FITCHBURG — The Moran Square Diner sat vacant and undisturbed at 6 Myrtle St. for nearly two years after closing, it’s yellow and red metal exterior taunting passersby who were nostalgic for weekend excursions downtown.
Now two residents hope to revive the dormant city relic, bring back fried eggs and savory bacon, and breathe life back into the space.
Brittany Willoughby and her husband, Adam Willoughby, former diner patrons themselves, said it’s been their dream to reopen the business after spending countless dates together at the diner, which closed under owners Chris and Mary Gianetti in 2018.
“I grew up going there with my whole family on Sundays,” Brittany Willoughby said. “We went there all the time, had good conversations, and great food.”
The pair wants to bring that feeling back to the city.
“We want people to eat here and say ‘wow, this is Fitchburg,’” Adam Willoughby said. “The idea that good food is only in Boston or New York, we want to dispel that.”
Together the pair has over 24 years of experience in the restaurant industry.
With plans to reopen the diner in the fall, Adam Willoughby said their primary goal is to make it a hub for people to come together, eat good food and return the lunch car to its former glory.
Residents entering the diner, he said, should feel like they’re in their own kitchen.
“We want to create a more personal experience,” he said. “Like someone’s in their home kitchen.”
There will be classic diner items like hash and eggs, or oatmeal, but the pair wants to offer greater menu diversity and put an emphasis on eating local produce.
“We are here to showcase the work of local farmers, ranchers, foragers, vendors, artists and creators,” said Adam Willoughby. “The restaurant isn’t about us — we want to have a menu that doesn’t point to the chef. It’s about the origin of your food and its journey to the plate.”
That means a menu with vegetarian and vegan options and one that’s sensitive to dietary restrictions.
Brittany Willoughby said they hope to source all the produce from businesses and organizations within 100 miles of the diner.
“The idea is to use what we have here,” Adam Willoughby said. “We want to use what we have here and show that this is the cuisine of New England.”
On top of the variety of food, the pair wants to keep the menu affordable for everyone.
“We want it to be accessible to everyone in the community,” said Brittany Willoughby.
To help boost their efforts, the Willoughbys have started a Kickstarter online with a goal of $20,000.
“It’s really about the community and all of us coming together,” said Adam Willoughby. “It’s not just about us, it’s about having a place for people to come together. This is their diner too.”
According to Brittany Willoughby, the Kickstarter money will help them purchase cooking equipment, tableware, material for walls, and also update the hoods and fire suppression system.
Adam Willoughby said there will be a few staff members on hand when they open and they will scale up as needed.
The Moran Square Diner still resembles old photos taken when it was built in 1940.
Adam Willoughby said the goal is to clean up the space but to keep it exactly the way it is, the way residents remember.
“We just want to clean and show what it is, it’s pretty much perfect already,” he said. “It’s exactly how we want it.”
Modeled after a train car and constructed by Worcester Lunch Car and Carriage in the early- to mid-1900s, the diner has kept its swivel stools, wood booths and the rustic look residents have come to love.
The interior of the diner seats 32 people.
Residents have visited the diner in Moran Square, near the intersection of Lunenburg and Main streets, since the early 1940s. It was first listed in a city directory as the Moran Square Diner back in 1943 and was owned by Mitchell J. Vitelli.
The Giannetti family purchased the diner from the Vitelli family in 1999 for $130,000 and operated it until it was closed in 2018.
“We really look forward to being there every day,” said Adam Willoughby. “We couldn’t be more excited.”
