Regulars—

My Place Has Been Their Place For Years

By Nancy K. Crevier

“It’s one big family,” says Louise Tambascio, owner of My Place Restaurant these past 27 years. She has a loyal following in the various groups of men and women who meet at the eating establishment everyday.

“On Wednesdays and Fridays, the local politicians all gather here in the morning,” she says, “and we have a big group of guys who are here every single day. I would say they have been meeting here for over 20 years. People come and go from the group. Anywhere from six to a dozen of them come in. Sometimes they just keep adding the tables. They know everybody in town.”

Indeed, it turns out that a few of these gentlemen migrate from table to table as the morning goes by.

There is an unhurried, comfortable feel to the dining room and the chat at the tables is peppered with laughter. “We make them feel at home,” says Mrs Tambascio. “They can stay as long as they want.”

Bob Denzel is one of the regulars at the coffee table. “We’ve been coming here a lot of years,” he says. “It’s a calm, easy place to come in. We have breakfast, sit around and gab. It’s a gathering place, you might say.”

“Louise tolerates us,” jokes Ed Forbell, who recalls when the guys first met for coffee at the original location of My Place on the other side of the Queen Street plaza. “They know all of our likes,” he adds.

“The whole focus is to have a good laugh,” says Les Burroughs, “and most everybody is a longtime Newtown resident.” There is another connection among many of the men, though. They love airplanes.

Several of the morning crew have flying licenses, some commercial and some just for pleasure. Others have their high-flying fun with model airplanes. It gives them plenty to talk about, when the talk turns from gossip and politics.

Dave Riley of Brookfield and Gilbert Jackson of Weston have never lived in Newtown, but they have found a home at the coffee table at My Place in the morning.

“I just came in one day and they invited me to sit with them,” says Mr Riley. “I’ve been coming ever since.”

Gilbert Jackson was hauled in by friends from Newtown years ago, and while those men no longer are around, he wouldn’t think of taking his morning visits to My Place off of his “to do” list. “I take the back roads from Weston and it’s a delightful drive,” he says.

 It is not only men who make My Place their place. “Sevens days a week Vi and Helen have been coming in, ever since I’ve owned the business,” Mrs Tambascio says.

“Vi” and “Helen” are Viola Murray of Sandy Hook and Helen Kriger of Newtown. The friends meet for toast and coffee every day; that is, as long as 88-year-old Ms Murray isn’t driving to New Jersey to visit family.

The two women have been regulars at My Place for about 30 years, they figure. They have watched the Tambascio family grow up and the kitchen knows just what it means when it sees “Vi’s toast” on the order form. “They know to make it dark,” Ms Murray says.

“There’s something missing from the day if we don’t get here,” says Ms Murray and Ms Kriger adds, “We’re always welcomed here. It’s like a home away from home.”

It is the kind of place that makes Mrs Tambascio say, “I love coming in every morning.” Ditto, for her regulars.