By Amanda Raymond

amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

ROCKWELL — The restaurant formerly known as the Anchor House has reopened under new management and a new name.

Sofia Gubere and her husband Enti have taken over the restaurant and renamed it Rockwell Diner.

Sofia Gubere said she and her husband had been looking for a location for a restaurant for a while when a friend of her husband told them about the location at 5415 N.C. Hwy. 152 E. in Rockwell.

Gubere said they liked the area and size of the building.

“We thought about it long and hard and we were willing to take the risk to start our own business, do something for ourselves,” she said.

The restaurant had its first week of business last week.

The Guberes live in Lexington and travel back and forth to run the restaurant. The restaurant is family-owned, with help from Sofia’s parents.

Sofia Gubere said she has worked in other restaurants as a cashier, hostess and server.

“I know a little bit of everything. I know what it takes to run the front and make people feel welcome,” she said.

Enti Gubere was a head chef for four years. Sofia Gubere said her husband is “passionate and confident” about his cooking.

“He’s just gifted,” she said.

Anchor House, a staple restaurant in the community known for its seafood, opened at the location in 1984.

Gubere said they hope to bring a restaurant to the area that is “just as good.”

There are a variety of foods on Rockwell Diner’s menu, including home-style country, Italian, Greek and seafood.

Customers have been enjoying the pasta, homemade lasagna and country-fried steak. After one customer tried their chicken livers, more customers have come in to order them, Gubere said.

“When we did the menu, we were trying to have a little bit of everything,” she said.

Gubere plans to expand the menu in the future.

Gubere said they did not change much of the interior of the restaurant because they wanted to keep a country feel to match the menu. They did bring in more equipment for the kitchen.

Customers have been responding well to the new restaurant so far, Gubere said. She said some were surprised to find the location was open again, while others were excited.

“I feel like we’re getting close to a lot of people. They’re very nice, sweet people,” she said.

The restaurant is also willing to work with local churches to provide catering services for special events.

Gubere said she wanted to let the community know that they will be able to enjoy the same hospitality and good food that they came to expect at Anchor House.

“We heard good things about this place before when it used to be Anchor House and I guess we just wanted to bring that feeling back again,” she said.

Rockwell Diner is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Children 8 and younger can eat free from the kids menu on Wednesdays.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.