Waddie Campbell ran a restaurant called Waddie’s Lunch and Chili Parlor in the small slot next to the Orpheum Theater at just about the time the theater opened in the early 1920’s. This little alley between the theater and the Old Williamson County Jail is called Paradise Alley and the slot he occupied has been used variously by the Uneeda Café, also in the 1920’s, and at a much later date by Sam LaSusa’s Shoe Shop. The latter was the locations last incarnation as a separate entity before it was donated to the City of Marion to expand the Civic Center prior to its being fully restored and then burned down by a local idiot. It is unknown how long Waddie occupied this location since he doesn’t appear to show up in directories.
His longest known run seems to be with the Sandwich Car at 708 West Main St. Waddie and his wife Jennie used a notion that had some popularity back in the 1940’s and 1950’s of turning old trolley and railroad cars into diners. It is unclear whether Waddie’s old trolley car was a local one or imported from somewhere else. Waddie’s car was sidled up against the West wall of E. Blankenship Auto Parts Company from at least the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s, but again with no directory listings to confirm it other than advertisements.
Waddie’s wasn’t the only trolley car concept diner in Marion at the time. Less than a block away down S. Court was another diner car called Wimpy’s.
The one directory listing found for Waddie finds him after the use of his trolley car. This time it is 1955 and he is located at 107 W. Main St. operating a business called Waddie’s Lunch Room. He is located on the south side of Main St. in one of the little spaces across from the Hotel State.
Waddie Campbell died at some point in 1955 putting an end to the business. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. If any relatives or friends can fill in some blanks on Mr. Campbell or his wife, please let me know.
(Data compiled from ads, directories, and Marion City Cemetery Death Records by Sam Lattuca on 03/07/2013)