Coney Island Diner set to begin a new era
Thousands of times over the last three decades, Jim and Cathy Smith have locked the door of the Coney Island Diner, washed up and gone home for the day.
Thursday, though, they handed the key — and the tradition — over to another local couple.
"It's bittersweet," Jim said. "My heart says stay with the customers, but the body says it's time to retire."
The couple bought the eatery at 98 N. Main St. in 1992. It first opened in 1936.
The iconic restaurant in the carrousel district was closed Friday, but only so that Greg and Aubrey Caugherty could get all of the paperwork changed into their name.
More: No injuries reported in outbuilding fire
It will be an emotional transition for everyone involved.
Cathy has already started to miss the customers that's she has become friends with over the years.
"They're more than just customers," she said.
History in restaurant business downtown
The Smiths have been serving the city's residents and visitors for a majority of their lives.
"We've spent 30 years at the Coney and a total of 42 years downtown," Jim said. "We took over the Yellow Deli and changed its name to Smitty's Underground. We bought the Coney in 1992 then in 1996 we came down here to work."
The site has become famous among filmmakers and politicians. The restaurant's walls are decorated with extensive, historical memorabilia.
The last day of business for the Smiths of Mansfield was June 30.
The Smiths are the third owners of the eatery, and now the Caughertys will be the fourth owners when they transition and reopen the eatery on July 18.
Long family tradition of serving
Jim and Cathy's two daughters have both worked at the business. Courtney is going to work with her husband Ryan at his business Eldridge & Co., and Tara works at Richland County Children Services as program director and is married to Nate Lautzenhiser.
The Smiths' granddaughter Grace Lautzenhiser, who has been working at the Coney Island Diner, attends Lexington High School and Ashland University.
Before they went into business, Jim Smith said he was initially going to be a drummer for a famous rock band.
More: Mansfield police Capt. Shari Robertson to retire
Cathy was going to be an elementary school teacher.
They've seen the ups and downs of owning a business, notably weathering the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another downtime was in January 2012, when the eatery closed for seven months after the overhead sprinkler system broke.
The restaurant's secret coney sauce recipe will be handed down to the new owners.
"You have to make it at five gallons at a time," he said, noting he won't be making it that often in his retirement to the dismay of the youngest daughter.
The couple, who are both slender, still eat coneys.
Jim eats them three or four times a week just to ensure quality control.
Cathy still eats them once in awhile.
Employees watch him eat them and like how he says each and every time the exact same thing.
"Are these on the menu? If not they should be. They're the best damn coneys I've ever had," he said laughing. "They always roll their eyes and repeat after me."
Lunchtime favorite for Mansfield workers
The blend of atmosphere, staff and food have made Coney Island Diner a longtime lunch favorite for employees who work in Mansfield, including Scott King, president and CEO of Gorman Rupp.
"The service is quick," he said. "You can get in and out of there. And you kind of run into everybody in town while you're there."
Over the past dozen years, he's visited the diner at least once a week for some of this favorite cuisine in town.
More: Fun in the sun can boost risk for skin cancer
"The regular staples," King said. "The pea salad, the coneys, the root beer and the ginger ale. I think the ginger ale is probably my favorite."
He's glad the diner will continue serving customers for years to come, and he's glad he got to know the Smith family so well for more than a decade.
"Some of the hardest working people in Mansfield," King said. "They’ve certainly earned a good retirement. I'm happy to see them reach that point, too. I wish them the best of luck, and I hope they have a long and enjoyable retirement."
'Nothing is going to change'
The baton has officially been passed on to Greg and Aubrey Caugherty, who grew up together in Lucas. They both graduated from Lucas High School in 2000.
"High school sweethearts," Greg said.
They both have been served plenty of times by the Smiths over the years.
"It's good food and it is always quick," Greg said. "I like the ambiance. It's exactly what I always thought of myself owning and running someday, I just didn't think it would be this soon."
More: Crestline Freedom Festival will include food, contests, raffles and fireworks
When the restaurant reopens July 18, all the paperwork and licenses will be switched over to the Caughertys, but everything else will remain the same.
"We love it this way and we want to continue on the same tradition and style," Greg said. "Nothing is going to change."
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Smith family sells Coney Island Diner to Lucas couple
