Norm's Diner is Open for Business

This post was reported and written by Deborah Straszheim, former Groton Patch Editor.

Norm’s Diner, a longtime Groton restaurant that closed for remodeling last winter, has reopened with a spruced-up look. 

John Espada, manager of the LLC that owns the block including the diner, which is located at 171 Bridge St., spent three months scrubbing the restaurant and generally fixing it up. 

He replaced the Formica counters, the tabletops, stove and the fryers. He reupholstered the six booths and all 20 counter top seats. He polished the stainless steel and cleaned the vintage restaurant ceiling. The diner has been in Groton since at least 1964, Espada said.

“It was like a major overhaul,” he said. 

“A lot of people have this image of the place as the greasy spoon,” Espada added. But that's not the case, he said. “It’s bright. It’s clean.” 

Originally owned by Norm and Annie Brochu, the restaurant has been a favorite in Groton because it's retained the flavor of days when it first opened, with its metal siding, jukebox and barstools. 

It’s enough of a local landmark that former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman visited Norm's as part of his farewell tour to thank voters after serving in the Senate for 24 years. 

Dee Woodward, of Gales Ferry, said she has eaten at the diner for 20 years. 

“I think it’s a lot cleaner than it was, definitely,” she said this week. “And the food’s been good.” 

The restaurant reopened March 21, and held its grand opening on April 12.