All beautiful stories have an end. For longtime West Portal diner Manor Coffee Shop (321 West Portal Ave.), the time has come for owner Raymond Jeung to retire, after nearly 50 years of serving the neighborhood. He recently sold the diner to a new owner.
Opened in 1967 by Raymond's parents, Chuck and Chick, the Manor is known for its mid-century décor, pink-uniformed waitresses and traditional American menu, all of which make it feel almost frozen in time. But time marches on, and a walk past the diner shows a closed door and papered-over windows.
Raymond, who has been working at the Manor since his early teens, “grew up and learned cooking in this kitchen,” he said. Though the restaurant is steeped in memories of his father, who passed away in 2008, Raymond himself recently turned 60, and is "looking forward to new adventures in my semi-retirement."
“What made our journey so memorable were the generations of wonderful customers that dined at the Manor," reads a goodbye note from Raymond on Manor's front door. "They became part of the Manor family, and made us feel that we were cooking for our friends and family."
Some of the Manor's longtime customers say they'll miss that family feel. "I loved to come here because it was like cooking at home," said Byron, a regular at the diner. "The atmosphere was perfect."
Jackie, another regular, worries that things might not be the same when the diner reopens. "This may be the last time that I eat my favorite dish," the Denver omelette (ham, bell peppers, tomato, onions and cheese) with french fries, she said.
The Manor's new owner, Mike Gonzalez, has temporarily closed it for maintenance and cleaning, but he's promised to maintain “the same friendly atmosphere, and conserve the authentic image of the diner.”
The restaurant's new owners are aiming for a mid-February reopening, and Jeung is confident that he's leaving it in good hands. “Mike is very personable, and a highly credentialed, Cordon Bleu-trained chef," he wrote in his goodbye note. "I am confident that he will continue the core traditions of the Manor Coffee Shop.”
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