Christopher’s owner at home in Lynn’s Diamond District

LYNN – When he bought a house in Lynn seven years ago, David Shalvoy had no idea he’d end up relocating his restaurant and catering business from the South End of Boston to his new hometown.Shalvoy is the owner of Christopher’s Cafe at 2 Lewis St. in the Diamond District. The cafe had a soft opening almost a year ago but only started operating continuously a few months ago.”Even though we’ve been here a year,” he said, “we’ve really only been operating as a cafe full time since June.”Shalvoy said when he was living in Stoneham seven years ago he never dreamed he’d be living and doing business in Lynn.”I had a really bad perception of Lynn at the time. I thought Lynn was dump, filled with gangs and had a lot of crime,” he said. “But I read a description of a house for sale on Goldfish Pond in Lynn. I went and looked at the house. I fell in love with it.”Shalvoy admits he was pleasantly surprised not only with his new house but with the city he now calls home.”I didn’t know there were pockets like this in Lynn,” he said. “There is a lot of diversification. You know your neighbors and people take pride in their neighborhood. I love it here. I really do.”Shalvoy opened Christopher’s in the South End 12 years ago. Shalvoy said he also runs a catering business and he originally intended to use the Lynn storefront as a commissary.”Sometimes we do parties for up to 1,000 people,” he said. “We do a lot of catering for non-profits and I always based my catering on a sliding fee scale. We did a lot of work with non-profits in Boston and I hope to continue that tradition in Lynn.”Shalvoy said it was not unusual for him to close down the shop in the South End for up to a week at a time when he had a large catering job so it made sense to focus on the restaurant and catering business in Lynn.Shalvoy described Christopher’s as a “gourmet sub shop,” but it is much more. The establishment carries a wide line of made-on-the-premises pastries along with an extensive deli case with a wide array of salads and made-to-order sandwiches on homemade breads.”We deliver too,” he said.Shalvoy said one thing he has always prided himself on is quality.”Because I’m a small-time operator I buy all my own stuff,” he said. “I don’t get supplies from distributors so I get better product and a fresher product. I use all organic produce.”Shalvoy said the Lynn community has been welcoming and everyone is friendly.”Even at City Hall,” he said. “Everyone was so helpful and friendly. The city even gave me a permit for outdoor seating even though it has never been done here before. When I left Boston I didn’t even know people who lived in the building my shop was located in. Here I know people and there is a sense of community.”As for the name Christopher’s, Shalvoy explained he used to have a business partner named Tom.”Tom and Dave didn’t sound good,” he said. “He has a son named Christopher so we went with that and when I moved to Lynn I kept the name. Some of my customers call me Christopher and I am so used to it now that I answer to it.”Christopher’s Cafe is currently closed on Mondays. It is open for breakfast and lunch on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on Thursday and Friday’s from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. And it is open on Sunday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Shalvoy said he may extend the hours after Labor Day and store hours can be obtained by calling 781-596-2200.