A Worcester restaurateur is embracing his well-deserved retirement as he is about to celebrate his 50th anniversary of running a landmark Worcester diner before it switches ownership later this month.
Looking back at his time owning and operating Kenmore Diner, James “Jimmy” Yantsides is grateful for the legacy he built after 50 years.
“The diner is my baby. I grew up with this diner,” he told MassLive in an interview in the diner Wednesday morning. “I will miss everybody. Most of all, I will miss the little kids, like under 10, under 5.”
Kenmore Diner originally opened on Franklin Street in Worcester in 1965.David Cifarelli
While it took him some time to decide what he wanted to do, Yantsides ultimately decided to walk away so he can enjoy retirement, which is something he is definitely looking forward to.
“I’m not a teenager. I’m 73 years old. For 50 years, I had enough,” Yantsides joked while sitting in one of Kenmore’s booths Wednesday morning. “I got nothing to prove. I’ve done everything.”
Yantsides does not have any immediate plans on how he’ll spend retirement, aside from going on his daily walks or the occasional road trip. He eventually plans on traveling to Greece for three weeks with his wife, Pauline Yantsides. Until then, the 73-year-old will just be a phone call away in case the new owner needs anything.
“He’s welcome to come and have his morning coffee here and critique what I’m doing,” said Christon Paddock, who bought the diner from Yantsides and is taking over once he leaves.
She compared the feeling of taking over a restaurant to buying a house and the “underlying anxiety” that comes with it. However, Paddock is looking forward to keeping the diner going.
Kenmore Diner in Worcester is known for its train car-style aesthetic.David Cifarelli
“My career path has been, you know, a winding road but this is where it led me and so I’m excited for that,” she said.
Paddock plans on offering lunch, keeping the diner open later in the afternoon, freshening up the menu and dabbling with social media to help increase Kenmore’s brand. But before she takes the reigns, Paddock wants to learn as much from Yantsides as possible.
“That way I can use that knowledge and make conscientious decisions moving forward and not just change things arbitrarily,” she said. “I don’t want to disrupt the profitableness of 50 years and the loyalty of customers from the last 50 years.”
Kenmore Diner, which first opened in 1965, has overcome several obstacles including the Blizzard of 1978 and the 1999 Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. fire.
Yantsides took over the diner in 1974 when he was 22 years old. At the time, the restaurant had been closed for two years and needed a major face lift. Yantsides spent about 40 days cleaning the space with others’ help. But despite breathing new life into the diner, Yantsides initially had trouble getting the business off the ground.
Owner James “Jimmy” Yantsides prepares an omelette at Kenmore Diner in Worcester.David Cifarelli
“It had such a bad reputation that nobody wanted to come in,” he said, referring to people’s perception of Kenmore during that time. “They used to walk for a meal and go across the street. They didn’t stop here.”
Yantsides recalls thinking he’d give it a year before choosing to give up. After 11 months of being open, Yantsides finally had some money left over from paying all the bills — a whopping $37. That’s when he knew Kenmore Diner would survive.
“I knew I will be OK,” Yantsides recalled. “People started coming in. They got impressed.”
Kenmore has developed a strong following of generous customers. Customers, many who have been getting the same breakfast for decades, who have praised Kenmore for its quintessential diner food and aesthetic.
“The food is freshly-prepared and everything is consistently well made,” one Yelp reviewer from Wallingford, Connecticut wrote in March. “I had a ham, cheese, and onion omelette that was also wonderful, came with tasty home fries and buttery toast. The sausages come in quantity and they’re very tasty. Service was impeccable, host and wait staff very friendly.”
The Greek omelette at Kenmore Diner in Worcester.David Cifarelli
“Mid-mod decor makes a neat change from the (awesome) standard train car,” another reviewer said. “Great service, food on par with the VERY high standard in Worcester.”
To give back to everyone who supported him over the years, the diner will be serving customers a free breakfast if they stop by on Monday, Jan. 15. That will also be Yantsides’ last day before he retires.
Customers can visit Kenmore Diner at 250 Franklin St. Until Paddock takes over, the diner is open for breakfast from 6 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
