Midtown Cafe closing after more than 50 years

Gary Sharpnack is flipping the final orders of his signature pancakes for Midtown Cafe, which will be closing its doors Nov. 29 after more than 50 years.

As a last hurrah, Sharpnack will offer customers a free, buffet-style feast for the restaurant’s last day in business. The owner of the downtown Newton diner for the past nine years said it will give regulars a chance to enjoy Midtown Cafe’s homestyle cookin’ one last time — and also say goodbye.

Halloween illustrations painted on the windows of the 120 First St. N. restaurant depict a grim image: a tombstone with the phase “RIP Midtown Cafe” inscribed on the top with 2021 as the date of death just below. Sharpnack credits the artwork to his daughter. And it’s getting people talking, too. Everybody’s asking.

“That’s when the conversation gets upsetting,” Sharpnack said. “A lot of people are going to be upset. It’s sad, dude.”

The downtown Newton diner has remained a staple for several years. Sharpnack admitted the restaurant’s not perfect, but he tries. Still, the customers regularly roll in heavily on Saturdays and Sundays for breakfasts and brunches. Sharpnack said the homely food is what made customers happy.

“And we also treated you like family,” he said. “We don’t care whether you’re rich or poor or whatever. As long as you eat. If you want to eat, come on in. I’ll feed ya if you’re really hungry. I’m not going to make anybody starve. "

Midtown Cafe and its staff of 20 have faced their fair share of challenges these past few years. In 2018, the restaurant thought it would have to close or relocate to accommodate for the remodeling of Hotel Maytag. Instead of packing up and leaving, the restaurant was instead incorporated into the renovations.

Afterwards the restaurant was forced to close for four months. Midtown Cafe was spruced up and received a new look and decor. Then, less than a year later, the pandemic threatened to put an end to Midtown Cafe’s operations. Sharpnack said he needed a $43,000 loan to keep the doors open.

When Sharpnack took over the restaurant as owner and manager, he assumed a great sum of debt, too. Midtown Cafe had $98,000 of debt. Sharpnack said he, his wife Deanna and longtime employee Marjoie Horstman dedicated their paychecks to the Internal Revenue Service. The debt’s finally been paid.

“I’m just now getting a paycheck,” he said. “I’ve got five, six, seven paychecks since I owned the place. I worked for free for nine years. Free. For this community. It was either go to jail and shut the place down, or continue to work and stay out of jail. I had my community support me.”

Sharpnack is grateful to the community for supporting him and Midtown for all these years.

“Thanks for your support, and make sure you show up on Nov. 29,” Sharpnack said. “I’ll have a buffet setup. Everything will be free. Come in and say goodbye.”

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