Lake County Sentinel
Wickliffe's own Gateway Diner opens Monday
BY TIM SHIRER
PUBLISHER
On Monday October 21, the Gateway Diner will open in Wickliffe at 29235 Euclid Avenue and it will fulfill a dream of owners Shari Matyja and Erin Behm.
The two businesswomen met several years back and became friends. Behm initially found the space for the restaurant was open when the previous business closed. She contacted Matjya and the ball was rolling. While the two women met several years ago what they have in common is they are both graduates of Wickliffe High School and have lived in the city most of their lives. So, it was a no-brainer opening the restaurant in the city they have called home.
The hours for the diner are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7 a.am. to 8 p.m. and Sunday will be 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The hours could change with the flow of business, but Shari and Erin explained that they wanted shorter hours during the week now because they both have young children. Behm is married to J.J. and they have three school aged children. Matyja and her husband Greg have four children, two who are adults and two who are school aged. Shari’s adult son Chaz will also be working in the restaurant. Shari’s husband Greg put it hour after hour at the Diner getting it ready for the opening.
Erin will be running the back end of the restaurant and Shari will be running the front end. The diner will employ between three and ten employees when they open.
Within a couple weeks of the opening customers will be able to order online and pickup their orders at the pickup window that is located on the right side of the building.
The menu is extensive and features many items you may not find other places. Breakfast will be served all day.
The interior of the diner has blue booths and tables with blue chairs, kind of a throwback type atmosphere. There is also a counter where you can sit if a booth isn’t what you like. Also, there is a couch type bench near the front window that might be an area where young kids hang out if they get restless.
Overall the atmosphere of the restaurant is really good. There motto is “Where Friends become Family”
The Gateway Diner could quickly become the “in” spot in Wickliffe a city that loves its own and it get’s no better than a diner being run by two of Wickliffe’s own. Stop in and say hi to Shari and Erin and get a great meal while you are there.
POSTED 10/18/2019 21:38
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Photos by Tim Shirer
