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The A-1 Diner in Haverhill’s downtown will become a training café later this spring, staffed by adults with intellectual disabilities, and offering familiar dishes.
L’Arche Boston North, a local nonprofit social services agency, expects to close on the purchase of the popular eatery and its building by the end of March and immediately begin renovations, according to Jennifer Matthews, L’Arche’s executive director. She said she expects the overhaul to update the space will take at least two months.
Merrimack Street diner legends Bobby, Tony and Paula Meidanis are retiring after 45 years serving thousands of breakfasts, lunches and dinners to hungry Haverhill patrons.
“We are thrilled to honor the incredible legacy of the Meidanis family with their gifts of hospitality, welcome and amazing generosity,” Matthews said, noting a few popular A-1 items will appear on the yet to be named café’s menu. “Bobby and Tony Meidanis have already offered us a few of their prized recipes.”
As only WHAV reported last summer, L’Arche Boston North was awarded a $500,000 grant by the Cummings Foundation to expand its culinary vocational training and began a search for a downtown Haverhill site to house a public café.
The acquisition will also allow L’Arche to expand its small culinary program at All Saint’s Church, Matthews said. She added her agency plans to keep the original location running as the two programs will have slightly different missions.
L’Arche has been running a hummus-making operation out of the Roman Catholic church on Bellevue Avenue since 2017. “Homemade Hummus” became an immediate success at several food pantries and the Haverhill Farmers’ Market, which allowed the training kitchen to expand with a catering menu and a Tuesday pre-order hot meal program. The culinary students also host a soup and sandwich lunch program on Fridays open to the public.
Matthews said the culinary program grew out of a desire by L’Arche residents to learn a skill that made them employable.
“We are absolutely at capacity at the church so the downtown café will allow us to train many more adults.” Matthews said.
The opportunity to expand in Haverhill’s downtown developed right before Christmas when rumors surfaced that the Meidanis family wanted to retire and were looking for a buyer, Matthews said.
“The intention behind the café is that students will become proficient in all phases of food preparation so that they are then qualified to work in other restaurants in the Merrimack Valley,” Matthews said. “The new space will bring together people across differences to inspire a more inclusive community.”
Matthews said she hopes to be able to announce the name of the new café soon.
“We plan to ask our community to brainstorm a name they like,” she said, adding the café will most likely be open for just breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturdays.
Matthews said while L’Arche has received significant grant support to make the acquisition possible, the agency will be turning to donors to help fund their ambitious hospitality program.
“It is our hope that our students will bring these same values of warmth, welcome and great food established by the Meidanis family at the A-1 to their new jobs in hospitality and food service, Matthews said. “It is our way of giving back.”
Interior of A-1 Deli, 92 Merrimack St., Haverhill. (WHAV News photograph.)