Help Save Buddy’s Diner!

First, the great news. After hope was nearly lost, Buddy’s has received Historic Preservation Committee approval for a $75,000 grant from Somerville’s Community Preservation Act funds! This is mood-shifting news for us at Buddy’s, but it’s not enough to open our doors. We need you to help close the gap of $100,000. Just think if we were open this whole time, what you would have spent here and give that amount. It’s all we need to dish out everyone's favorite diner fare once again.

Now, more about me:

My name is Nicole Bairos and I am the owner of Buddy’s Diner. I purchased this diner at just 23 years old and have been pouring my heart and soul into it for 20 years. Buddy’s Diner has been a Somerville landmark since 1953, and the previous owner was the same age as I was when he bought it. In many ways we both devoted our lives to this diner and honoring its place within the community. I carried on the tradition of serving great food at an affordable price and many remember the specials written on paper plates above the grill that have been displaying our menu for generations.

In 2023, my business was devastated when sewer pipes collapsed, flooding my building and forcing me to close. After years of costly legal battles and wrestling with insurance, I had nearly given up on ever opening Buddy’s again. I decided to give it one last try and applied for a grant through the City of Somerville’s Historic Preservation Committee. This grant would cover the cost of repairing the pipes and allow for an architect to come and do an official assessment of this historic property. Not only that, but Preservation Massachusetts named Buddy’s one of the most endangered historic places in Massachusetts. Through the support of our Somerville community and beyond, we now have a plan to get Buddy’s up and running again! The first phase will be repairing the pipes and stopping the water damage so we can bring Buddy’s back to life. The next phase will be repairing any damage to the inside of the building while preserving its historic elements, as well as fixing or replacing any damaged equipment (an estimated cost of $100,000). If you’d like to help me bring Buddy’s back to life and restore this one-of-a-kind historic Somerville diner, I am asking you to give if you can and share this with your friends and loved ones. Every bit helps as we continue to leverage this moment for additional grant funding. Buddy’s is small but mighty, and even more so with you. I’m looking forward to serving you hot breakfast and a fresh cup of coffee on the other side of this.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Nicole