BY MICHELE RUSSELL
OCEANFRONT — One of the oldest and most popular restaurants in Virginia Beach, Mary’s Kitchen, closed in October after the beating so many eateries had taken from the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Owner Alice Ruffin of Bay Colony posted a social media message to her loyal customers: “I regret to inform you that after much thought and heartfelt consideration, Mary’s will be closed until the spring of 2023.”
Immediately, hundreds of Mary’s Kitchen’s Facebook followers responded.
“I didn’t realize so many people would react with comments of sadness and concern over our closure,” Ruffin told The Independent News via email as Mary’s prepares to reopen.
“I would see people at the grocery store or at the gym or while I was walking our dogs and they would comment, ‘Please tell me you aren’t closing Mary’s forever!’… ‘Oh my gosh, why did you close?’”
Ruffin said she never intended to permanently close the restaurant that still bears the name of the woman who opened it in 1951, Mary Craft.
“No, I wasn’t throwing in the towel,” Ruffin said. “Mary’s Kitchen is a local icon. I think I realized that more than ever after we temporarily closed.”
“The restraints of Covid hit everyone hard,” Ruffin said. “Our sense of normalcy was turned upside down.”
Ruffin said she applauds those employees who stayed with her despite lots of overtime. She said closing was “a heart wrenching decision. I have owned Mary’s since 1995 and have been fortunate to have had a committed staff and a good customer base from our local community and [Virginia Beach] tourists. I know I disappointed many people, but we needed a break, time to reset and recharge…”
Her strategy was to “hit the ground running in the new year” with a positive outlook. Her new general manager, Evelyn Speller, a former Chesapeake restaurant owner with 45 years in the restaurant business, helped her create a business plan. O’Brien Advertising Group helped with social media.
Monday, March 13, is the official reopening date for Mary’s Kitchen.
There will be some changes. Before they leave a customer’s table, servers will use a handheld device to electronically send meal orders to the cook. Ruffin has also trained several employees to fulfill online orders.
The menu contains a few new items including shrimp and grits and a shrimp fajita omelet, as well as avocado toast, flounder BLT, grilled chicken sandwich and Cobb salad.
“Now we’re back and ready to greet our guests with a smile, quick friendly service and good home cooking,” she said.
Mary’s Kitchen is located at 616 Virginia Beach Boulevard. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., daily. Reach Mary’s at (757) 428-1355.
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