A GoFundMe campaign and support from Somerville’s Community Preservation Act are helping to fund the reopening of Buddy’s Diner.

By The Times Staff

Help a buddy out, and donate to Buddy’s Diner on their GoFundMe page so it can reopen.

The historic diner located at 113 Washington Street in East Somerville has been shuttered for more than three years, but a restored sense of optimism after a period of hardship has provided renewed hope in the community that the diner will be saved.

“The diner is the only thing I have,” said Owner Nicole Bairos, who explains they have been out of business since 2023, with financial troubles following collapsed sewer pipes that wreaked havoc on the business.

She bought the diner some 20 years ago and poured her heart and soul into the business. But for the past few years, her life has been on hold.

“I feel like I’m starting from scratch,” she says. So far, Bairos has raised nearly $23,000 of $100,000 to help close the gap through her GoFundMe campaign.

In addition, Buddy’s received a $74,365 grant from Somerville’s Community Preservation Act to cover the cost of the pipe repairs and for an official assessment to make the diner a historical property.

“The project will stabilize and preserve a beloved historic resource in Somerville,” according to the City of Somerville’s website. “CPA funds will be used to repair damage caused when utility work in front of the site crushed the sewer pipes, forcing the business to close. It will also support consultation with a historic preservation architect to identify the steps needed to restore the historic structure.”

The 1929 Worcester Lunch Car is a trolley-style diner that has been a Somerville landmark since 1951.

If you’d like to bring Buddy’s back to life and restore the one-of-a-kind historic diner, donate to their GoFundMe campaign. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-buddys-diner.