The fate of a Sooke “diner legend” and its famous pies will be in the hands of a buyer after it was recently put on the market.
Mom’s Cafe, a 65-seat diner in the landmark blue building at the corner of Sheilds and Eustace Roads, has been a gathering place and a hub of the community for decades, serving home-cooked meals breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It was even the fertile ground where Carl Heinrich, a winner of Top Chef Canada, got his start.
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The café was built by Howard Lewis in 1963 and was originally called Joker’s Grill after Lewis’ daughter’s horse.
The restaurant has changed hands many times since then, with the second owner, Carl Gage, giving it the now-famous name of Mom’s Cafe.
The sale includes the business, buildings and land at 2036 Shields Rd. and is listed at $810,000.
An adjoining lot is being offered as a package for an additional $375,000, with a combined footprint of just over half an acre.
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Management and staff is in place if the new owner wants to keep the cafe as it is.
However, with commercial C-2 zoning, the property is potentially appealing to developers. As a redevelopment opportunity it would support, but is not limited to, a restaurant, office, residential above the first floor, brew pub, bakery, microbrewery, shopping centre and convenience store.
Time, and the new buyer, will tell the future of this community hub.
Current owners, Tom and Elaine Dee, who have done renovations on the cafe over the years, are ready to retire.
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