Riley’s revival

The newly hung sign outside 268 Lincoln St. advertises the return of a local landmark: Riley’s Restaurant.

In 1975, Paul J. Riley bought a restaurant on Lincoln Street, renamed it Riley’s and ultimately moved it across the street to the spot it held for more than a quarter century.

After years of 100-hour work weeks, Mr. Riley sold the restaurant that bears his family name in 2001. The renamed restaurant, Riley’s on Lincoln, closed up shop at the end of December after the new owners complained of lagging business, insufficient parking and other factors that hampered operations. The owners said at the time they planned to move to a new location.

But Mr. Riley wasn’t ready to see the darkened windows on Lincoln Street.

“It’s a great neighborhood, and it’s a great location,” Mr. Riley said yesterday. “It was a meeting place for a lot of people.”

Mr. Riley, who now works for the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department, said he was ready to step back behind the counter to keep the place going.

But his sister, Christine Consolmagno, was also ready for a new venture.

Mrs. Consolmagno and her husband, Alan, are the new owners of Riley’s Restaurant. They have been working on the renovation and renaissance of the business since early January, and are ready to open their doors to the public on March 17.

“The opportunity came and we decided to do it,” Mr. Consolmagno said yesterday. “After 25 years of driving a truck, I welcome the restaurant business.”

Mrs. Consolmagno used to work at Riley’s under her brother’s ownership and has other restaurant experience. This will be her first experience as a restaurant owner, however.

“It’s exciting and it’s nerve-wracking,” she said yesterday.

Mr. Riley said he will be lending his expertise — and his recipes — to the new business, and plans to log some hours in the kitchen.

“I haven’t cooked in seven years, so it’ll be good to get back to a little cooking,” he said, boasting he was excited to once again present his “five-star” chicken soup to the masses.

Mrs. Consolmagno said she has faith the neighborhood can support a breakfast-and-lunch operation like Riley’s. Coming from a family of 16 children, she joked that her own family could fill the place. The restaurant has seating for 50.

Mr. Riley said he is looking forward to seeing the restaurant resume its role as a neighborhood fixture, recalling its days as a meeting place for the average Joe and powerful political figures. City Manager Michael V. O’Brien was a regular customer, Mr. Riley said, and he is expected to be on hand for the grand reopening on March 17.

Yesterday, contractors were at work inside the restaurant. The freshly painted walls were still bare, but Mr. Consolmagno said he plans to hang pictures from the city’s past throughout the place.

The new owners hope the restaurant will again become a place to congregate for breakfast and lunch. Riley’s will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

With new equipment and fixtures and new décor, all that remains of the old Riley’s is the counter.

But that counter, Mr. Riley said, had to stay.

“There’s a lot of memories there,” he said.

To that, Mr. Consolmagno added: “We’re going to make some new ones.”