Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant, the nearly 50-year-old Schenectady diner on State Street, is expanding to Brunswick at the former Country View diner property on Route 7. The sale of the 855 Hoosick Road site closed November 3 for $1.1 million, according to the Times Union’s reporting. The paper reported that the new owners projected reopening under the Blue Ribbon name late that month.
A Second Location on Route 7
According to the Times Union, Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant & Bakery is adding a second location by taking over the former Country View diner, a move the paper says is confirmed per the business's Facebook page. The report, written by Steve Barnes for the paper's Table Hopping section, says the Brunswick location is projected to reopen in late November 2026, though the Times Union notes it could not independently verify the closure and reopening details as of Thursday morning. A call to the Country View's phone number went unanswered, and a hostess at the Schenectady Blue Ribbon told the paper that management was unavailable to comment.
The Brunswick property includes a 4,000-square-foot building constructed in 1989, with seating for up to 143 guests, more than 3.5 acres and over 100 parking spaces. According to the Times Union, broker Alec Wright said it had been listed for 51 days before going under contract August 14 and closing for $1.1 million. The property was listed for $1.5 million in 2025, and Wright said the sale price exceeded the previous broker’s best offer by $300,000.
Zoning and Route 7 Context
According to Times Union reporting on Brunswick’s zoning map, 855 Hoosick Road is in a business district that allows mostly commercial development, including large retail. The Town of Brunswick’s August 2013 draft comprehensive plan described Route 7 as carrying most of the town’s traffic volume. The verified research available here does not provide assessment or deed findings, or establish whether site-specific approvals for the new restaurant operator were sought or granted.
Who Ran Country View Before the Sale
Anthony Gucciardo of the Colonie-based Gucciardo Real Estate Group, who is affiliated with the deal, told the Times Union that Andy Tsukalas owned Country View. Gucciardo said Tsukalas, originally from Greece, worked at the diner for 23 years before his family bought it from another Greek family. The Times Union also reported that a server, identified only through an online post, said her final shift was Sunday and that the restaurant would remain closed until the end of the month; the paper said it could not independently verify that account.
Blue Ribbon's Schenectady Roots and Recent Sale
Blue Ribbon opened in 1977 as a small diner, founded by Angelo and George Menagias, according to the Daily Gazette. The brothers sold the Schenectady Blue Ribbon restaurant and the adjacent Blue Rose Cheesecake & Bake Shop in August 2025 as they looked to retire, with the Gazette reporting that the properties went to Gulshan Soni of Mystic, Connecticut, according to county records. The Blue Ribbon restaurant building at 1801 State Street reportedly sold for $950,000, while the Blue Rose building next door at 1815 State Street sold for $380,000; a business publication reported the combined sale price for the properties and businesses at $6.5 million.
Soni also owns Donahue's Madison Beach Grille in Madison, Connecticut, and the Pizza Lady in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. A letter signed by the Menagias brothers and Soni, cited by the Gazette, promised customers that the Schenectady spot would keep its identity under new ownership, pledging “the same great food, the same warm service, the same dedicated staff, and the same beloved recipes” while introducing some fresh touches.
The Blue Ribbon Restaurant video is on Facebook.
The Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant & Bakery Facebook page has posted a video.
