Edward and Evelyn Ashenbrenner owned and operated the Roma for 15 years. The Iron Mountain couple purchased Jim’s Restaurant in 1958 from James Augustine and his wife. He had built the building in the early 1950s.

“I think I recognize a few of the cars parked in front of the restaurant, including Basil Smeester and Iron Mountain Police Chief Sparpani,” said the couple’s son, Ed Ashenbrenner of Two Rivers, Wis., referring to the outside photograph.

The Roma specialized in pasties, pizza and Italian food. The pasties and pizzas were very popular menu items, even being sent across the states.

“They served a full breakfast to dinner menu with daily specials,” Ashenbrenner said. “You name it, we had it — and everything was homemade.”

THE ROMA WAS well known for its pizza and pasties. Shown outside the restaurant under the “Pizza and Pasties” advertisement is owner Edward Ashenbrenner, far right, with his son, Ed, left, and brother Joe. (Courtesy photo)

He noted his parents purchased food and restaurant supplies from other local businesses.

Ed took part in helping in the kitchen, including making pasties and pizzas.

“I remember I was in the fifth grade when they started the restaurant,” Ed Ashenbrenner said.

He also recalled the time the pizza oven exploded and blew out the windows in that room.

Above the restaurant was a living quarters where the family resided the first few years after they purchased the restaurant.

EVELYN ASHENBRENNER, co-owner of the former Roma Restaurant in Iron Mountain, fills the juice dispenser. Employee Dolly can be seen in the far back. (Contributed photo)

“They then bought a house on the east side of Iron Mountain,” he said. “My parents didn’t like that my sister (the late Lori Fries) and I had no yard to play outside.”

After the move, the Ashenbrenners rented the space to several different individuals, including some of their employees.

Ed and his late wife, Darla, moved into the space for about a year after they were married. “It was just for a short time until we obtained our teaching jobs in Two Rivers,” he said.

Lori’s daughter, Andrea Oman, said her parents, along with her two siblings, also lived upstairs and her mom helped out with the business.

The restaurant seated 80 people. It was open seven days a week and also operated a catering service for Hanna Mining Co.’s Groveland Mine employees. The Ashenbrenners had 14 full and part-time employees.

TODAY’S VIEW OF the former Roma Restaurant location at 201 N. Stephenson Ave. in Iron Mountain. Krist Oil purchased the property in 1973 to expand its station. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

“It was a long haul for my parents,”their son said. “Both working long hours seven days a week.”

His mother took the day shift, as well as doing all the bookkeeping, and his father took over the evening shift until 2 a.m. He also did all the maintenance work around the restaurant.

Before getting into the restaurant business, the elder Ed Ashenbrenner was a salesman.

Ashenbrenner made special mention of the great employees his parents had over the years.

When his parents were ready to sell the business, Jim Rocconi approached him to take over as manager of the restaurant if he made the purchase, he recalled.

The Ashenbrenners sold Krist Oil Co. the property for expanding the adjacent service station operated by Brosio Brothers. The Roma closed its doors for the last time in February 1973.

Ed remembers his father sold the restaurant’s equipment to the owner of a Hughitt Street motel downtown.

“It was a well-known hangout — local officials, coaches, business owners, you name it, they gathered there regularly,” Ashenbrenner said. “So many people have shared great memories of the Roma.”