LINK: www.WickedLocal.com

ARTICLE:

Fact 1: The restaurant is named after the couple's son Christopher

Fact 2: The first Christopher's Restaurant opened in Wakefield on July 15, 1985 – Christopher's seventh birthday

Fact 3: The new Christopher's Restaurant is 2,400 square feet and can seat 75.

Looking for hearty breakfast consisting of scramble eggs and pancakes? Daydreaming about a juicy Angus cheeseburger?

Christopher's Restaurant, which previously operated next door to its 580 Main St. space for nearly 15 years, has completed its first summer in its new facility after [moving and re-opening] Memorial Day weekend. The family-owned restaurant features breakfast, such as waffles and pancakes, and lunch, such as wraps and burgers.

Before the move, the restaurant operated in about 1,300 square feet, serving about 45 diners. Now both the size and capacity have nearly doubled.

The Advocate sat down with owners Bill and Laurie Cushing to hear how business is doing, why the 23-year-old business decided to expand, and how customers are reacting to the new Christopher's.

Q. How has business been going in the new space?

A. Laurie Cushing: Awesome. Everyone loves it. The difference from the small place next door to this is night and day. We're very happy.

Bill Cushing: Some of the people miss the old space – the atmosphere.

Q. Why did you decide to expand?

A. LC: We were given the opportunity to take the two spaces. In the end, it worked out really well for us. We got the bigger space because we outgrew our old space years ago. We're so happy that we stayed in Reading. That was our goal. We're so happy that it all worked out.

BC: We actually needed more seats and a bigger kitchen.

Q. Have patrons enjoyed the look and space?

A. LC: The customers' response has been so positive and we really love it. It's easier for us to run the business. We've cut down the wait time for customers, which is huge.

Located at 580 Main St., Christopher's Restaurant is open Monday through 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant can be reached at 781-944-3663.

Staff Writer Stephen Vittorioso can be reached at 978-371-5737 or at svittori@cnc.com.