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New owner steps in at Grumpy’s
Thomas Holmes, 28, says that he'll keep the beloved Route 6A breakfast spot as it is: “Absolutely nothing will change.”
A young professional is taking the reins at Grumpy’s, the beloved breakfast spot on the Cape — saying “absolutely nothing will change.”
And he means it.
Grumpy’s will see no major renovations, will have 100% the same staff, and will keep the same menu.
“It’s going to be staying very true to its roots,” Thomas Holmes, 28, the new owner of Grumpy’s, told Boston.com last week, adding that it will be “business as usual.”
Holmes bought the restaurant at the end of January. He did not disclose how much he paid for it. However, according to listing agent Chuck Carey of Carey Commercial, the restaurant sale garnered significant attention, with at least six people seriously interested in buying it.
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Holmes did not buy the property, which remains in the hands of the previous owner, Jim Manning. Manning put the restaurant, located along Route 6A, up for sale in the fall for close to $800,000.
Carey said the sale of Grumpy’s was unusual because it wasn’t put on the market when it was declining or in need of renovations, which is typically the case. Instead, it was put on the market when sales were still climbing.
So when it ultimately sold to Holmes, Carey said, “I can’t tell you the number, but it was striking to a lot of people.”
Who is the new owner?
Holmes has a background working in politics and, more recently, in the technology sector, where he is the vice president of strategy and operations at the talent management platform HelloTeam.
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However, “restaurants have always been an extreme passion of mine,” Holmes said.
Along with his partners at Wicket Hospitality, he has invested in other businesses, including Shucker’s, a dockside seafood restaurant in Woods Hole.
But Holmes, who lives in Scituate (for now) and is traveling frequently to the Cape, says he is the sole owner of Grumpy’s.
He first fell in love with the place during his first trip to Cape Cod about 10 years ago, when he went to Grumpy’s with his then-girlfriend, now wife, Katelyn. Going to Grumpy’s was part of her family’s tradition every time they visited Dennis.
“I completely fell in love with it,” Holmes said. “I could tell it’s such an iconic spot.”
The restaurant gives off a quintessential small-town, Cape Cod feel, Holmes said. Plus, the food. He noted the muffins, the corn hash, and the extensive breakfast menu. He loves the fact that you can get a cheeseburger at 6 a.m. and a tuna melt at 8 a.m. and no one will look at you weirdly.
So, “the minute that I saw it was for sale, I knew I had to own it,” he said.
Carrying the torch
Holmes said he sees himself as a steward of Manning’s legacy, noting that he left the restaurant in excellent condition, with up-to-date kitchen equipment, well-running operations, and a well-executed menu.
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“People always talk to me about how there’s no more diners, there’s no more breakfast spots, but Grumpy’s has stood the test of time,” Holmes said.
Grumpy’s has been around 30-plus years, “doing what they do best,” said Holmes. They have transformed into an “iconic Cape spot.”
He noticed how so many other restaurants have since disappeared. Most recently, Encore Bistro and Bar closed in Dennis, Piccadilly Cafe and Deli in Yarmouth, and others like Thompson’s Clam Bar in Harwich Port, Joe Mac’s in Dennis, and Mildred’s Chowder House in Hyannis.
When these iconic restaurants close down, Holmes said, “I think that’s the worst thing to happen.”
Now, he hopes to carry on Manning’s legacy for another 35 years.
“We’re excited for the community to welcome us,” said Holmes. “I’m really looking forward to continuing to have many great times and great memories at Grumpy’s.”
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