photo by: Gage Vota

Walt Mingroni, a regular at Sonny Boy restaurant in Bridgeport for more than 20 years, enjoys a slice of pumpkin pie served to him by owner Melissa Starkey.

Sixty years and several owners later, Sonny Boy restaurant is looking for another new owner.

Current owner Melissa Starkey purchased the Belmont County staple in 2023. She also owns the Homestead Event Center on U.S. 250 in Colerain and All American Restaurant in Bellaire at the former Rigas location.

Starkey said that her decision to sell Sonny Boy is a combination of health issues and being too busy with her multiple businesses.

She added that the event center practically consumes her entire weekend every weekend, which limits her ability to play an active role in her other two businesses. In addition to Sonny Boy, Starkey said that she will not be renewing her lease for All American Restaurant when it ends in August.

Once Sonny Boy is sold, Starkey plans to open a coffee shop in St. Clairsville called Busy Bean next to the former All For Fun miniature golf location.

“I had started a coffee shop before I bought (Sonny Boy) and then it got pushed to the back burner, so I haven’t had a chance to open it,” she said.

Starkey’s plan is to sell the restaurant to someone who wants to keep Sonny Boy operational and just transfer the business over instead of closing and then reopening.

“There’s no closed date. I’m hoping for someone local that wants to keep it a little diner,” she said. “I have had three people that are pretty interested, and would probably keep it kind of like what it is.”

Starkey is asking $2.2 million for Sonny Boy which also includes the former used car lot and office building next to the restaurant and both parking lots.

She believes that if someone would be interested the two properties could potentially be two businesses but, as for now, the former car lot is used as office space for Sonny Boy.

Starkey said that although she’s selling the business, it isn’t due to customer flow.

“It thrives now, especially on the weekends and during breakfast. Breakfast is always our biggest thing here, but if somebody was able to devote more time to it than what I could, I think it would go wonderful,” she said. “We have lots of great regulars that come in loyally, sometimes twice or even three times a day. We have a really good base of people here.”

One of those many loyal customers is Walt Mingroni who has seen multiple changes in owners through his 23 years of supporting Sonny Boy.

He said that the customer service provided by the staff at Sonny Boy is second-to-none.

“They’re easy to talk to, they’re very conscientious and they take care of you,” Mingroni said. “I don’t want Melissa to sell it. She just got it broken in, to where it’s perfect.”