BLT’s, the popular breakfast and lunch diner on Broad Street, celebrated its grand reopening under new owners Monday.
Nicaury and Lissette Mateo, natives of the Dominican Republic, are the operators of what for years was known as Sam’s Grille.
“Me and my wife wanted to open a cafe so we’ve been looking,” said Nicaury Mateo. “Once we saw this, we knew it was a great opportunity.”
Mateo will continue to work his day job as an engineer at Beverly Hospital while his wife will work the cafe, which serves breakfast and lunch. The two will work together on weekends.
“My wife will really be handling the day-to-day, but I’ll be behind the scenes helping,” he said.
The couple already had their hands full before they took on this latest challenge. They have three children, 8, 6 and 2.
The 35-seat restaurant began as Sam’s in 2004, he said, and three years ago become BLTs. The Mateos are keeping the name.
The menu still features many customer favorites including the three egg, steak and cheese omelette for $8.99, eggs benedict for $8.99, and the chocolate chip waffle for $5.99.
Frances Martinez, president and CEO of the North Shore Latino Business Association, said her organization’s role is to help minority entrepreneurs get a hand up launching a new business.
“This is another victory for the North Shore, in this case, to the city of Lynn where this couple is launching their business,”she said. “We are very proud.”
