Meet Our Crew

Rose Grant, General Manager

“In all of my years working, I have now found a job that brings warmth to my heart with family, friends and neighbors. White’s Wayside is a place that I call my Home Away From Home.”

Born in Korea and raised in West Virginia, for the past six years Rose and her fiancé Marc have made Head Waters their home. Rose has raised five sons and currently boasts six grandchildren. A motorcycle enthusiast, Rose especially enjoys Highland County/West Virginia backroad motorcycle adventures with Marc whenever they have the chance.

Rose joined the White’s Wayside team in 2019. As General Manager, Rose serves as the hub to make sure your experience with us is exceptional. She contributes a great deal of behind-the-scenes tasks including ordering, scheduling, bill paying, accounting, training and facilities management. You will often see her greeting customers and answering questions about bees, mushrooms and more.

When not at work (or on the motorcycle!) Rose enjoys her cats, gardening, bee keeping, mushrooms, woodworking and cooking. She's often been jokingly accused of having O.F.D. (Obsessive Feeding Disorder), and her unique Korean-Appalachian culinary style creates amazing results!

Shawn Allen, Baker

“I love the family we’ve become.”

Shawn lives with her husband in the George Washington National Forest. She began baking at White’s Wayside the year we opened in 2016 and we are fond of identifying her as the “Mother of the Bakery” because she is the one who successfully made the transition from baking the original WhiteWay bread in our camp kitchen to producing it in a commercial kitchen.

Besides the bread, she creates many of the cheesecakes, pies and cakes that you enjoy. Shawn's hobbies include baking, gardening and walks with her husband and Black Labs Beau and Kate.

Holly Bodkin, Back of House

“Friends gather at the WhiteWay. Whether you are meeting someone or making a new friend, our warm atmosphere brings people together. I love taking care of the folks who come to see us every week and helping new customers feel at home.”

Born and raised (mostly) in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, Holly lives in Sugar Grove with her husband Gavin and 3-year-old daughter, Gwen. With her extended family nearby, she enjoys the mountains of West Virginia and her time with family.

Holly has been with White’s Wayside since 2019. Working with the Back of House team, she makes sure you receive a delicious meal. Her energy and positive attitude make her exceptional.

Holly enjoys gardening, motorcycling and time with her daughter. She also works for her husband who is a motorcycle mechanic capable of fixing anything from small engines to big engines (chainsaws to diesels). Holly helps Gavin in his shop (Bodkin Service and Repair) by providing the administrative work needed. Gavin has just finished building an office for her to work in her own dedicated space, which makes her very happy.

Afton Dowdy, Lead Cook

Hi, I’m Afton and I live just up the road from White’s with my dad, Fred, and siblings Amber and Austin. I started my job at the diner in November of 2017 as a hostess and have enjoyed every day of it since.

I attended Buffalo Gap High School and graduated in 2019. I also attended Valley Vo Tech for Cosmetology where I passed my State Board exam in 2019. I decided to continue with my career at White’s Wayside.

I enjoy cooking, traveling, caring for my many cats and my dog, and doing hair and makeup. I love getting to cook at White’s because it feels like we are a family rather than coworkers and the energy at the diner is just so positive!

Sara Johnson, Back of House

Hi! My name is Sara and I live fifteen minutes from White’s Wayside with my parents, Darrell and Rebecca. I began working here in 2019 as a dishwasher. I left for a while to explore more of the East Coast and came back in December 2021. When I returned, I was washing dishes again but soon discovered how much I enjoy preparing food. Now, I do a little bit of everything including cooking!

I enjoy wildlife photography along with the challenges it presents. Collecting succulents and other house plants is another hobby that I greatly enjoy.

I love working at White’s Wayside because the staff is truly a family unit. Making great food for our community and seeing the smiles it provides makes working at White’s extremely rewarding!