In West Lynn, a warm place on a wintry day

LYNN – While the rest of the world was snowed in with the fourth round of heavy snow in as many weeks, the Little River Inn, a breakfast place in West Lynn, was open for business.According to co-owner and cook Rick Ford, 40 neighbors walked to the restaurant, and 20 public safety employees, including police, fire and ambulance, and plowing crews also visited.?We have never closed in 29 years, except on Christmas,” Ford said. “Customers seemed to appreciate that we were open.”Snowy days usually result in about 150 customers, but because nearby Sacred Heart, Austin Square Baptist and Trinity United Methodist churches were closed, there were fewer Sunday, according to Ford.Ford and his wife, Tina, braved the fierce winds and bitterly cold air and walked to their Boston Street restaurant at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. According Tina Ford, a co-owner and server, walking wasn?t easy.?We tried to walk quickly,” she said. “No one was out at that hour. For staff, there was myself, Rick, and the dishwasher.”Rick Ford said he hopes everyone enjoys the holiday weekend and limits their driving to allow the Department of Public Works to clear the roads.Their daughter, Erin, who worked at Little River Inn when she was younger, said, “A lot of plow drivers and neighbors within walking distance appreciate that the Little River opens even during storms.”