Jordan Beck | Daily Press From right, Carol Sabo gets a refill on her cup of coffee from Dewdrop Family Restaurant owner Amanda Phillips as Joan Richer enjoys her meal Friday.

GLADSTONE — Though the Dewdrop Family Restaurant has not been run by its current owner for long, it has been an established part of life in Gladstone for decades. Owner Amanda Phillips has ties to another well-known Gladstone eatery, as well.

Phillips took over the Dewdrop Family Restaurant in August 2018.

“This has been a staple of Gladstone for probably 40 years or more,” she said.

It had been operated under a number of names over the years, but Phillips said the restaurant was best known in the community as the “Dew Drop Inn.”

Years before she owned her own business, Phillips had been employed at another Gladstone family restaurant — one her own family was involved with.

“When I was 15, I worked at 4J’s Family Restaurant, and a few years later my parents purchased … 4J’s,” she said.

Her parents went on to run the business for 18 years before selling it in February 2017. However, 4J’s burned down that December.

According to Phillips, part of the reason she decided to open her own restaurant was that she wanted there to be a place in Gladstone that catered to 4J’s former customers.

“In a small community like this, you become a family,” she said.

So far, things have been going well since Phillips purchased the Dewdrop Family Restaurant.

“Business has been great — we’ve had a lot of support from our community,” Phillips said.

Phillips said the restaurant offers “all-American style meals,” including homemade soups, desserts and daily features.

The business recently introduced a limited delivery service.

“We just started doing free delivery to local businesses,” she said.

It has been aiming to improve in other ways, as well.

“We strive every day to be better,” Phillips said.

As an example, she cited a time when a customer mentioned a tomato soup recipe her father made when she was young. After some testing, the soup — known as “Mrs. Benson’s Tomato Soup” — is now offered at the restaurant daily during the winter and spring months.

Though delivery is currently limited to local businesses, Phillips said she is considering expanding the service to Gladstone residents at some point.

“That’s something we’re looking at in the