Mama’s Caboose goes up for sale: Maintaining old traditions

DAYTON, Va. (WHSV) - Folks in Rockingham County are saying goodbye to an old classic as Mama’s Caboose food truck goes up for sale.

Owner, Diane Roll, moved to the area in 2005. She said after working for the city she knew it was time to do something she wanted to do. She was inspired by food from her home, Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the up-and-coming food truck industry.

“So I bought a food truck and named it Mama’s Caboose,” she said.

She recalled how the name came to be.

“I was at the beach one time complaining about ‘nothing’s going right... I oughta just buy an old train caboose and park it by the ocean and sell what I want to.”

Roll said she always knew the truck would be successful, and through the years, it has become a staple for many corporate, private and community events in the area, allowing it to expand beyond the four wheels.

“The truck turned into a little bit of catering, and then that turned into having a little deli, and then the opportunity for the tavern came up,” she said.

Even the pandemic brought her new opportunities.

“We’re gonna make grab-and-go meals because people couldn’t get out to get anything. and then that turned into the North River marketplace,” she added.

Roll says 11-plus years of service come with many memorable moments, like the time the truck had to be towed to and from the event she was a part of. However, she says the truck has done its time and it is now time to pass it along to the next generation.

Owning a food truck is no easy feat. Roll explained, you have to be more than just a good cook. You have to have, “the ability to adapt when something doesn’t work, or it rains on your big event that you planned for. You pretty much have to have a big support team and a sense of humor.”

Roll said some of her biggest supporters were Brother’s Craft Brewing, Bluestone Vineyard, Showalter’s Orchard, and some others. She said helping each other kept her moving forward.

While Diane may be parting with the truck, she plans to keep the same signature recipes, quality, and hospitality alive at the Dayton Tavern and the North River Marketplace.

If you are interested in buying the truck, contact Diane Roll at 540-383-8106.

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