In a day of dominant national chain restaurants, one Roanoke establishment is holding its own and two new operators want to secure its future.

Phillip Barton and his brother, Russell, have reopened Little Chef Restaurant, a local landmark at 1307 Williamson Road, after they spent a year renovating and cleaning it up. Little Chef had been closed for 1 1/2 years, because business and upkeep went downhill.

Open since the 1950s, Little Chef was known for its night life when only a few restaurants stayed open 24 hours a day.

Gary Collins and Mark Stragand, who own the restaurant building and Fleet Transmissions next door, said they planned to tear down the restaurant.

But the Bartons didn't want to see it go.

"I've always liked the building," said Russell Barton, who manages the restaurant for his brother. Phillip Barton leases it from Strickland and Collins.

"I said 'Let's see what we can do.'"

Russell Barton also owns Russell's Snack Bar at Happy's Flea Market on Williamson Road.

"If he hadn't come along, there's a good chance that the building wouldn't be there today," Stragand said.

The Bartons set to work, cleaning walls, replacing rusty kitchen equipment and dirty floors and even getting rid of a gutter that was hanging from the ceiling in the middle of one dining room. They replaced the wall in the bar area with wood that had been used as a farm fence.

A new blue and white-striped awning stretches from the front door into the parking lot.

The Bartons went over budget with repairs. In the home stretch, several plumbers, electricians and others actually offered their services for free. The Bartons would not disclose how much they spent on renovations and repairs.

They expected Little Chef to be open in three months, but Russell Barton said they "didn't have a clue" about the restaurant's poor condition and the time it would take to fix it up.

Longtime customers of Little Chef said they're happy to see the restaurant back in shape, though its 24-hour operation occurs only on Fridays and Saturdays.

On all other days, it's open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Bartons, both Roanoke natives, said the restaurant probably will stay open later once they obtain an ABC licence.

Al Dillon said he used to eat at Little Chef most every day for breakfast and lunch when he owned a trucking and trailer repair business nearby, A&S trucking. Now he is retired.

"It was the only restaurant where you could get something decent to eat after midnight," said Dillon, who sometimes went there late at night.

Restaurant fans said the menu, which features primarily country-style cooking, hasn't changed much.

And it serves up some of the cheapest meals that you'll find anywhere. Side orders are $1. Quarter-pound hamburgers are $2. A club sandwich with chips is $4.50. A Philly cheese- steak made with filet mignon is $4.50.

Jackie Graham said he's been eating at Little Chef for 25 to 30 years.

"It's a good average-person's restaurant," said Graham, who had lunch there this week.

The only thing that hasn't changed is the restaurant's original blue Little Chef sign in the front parking lot. The Bartons said that'll stay.