Anthony’s Carryout on 17th Street, an Ocean City icon, will be changing ownership after 48 years under the management of John Simms and family. The business first opened as Anthony’s Tastee-Freez in 1954 with Chris Christ as the original owner. John Simms took over in 1972 and along with his children, Jason, Crissy, Missy and daughter-in-law Sandy, would operate the cash-only carryout until Sept. 7, 2020.
Famous for hand-carved ham and roast beef, in later years breakfast would become a big attraction. Customers would stand in line to get a ham and egg or scrapple sandwich and marvel at the staff’s ability to move the orders so quickly.
A favorite spot for locals, Anthony’s Carryout was also popular with celebrities such as Spiro Agnew, Bobby Baker, Ted Williams and Henry Winkler, who would sit at the counter with a scrapple sandwich and an order of hot cakes. On Winkler’s way out, he would strike a Fonzi pose and say “good food.”
Although the Simms family will no longer be serving breakfast or lunch on summer days, you can visit John and Jason at their new Berlin Auto Services. Gone from Ocean City but never forgotten.
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Photo by Bunk Mann taken Sept. 7, 2020