EAST LONGMEADOW – Since February 1988, Coughlin’s Place has kept customers coming back to enjoy breakfast or lunch at the local restaurant. However, this time next year the local eatery may be under different ownership.

Owners Ann Marie Duffy and Dennis Madden told Reminder Publications the recently decide to sell the building, located at 182 N. Main St., along with its equipment, recipes and name for $599,000. The business remains open, but they hope to sell Coughlin’s Place to a new owner within a year.

Duffy said she and Madden worked together in food services at Hampshire College in Amherst prior to starting the business together. When the business partners bought the building it was vacant.

“In the beginning we worked from 5 in the morning until 10 at night for two years,” she added. “It took a lot to get it up and going.”

Madden said they both worked six days a week for 20 years. Around the business’ 20th anniversary they decided to stop opening on Mondays.

“We also now, after 20 years, shut down [during] the first two weeks in February and the last week in July and the first week in August,” he added.

Duffy said since announcing their intent to sell the business, the business partners have learned about the impact Coughlin’s Place has had in the community.

Their announcement has been a major conversation piece for customers from East Longmeadow and Longmeadow.

 “They’re just blown away by the fact that we’re going to sell it and it’s kind of touched our hearts to know that people care that much,” Duffy said.

She said they’ve received a “flurry of activity” regarding parties interested in purchasing the local restaurant, but everything at this stage is preliminary.

Madden, also the head cook for Coughlin’s Place, said some of the restaurant’s offerings include pancakes made from scratch and homemade soups as well as jellies.

“We come in at 5 in the morning and we prep from 5 to 11 [a.m.] every single day,” he added. “Everything we serve here is fresh and homemade; made from scratch. Our black bean burger is from scratch. Our falafel burger is from scratch … Our burgers are hand pressed fresh [hamburger], so we take pride in everything being fresh.”

He said he believes one of the reasons why the business has become successful is due to both owners being present at Coughlin’s Place day in and day out.

Duffy, who serves customers behind the counter, said the restaurant’s homemade hash is a big seller and signature skillet breakfast dishes and Belgian waffles are popular as well.  

Madden said customers frequently order grilled Reuben sandwiches – made with fresh hot corned beef, served with sauerkraut, Swiss chesse and thousand island dressing on rye toast – and eggs Benedict.

“We do eggplant Romano, which is fresh eggplant with a tomato basil sauce,” he added. “It’s very popular.”

New dishes on Coughlin Places’ menu include burrito and Thai bowls. Other classic staples include salads, soups, grilled meals, breakfast items, and simple sandwiches.

Both said when they sell the business they would miss seeing regular customers the most.

“A lot of people are regulars so we feel like a lot of people we wait on is our friend,” Duffy said. “They come through the door and we say, ‘Hi Bill. Hi Mary. How are you?’ And we most of the time we know what they’re going to eat. It’s just a very warm homey place and it’s going to be odd to, all of sudden not see those people. We see hundreds of people a week and feel like they’re coming to see us.”

For more information about Coughlin’s Place visit www.coughlinsplace.myw2m.com.