SerpApi.Org
WINCHESTER — The owners of Rosie's Diner at the Winchester Bowl will move a portion of their operation to a new location after they said they outgrew the space.
Rosie's Diner has been operating inside the bowling alley, using a 24-inch griddle and two deep fryers to serve meals throughout the day. However, owners Tim and Lauri Mason said they could better serve the community by moving breakfast and lunch service to a building better suited for those meals, allowing the bowling alley to scale back both hours and kitchen operations.
The Masons will open BJ's Diner at 764 Old U.S. 36 in Winchester, in the former Buck and Jo's Too Cafe, which closed in 2020. The new name, BJ's Diner, honors the history of the building, Lauri Mason said.
"We really wanted to honor Buck and Jo's," she said. "Everyone knows it as Buck and Jo's."
The restaurant is expected to open daily beginning Aug. 3.
The Rosie's Diner menu will transfer to BJ's, but it can be expanded and changed because of the full kitchen at BJ's, Lauri Mason said.
She said she hopes to add more home-cooked-style menu items and specials, as well as items familiar from Rosie's.
"The meal that is the hardest to do at Rosie's is breakfast," she said. "You don't deep fry many breakfast items."
Lauri Mason said Rosie's has been doing well. However, the location and limited space have caused some issues for customers, bowlers and employees.
"We have been functioning and selling on range of a full restaurant," she said. "We've been watching it grow over the last year. We are trying to let a restaurant be a restaurant and a let the bowling alley be a bowling alley."
Food still will be served during operating hours at the bowling alley, though the menu will be more limited — mainly burgers, chicken, pork tenderloins and pizzas, Lauri Mason said.
The diner will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. The bowling alley will scale back its hours, opening from 5 to 10 p.m. every day but Sunday.
Lauri Mason said the alley still will open earlier in the day for private parties and events.
Tim Mason said there seems to be a lot of support for the restaurant being reopened.
"We've had a lot of people show an interest," he said. "We already have a class reunion that scheduled with us. I think a lot of people are also excited about it being open seven days a week."
Once the diner is fully transitioned, they plan to expand the bowling alley space, Lauri Mason said. While they will continue to have tables, they hope to remove some of the area needed for Rosie's as they transition to more of a snack bar.
"I don't think it'll need as much space," she said.
