BethAnne and Bob Tatro started going to the Country Cafe in Jaffrey 14 years ago when they moved to the area. Now the New Ipswich couple are the new owners.
They officially reopened the longtime Jaffrey location known for its breakfast, lunch and baked goods on Oct. 21 after being closed for eight weeks to remodel and clean. They also added to the name, creating the Monadnock Country Cafe.
The discussion about purchasing the cafe, that for many years was known as Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts, from owner Wendy Libberton began last December but got serious in the spring. Libberton was ready to retire and BethAnne loved the small-town feel, how everyone knew each other and the loyal customer base.
“I said to her years ago, when you’re ready to sell, let me know,” BethAnne said.
After purchasing the business, the Tatros painted the restaurant in the Monadnock Plaza, swapped out most of the tables and chairs for booths – only leaving a couple near the front windows to accommodate bigger parties.
“We wanted to really focus on a family atmosphere,” BethAnne said. “It’s a small town, everyone kind of knows everybody.”
They reupholstered the counter stools and updated some of the kitchen equipment and the juice machine. Before everything was written down in guest checkbooks and there wasn’t a good way to keep track of what sold and how much, so the Tatros installed a point of sale (POS) system.
They had shirts made where the M in Monadnock looks like a mountain with the saying “It’s the place to be in the 603” within a silhouette of the Old Man of the Mountain and added some new decor. But they kept the Country Cafe sign that hangs on the wall over the line of booths.
Their daughter Tiffany did the menu design and for the most part, they kept the same selection of food items, minus the seafood options. For now, they will look at what sells and adjust for there, but since it was a successful restaurant before, the Tatros didn’t want to change too much. They added daily specials, steak and eggs, and gluten-free options. Libberton also passed along her recipe book, so the baked goods selection will live on.
“What we specialize in is a friendly atmosphere and a good meal for a fair price,” BethAnne said.
Bob still works full time as an electromechanical engineer, while BethAnne was looking for something different after a career in healthcare management.
“So I decided to do bacon and eggs,” BethAnne said.
She’s always considered herself a bit of a diner foodie and likes getting to know new people. Owning a small town cafe allows her to enjoy both.
“What I like most about it is there’s this sense of community,” BethAnne said. “There’s a lot of people that come here every morning.”
What the Tatros quickly found out is that there’s a lot to be learned from owning a business. They only anticipated being closed for 10 days when they took over on Aug. 15, but ended up not reopening for two months.
Longtime employee Cindy Somero’s sons Levi and Zeke helped with the painting and adding a wall to create more privacy going into the kitchen.
They have continued the book swap – something Libberton started years ago – with the joke books being the most popular so far.
“I always told my kids, open up a book, it will take you anywhere,” BethAnne said.
Behind the counter, there’s an American flag to show support for area veterans – including Bob – and a white sign with the word Jaffrey on it given to her by the owners of the Melamine Cup.
The hours have stayed the same, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. But it’s not uncommon for people to knock on the door looking for some food before or after that time frame.
“I tell people it’s 7 to 2, or by chance,” BethAnne said.