Timothy's to Permanently Shut Its Doors Saturday

Timothy's has been a popular hang out for Trinity students and professors alike since the restaurant first opened in 1974. Now, after over three decades of hard work, owner Tim Otte is retiring from the restaurant business. I walked down to Timothy's on nearby Zion Street this past week in hopes of speaking with customers, waiters, and waitresses about the restaurant and what it has meant to them over the years. When I entered the front door, I was kindly greeted by a few of Timothy's friends and longtime customers who were volunteering their time to help the restaurant run smoothly during its final weeks of business. I also met Otte himself. He spoke with me about his experiences with the restaurant and what's next for him.A long time customer, Al Masciochi, told me about his memories of the restaurant. Masciochi has been eating at Timothy's for 27 years and Otte even catered his wedding rehearsal dinner. A financial consultant who works out of his home, Masciochi has recently offered his time at the restaurant, washing dishes and even waiting tables to show his appreciation for the restaurant. When asked about his best memory of Timothy's over the years, Masciochi responded saying that his fondest memory was a waitress named Gladys Moore. Moore worked at the restaurant for many years and passed away just last year at the age of 80. Moore was as Masciochi put it, "like a waitress from a movie. She looked like she came straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting." He continued on to say that right after the birth of each of his children, he and his wife brought the newborns to Timothy's to show Moore. "She had a rough exterior but a heart of gold," he said.

The deaths of Gladys and others close to Otte have perhaps contributed to his decision to close the restaurant. For Otte, it seems like the right time to close. "A lot of people have had their 50th birthday parties here, which says a lot about how long I've been here," he said. The restaurant has had everything from baptism parties to funeral receptions and has meant a great deal to many people over the years. This has become even clearer now that the restaurant is closing. Otte says that regular customers have been pouring in for their last pieces of black magic cake and last servings of the restaurant's fresh soups and salads. "Just this morning a family had their kids return from their colleges in Boston to eat breakfast together," Otte said.

Otte developed close relationships with members of the Trinity community during his time on Zion Street. He said of his ties to the college, "I wouldn't be here without Trinity." Trinity Professor of Economics, Diane Zannoni, ate breakfast at the restaurant for the past 30 years. Zannoni recently told Hartford Courant writer Jeffrey Cohen, "You always knew when you entered there that you were going to be treated like a human being. When you went there you just felt there was somebody who cared about you.'' Sophomore Class President Dan Hoyle will miss the personable environment Timothy's provided. "Where else can you stay as long as you want and even help clean up? It's really disappointing to see the restaurant go and it definitely will be missed!" he said.

Loyal customers are traveling far and wide to eat at Timothy's one last time. One such customer, Donald Yacouone, received his Masters Degree from Trinity College and traveled from Boston to eat breakfast at the restaurant this past weekend. Yacouone met with friend Peter Keiffer who said of the restaurant, "Timothy's is so nationally known that I came here from Phoenix, Arizona when I heard it was closing."

Timothy's will close its doors for good on Feb. 17. Otte will spend his time catering parties and serving lunch and dinner at St. Anthony Hall on Trinity's campus. In a manner that typifies the friendly atmosphere of his restaurant, Tim said, "If you miss the restaurant's bread, you can come down to St. A's to get a slice.