Midtown Cafe reopens

Three days have passed since Midtown Cafe reopened its doors to the public after a nearly four-month renovation process. Owner Gary Sharpnack is visibly exhausted from the ordeal, yet he is happy with the results of the rehabilitation project and seeing the looks on customers’ faces as they inspect the new look and decor of the longtime downtown Newton restaurant.

To make matters better, staff were constantly tending to customer orders throughout opening hours Sunday and Monday, even though they were not able to use a debit/credit card reader. Every meal was a cash purchase. Still, the renovation work no doubt contributed to a spike in business.

The restaurant had been closed for construction since January. Regulars were craving a hot breakfast served by friendly faces in a place that was familiar yet new. Folks were curious, Sharpnack said, plain and simple.

“It’s been fun,” Sharpnack told the Newton Daily News during his much-needed break Monday. “I knew that we were going to be busy. I honestly didn’t think we’d be as busy as we were for lunch, but they were coming, dude. It was crazy. If I had to take a guess, I would say there were 150 to 175 people (on Sunday).”

Initially, the Midtown Cafe staff thought they might have to move out while the remaining Hotel Maytag Apartments & Event Center finished its renovations. In November 2018, developer Jack Hatch announced the restaurant would stay put, much to the rejoice of Newton customers.

The home food diner is equipped with new furnishings and an updated kitchen. Staff agreed the restaurant “looks much better than it did before,” noting the 50-year-old Midtown Cafe was certainly showing its age long before it was accepted into the renovation process.

Customers have taken notice, too. Many of them, Sharpnack said, have spoken positively of the restaurant’s updated look and told the staff how much they missed the place, as well as its menu of hearty, Midwestern comfort food like biscuits and gravy, beef and noodles and bigger-than-your-face pancakes.

A few days before Midtown Cafe reopened, staff announced on Facebook it needed volunteers to help organize and prepare the restaurant for business Easter Sunday. It was like moving a three-bedroom house into a two-bedroom apartment, Sharpnack said. In response, about a dozen or so customers arrived late Friday afternoon to put things back together. Even more stopped in to “sneak a peek” of the renovations during that time.

“They showed up, man. I knew every one of them. That’s why I’m here ... It makes me feel good that they came in and helped me,” Sharpnack said. The secret to make Midtown Cafe regulars happy, he added, is treating them like family and serving them homemade food. “That’s what it’s all about ... I’ve seen a lot of people that I haven’t seen in a long time. I’m glad they’re back.”

As is Marjorie Horstman, who co-owns the restaurant and has been on the job for more than 23 years. Excited to get back to work after a brief hiatus, Horstman admitted the first few days Midtown Cafe reopened were rather difficult. She said it’s because staff had been apart for a long time, like a sailor regaining his or her sea legs.

“The first day back was crazy, but it was nothing like (Monday),” Horstman said. “This reminded me like it used to be 20 years ago. It was nonstop. It started at about 8 o’clock and it never let up. We had one little lull there for about 5 or 10 minutes and then they all started flocking back in here again.”

In time, she said, pacing will return to normal once everyone adapts to the new changes. Besides the new outward appearance of the restaurant, Midtown Cafe will try a delivery service from 4 to 8 p.m. most days of the week. Doors are now open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

“It’s all new to them and it’s all new to us,” Horstman said, pointing out that Midtown Cafe also lost a fair amount of seating to accommodate the new changes. Still, the customers are piling in to try their old favorites and some new menu items, such as a grilled salmon burger and a loaded sandwich dedicated to the returning Newton Nite Hawk football team.

What staff love most about reopening has almost nothing to do with the restaurant’s new look. Admittedly, they missed the people who would regularly fill the dining room no matter the weather conditions, no matter the day, no matter whatever menu special was listed that day.

Pleased with the changes, Sharpnack is ready to get back to work. Business as usual.

“As long as the building keeps me, I’m not going nowhere,” Sharpnack said.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com