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CHICOPEE The tradition of a neighborhood restaurant continues in Willamansett with the opening of the second restaurant in the city run by the Cote family. Owners Michael and Joanne Cote celebrated their official grand opening of the new restaurant last week. It is in the location of the former LaCroix Market at 582 Chicopee St. The Cotes renovated the grocery space into a restaurant, added more booths and put in an ice cream counter. The market was closed for a month so they could finish the changes. The new restaurant seats 60 and the walls are covered with photos of customers and Chicopee memorabilia. Michael Cote said the location was brought to their attention and the couple talked about it and decided to "give it a try." The Cotes have been at the new location since June 18 and Joanne Cote said the reactions have been "so far so good." Unlike the family's Front Street location, the second restaurant will be serving dinner as well as breakfast and lunch. Beginning Aug. 1, the new location will be open seven nights a week until 9 p.m. for dinner. The new business created 12 new jobs in the city and Joanne noted most of their employees are from Chicopee. In all the Cotes have 25 employees. They've operated their Front Street restaurant for the past six years and Joanne said she and her husband are used to working side by side. With the two locations, one spouse will supervise each restaurant. When asked to describe their menu, Joanne said, "It's like eating at home." Meals are cooked to order and items are homemade. Joanne said the family-run business couldn't compete on some levels with chain operations such as Applebee's, but that unlike those restaurants the staff at the couple's new restaurants know their customers on a personal basis. "We treat them like family," she said. "If they don't come in, we question where they are." | ||||||
