walter's
office called saying
he would like to
come to Watonga for
lunch and would the
Watonga Chamber of
Commerce host a
large group of
people from
northwest Oklahoma.
Thank
goodness for End
O'Main Catering!
Steve and Cheryl
easily fed
approximately 400
people on very short
notice.
Another time we had
a cattle drive come
thru Watonga on it's
way from Texas to
Montana and they
asked the chamber of
commerce to provide
the evening meal for
them. A quick call
for help was made to
Steve and Cheryl.
They fixed a huge
pot of cowboy beans
and cornbread for
all the trail hands.
I could go on and on
about the many times
they have helped
promote Watonga over
the years. We are
truly blessed to
have Steve and
Cheryl House and
their business in
Watonga.
The End O'Main
Catering Inc.
started in 1974,
Jerry & Roberta
House (mom and dad),
Steve (son) and
Cheryl
(daughter-in-law).
Jerry and Roberta
owned a small
drive-in
restaurant. Cheryl
devised recipes for
sweets and many of
the salads while
Roberta, Jerry, and
Steve worked on the
entrees. When they
were asked by the
local football club
to cater 200 people,
they put together
what is now their
Deluxe Buffet, after
experimenting and
streamlining the
menu. In 1974 the
only caterers
available, catered a
very limited BBQ
menu. End O'Main
decided to cater a
different meal. A
meal with variety
and home style
cooking. After the
football banquet,
the local Coop asked
them to serve their
patrons of 300.
When they served the
Coop, there were
many CEO's of other
Coops, one being the
Union Equity in
Enid. Union Equity
called End O'Main
and asked them to
cater for 600
people. They were
on their way to
building their
business.
In 1984 the End
O'Main was chosen
the Business of the
Year for the State
of Oklahoma. They
were sent to
Washington D.C. and
were presented an
award. They didn't
win U.S. wide for
the small business,
but were grateful
and proud for what
was bestowed upon
them. In 1988 Jerry
and Roberta retired
and Steve and Cheryl
purchased the
business.
The End O'Main
averages anywhere
from 150,000 plus
people per year
catered in the State
of Oklahoma. They
appreciate the great
folks of Oklahoma.
The End O'Main had
never served over
1,000 people until
Cheryl contacted the
Oklahoma Electric
Company asking for
the opportunity to
bid. Sure enough,
the End O'Main
received the bid,
thus beginning their
journey to cater
large banquets. The
largest banquet
served at one
location is the
Lloyd Noble Center
for OEC, 7,700
patrons.
Through the years
End O'Main has
served at the
Governor's Mansion -
Gov. Bellman, Gov.
Nigh and Gov.
Walters, and Gov.
Keating. When the
Russian Dignitaries
were in Oklahoma the
End O'Main prepared
a BBQ served at the
Deer Creek Farms.
What an honor that
banquet was to
serve! The Grand
National Quail Hunt
is each year in
Enid. They have
been fortunate to
serve Admiral Crowe,
General Swartzkoph,
Tennessee Ernie
Ford, Roy Clark, Dub
Taylor, Lee Majors
among many other
stars. They served
Miss America's
wedding reception
Susan Powell.
Through the years
the End O'Main has
maintained quality
food, quality
service, and
variety. They are
fortunate to have
great employees who
have been with them
since the
beginning.
In the Food Service
Industry, very few
businesses survive
the wrath of time.
If you are not a
chain, but an
independent,
competition is
fierce. The Survival
of their business
has been the
consistency of the
quality of their
food, service and
people,. Steve and
Cheryl are hoping to
some day retire and
perhaps pass the End
O'Main to another
family member.
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