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The Bridgeport Flyer Diner will close on Sunday, Feb. 23, the business said in a Facebook post. The diner is located on Route 1 in Milford, about a half-mile from the Washington Bridge over the Housatonic River.
Owner Dennis Kokenos said he felt it was time to step away after hoping someone would take over the family business.
"I had always assumed that retirement would come when someone was ready to fill my shoes," Kokenos wrote. "When I realized that my son and daughter had chosen a different path for themselves, I knew I had to make a bittersweet compromise."
Founded in Bridgeport in 1940 by his grandfather, Antonio Rountos, the Flyer grew over the decades under Dennis' parents Perry and Zoy Kokenos. The diner expanded in 1973 when Perry and business partner Anthony Rountos built the Milford location.
For generations, the Flyer was known for fresh, homemade meals and a welcoming atmosphere.
"Thank you for making our family a part of yours for the last 20 years that we've been living here," one fan commented on Facebook. "You have watched all four of my children grow up and we are going to miss you so much!!!"
Kokenos also said longtime employees helped define the diner's character. Joanne Nunno, who started in 1973, was known for decorating for the holidays and tending to the gardens.
Tony Desousa, the head chef for decades, kept the kitchen running smoothly.
"We are so grateful for all the delicious meals he has prepared for our customers," wrote Kokenos. "To all the employees that have been a part of the Flyer, you are the backbone of this business and a big part of why our doors have been open for so long.
"Telling you we were closing was one of the hardest parts of all of this. Through both good and bad times, thank you for putting up with me."
For Kokenos and his wife Kiki, running the diner was a labor of love, from early mornings preparing daily specials to renovating the space and tending to flowers around the building.
"I will always remember those ten-foot sunflowers, planted as a dedication to my mother, Zoy, who never let a season pass without them," Kokenos wrote. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for so many years of friendship and support."
The diner will soon be replaced by an 80-unit apartment complex, The Connecticut Post reported. Metro Star Co. LLC plans to begin construction in April, building two five-level buildings on the property.
As the final weekend approached, Kokenos reflected on the relationships formed at the Flyer over the years.
"I have met so many people I will never forget," he wrote. "I have watched staff fall in love, had a daily coffee with regulars that became family and found people who developed a passion for the diner that lasted until the very end."
Other fans of the diner shared some of their memories.
"My husband & I were newly dating in the late summer of '73," one Facebook commenter said. "We went to the Flyer for breakfast. You had the small jukeboxes at all the tables. My guy picked out a song & smiled at me. On came the song "Could it Be I'm Falling in Love?" [by The Spinners]. Fifty years of marriage & I still think of sitting in that booth, falling in love."
"I’ve come in for so many egg and cheese sandwiches and fries as a poor teen after concerts and nights out," another person commented. "I’ll miss your milkshakes and specials too! I wish you could consider staying open another week or two, but good luck wherever life takes you!"
The Bridgeport Flyer Diner will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on its final day.
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