A new school year means more small businesses to share about that make up our great Brewster community. While there are many new places popping up or expanding all over our town, there are many notable ones that have been around longer than most of our parents. The business that I will highlight in this issue has a reputation for being one of the oldest establishments in Brewster. Its classic atmosphere is prominent not just from how the building looks physically, but also from its fascinating history.
The famous Bob’s Diner is your classic American diner that transports you back to the 50s once you step in. Its vintage charm is what makes most locals and those fresh off the Metro-North attracted to it. This classic establishment has been serving sunny-side eggs over bacon, hash browns, and toast since 1955, still maintaining the same quality for decades. The founder, Bob Sprague, is to thank for creating such a timeless restaurant. He instituted a community between staff and customer, contributing to the lovability and homey feeling of the place projects.
After Bob stepped down from running the eatery, he passed it on to his son, Jimmy Sprague. Jimmy continued on Bob’s legacy, serving warm and comforting meals to the people of Brewster for three years. Tragically, he passed in 1996, allowing a new face to step up and continue to uphold the reputation the diner had now acquired.
At only nineteen-years-old, Thomas Sprague took his knowledge from waiting tables and washing dishes in the diner to take the reins as the new owner of Bob’s Diner. He wanted to keep the restaurant in the family, thus prompting him to step up at such a young age. “What else was I going to do?” he tells David Propper from The Examiner News. “Let someone else run my grandfather’s diner?”
Thomas has not disappointed in keeping the integrity of the diner alive. In the past couple of decades, he has gotten Bob’s diner even more involved in the Brewster community, making it even more of a staple in town. Starting in 2006, the diner has hosted a free Thanksgiving dinner, where patrons and residents can bring food and have a comforting meal on the holiday. Though the day is long, Thomas tells the Daily Voice that it is worth it to see the residents that do stop by and enjoy a good meal.
While the ownership and aspects of the diner has changed and varied over the years, the values and timelessness has been upheld, starting with their menu. Thomas Sprague has mentioned to The Daily Voice that Bob’s menu has stayed the same over the decades, only altering the quality of their food to be fresher. Additionally, the order of eggs over bacon, home fries, and toast has been the go-to meal for the past sixty years and counting. Outside of the food that is served, the diner has also maintained quality customer service for years, one of the many reasons people keep coming back. Sprague has ensured that every customer that walks in feels comfortable and like they are experiencing a home-cooked meal. This ideology is what allows the diner to continue welcoming many regulars, as the staff and Sprague himself develop deep connections with each customer.
Bob’s Diner provides a sense of continuity in a town that is ever changing and evolving. Through the many businesses that have been built up and closed down, the diner has stood strong and has only progressed as the years went by. The restaurant will always represent a part of old Brewster, allowing us to take a look back into the past in order to appreciate what it has led to today.
