Charles Hajjar and Doug Abdelnour purchased the Circuit avenue property Friday for $4.9 million and plan to open a fast-casual restaurant there.
An Island hotelier and restaurateur have teamed up with plans to open a new restaurant in the former Linda Jean’s building on Circuit avenue in Oak Bluffs.
Boston-based developer Charles Hajjar, who owns several Vineyard hotels, and Doug Abdelnour, who owns Oak Bluffs restaurants Nancy’s and Nomans, purchased the 25 Circuit avenue property from Marc Hanover on Friday for $4.9 million.
Mr. Hajjar told the Gazette that he and Mr. Abdelnour plan to open a new fast casual restaurant in the space.
“[It will be] filling a need in Oak Bluffs for good quality affordable comfort food,” Mr. Hajjar wrote.
Mr. Hajjar said the restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and possibly dinner, but will not have table service. He aims to complete work in the restaurant by March.
Linda Jean’s, a popular diner in Oak Bluffs, had occupied the building for more than 40 years. Island chef Winston Christie took over the restaurant from Mr. Hanover, but the restaurant later closed.
Michael Santoro, who owns several Island restaurants including the Lookout Tavern, had planned to open a restaurant in the space, but his proposal for a comfort food spot never got off the ground. Mr. Santoro will not be involved in the new eatery, according to Mr. Hajjar.
Comments
Breakfast without table
Mark OBBreakfast without table service? I would think table service would be the draw IMHO
Well, Mark, you can always
Dave OBWell, Mark, you can always buy your own restaurant and give it a go. Seems to me Doug has done well with what he's done at Nancy's and Nomans.
Actually, wondering the
sylvia jacksonActually, wondering the reason for no table service is valid. Linda Jeans was a wonderful location not only great for profit but also serving as a place of community connection (aside from a bars or high end restaurants). Families gathered and elders appreciated going to a friendly and accessible location with reasonably priced food. No table service is great for profit but what about building community on an island that is transitioning to reduced social connection?
I'm confused. Why can't the
Jenn Oak BluffsI'm confused. Why can't the new place still be a social gathering place? Sure, a server could take my order, but usually at Linda Jean's he/she was too busy to chitchat. Like at Nomans i would hope friends and family continue to engage with each other. I don't see how self ordering defeats this. Am I missing something, Sylvia?
This is GREAT NEWS!
Julie Williamson Oak BluffsThis is GREAT NEWS!
YEAH !!!!!!!! Doug!
Mike Brown NewtonYEAH !!!!!!!! Doug!
“Comfort fast food” is an
Carla Cooper“Comfort fast food” is an oxymoron. Another restaurant with no wait staff is another restaurant I won’t be going to.
Linda Jeans just another
Leonard Beaudin AuburnLinda Jeans just another standout restaurant gone like Louise’s and Ocean View, times have changed like the original Humphrey’s Bakery gone but not forgotten
Comfort food = non take -out
Debbie Oak BluffsComfort food = non take -out PLEASE
Great news! Looking forward
Janice DeLisle Oak BluffsGreat news! Looking forward to the establishment these proven owners will create. We will miss the charming servers though; started our day with a smile and excellent food.
Wow, great news…..Hope it
Marie edgartownWow, great news…..Hope it will be open year round…..Love Nancy’s and Norman’s….thank you and wishing lots of success
Finally! The closure of
Gayle Stiller Vineyard HavenFinally! The closure of Linda Jeans was bad enough, but to have it just sitting there all this time has made it worse.
But no table service? I hope they rethink that plan.
Really breakfast and lunch no
OB Bob Oak BluffsReally breakfast and lunch no service. I wont be going here when they reopen.
No wait staff? Why?
Susan Desmarais Oak BluffsNo wait staff? Why?
Feels like Stop and Shop cutting out cashiers by installing mostly self service check outs.
ya, self service is what i
michael edgartownya, self service is what i use at stop and shop, which is the go to lunch choice of local tradesmen for meals.....very reasonable and mostly fresh also.....the local sandwich shops are empty at lunch time in edgartown....
We Islanders miss Linda Jean
Jeanbe VH & FLWe Islanders miss Linda Jean’s so much but I am thrilled that it will open back up as another restaurant. No table service might work out, but I’d prefer to have our old servers back. I hope it works, but if Doug is involved, it should be just fine.
Yeeeessssss. The excuse I've
Elsa Kennyone TisburyYeeeessssss. The excuse I've been waiting for to get out of Tisbury to eat somewhere I trust the food will be great.
No table service, I won't go.
Edgartown momma EdgartownNo table service, I won't go.
So, basically, what we are
JV Katama and FloridaSo, basically, what we are talking about is a take-out place for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Thanks for giving back to the
Tom Engley West TisburyThanks for giving back to the community
I feel like if people
M.Graves OBI feel like if people (ownership) actually cared about experiences over things (which is what the Island symbolizes to many), there would be a restaurant concept that would include table service. To use this space for takeout just feels wrong. I wish anyone going into business with the best intentions success, but there is a true need on Circuit, and this isn't filling it at all.
Looking forward to it, maybe
rob the roofer new jerseyLooking forward to it, maybe a virgin dirty banana. Only good luck to you Doug and Charles in your new project.
Sounds like a great idea.
Ken Rusczyk OBSounds like a great idea.
I am confused. What is a
Lorraine EdgartownI am confused. What is a restaurant serving two, or possibly three meals per day, without table service, called? Perhaps, being a person of a certain age, I fail to understand how I will get my food? Do I call up, go online, order and then drive over and pick up food in containers, bring it home and eat it at home? What is that kind of restaurant called? Have I stayed too long at the fair?
Sounds like an upscale Martha
John Cape CodSounds like an upscale Martha's Vineyard version of Dunkin Donuts / McDonalds fast food offerings combined
Article only says “no table
R Scott Patterson EdgartownArticle only says “no table service”, they might have tables you can sit at and self bus.
What the Vineyard needs is
Karen Sankey EdgartownWhat the Vineyard needs is another Linda Jean's....family restaurant with good food at a reasonable price, where you sit down and are waited on. I'm disappointed that this doesn't sound quite like that. I hope the new owners will rethink the plan.
I imagine the service setup
John E. Brooklyn, NYI imagine the service setup will be the same as at Noman's, where you order at a counter, pick up at a window nearby and take the food to a table. Works fine there, should work fine on Circuit. Looking forward to seeing what the new place is like.
Excited about Linda Jeans
Susan Oak BluffsExcited about Linda Jeans opening.
but definitely not excited about take out. Hope you reconsider.
Takeout comfort food?
I am very surprised at the
Pat vineyard havenI am very surprised at the numerous comments concerning the table service. Considering the extreme difficulties in finding qualified workers I think it is a good idea, at least to start. Not only does this plan work well at Nomans but also at the Black Dog Cafe. I wish them luck!
I just want a solid breakfast
H Oak BluffsI just want a solid breakfast back. That’s all the people want and need.
I want Linda Jean’s.
As a regular at Linda Jeans
Enough Already Oak BluffsAs a regular at Linda Jeans it always had a huge takeout component. Nowhere in this article does it state this is a take out out only restaurant. Since Covid the restaurant world has changed and finding waitstaff is near impossible. So yes, if you are too lazy to go up to a counter and order food all by yourself and have a delicious meal served to you without waiting for the server to come to you, well go somewhere else. I don't think they'll miss you!
This is great news! We sure
Bob OBThis is great news! We sure need more options in OB!
I actually don’t like the concept until I went up Nomans and it works…
Look forward to the new place….
Am I the only one who sees
Emma Oak BluffsAm I the only one who sees the line for Biscuits? A sit down breakfast place is in high demand, we don’t need another take and go. Use this space for something we need, don’t waste it. Hope the owners rethink
I don't see a good outcome
Island Mike On IslandI don't see a good outcome here. Take out only? Or perhaps bus your own table? This won't last more than a season before financial issues cause a closure. We better support the breakfast places already there (and around the island) before we lose more great places. I miss LJ's!
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