Shea's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

If Hall of Fame Yankee catcher Yogi Berra would have stopped by in Essex prior to last month, he would likely have offered one of his famed quotes: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

That was the trouble Bill Shea said he was having since moving his family-owned restaurant to its current location at 1520 Country Ridge Lane a little more than a year ago.

With limited seating, Shea said he would see many of his regular customers over the last few months drive up to the restaurant for breakfast——see a long line and drive away.

"I didn't blame them," Shea said. "No one wants to wait a long time when they go out to eat. We just didn't have anywhere for them to sit."

That changed about a month ago when Shea's completed an expansion that doubled the space of the restaurant and its seating capacity. The restaurant is now about 3,200 square feet and can sit about 125, Shea said.

The expansion also helped put the finishing touches on Shea's new location after the restaurant had been located for about 13 years along Back River Neck Road.

"We had to move," Shea said. "The old building, which was torn down last week, just had so many issues. Word has gotten out quickly, though, of where people can find us now."

Shea said he hopes to continue to build the business, which he took over from his sister about five years ago. Prior to that, Shea's was run by Bill Shea Sr., their father, who passed away about six years ago.

"My sister decided the business wasn't for her and my wife, Maria, and I decided to take it over," Shea said.

Known for its breakfast, Shea said, he wants customers to know his restaurant has far more than that now.

Recently, Shea's began staying open for dinner. In addition, the restaurant offers catering and even has begun using the restaurant to host parties.

"It's all about reinventing yourself and being able to meet the needs of your customers," Shea said.