Billy's Restaurant in Fremont has a new owner, and a familiar face as manager

Billy’s Restaurant, serving customers for more than 35 years, has a new owner.

After facing some challenges in the past two years, the restaurant at 413 W. State St. in Fremont has undergone a change in ownership and management. The new owner has brought in some familiar faces to create a fresh start.

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Melissa Lewis, a longtime employee and now manager, said the diner was purchased by Rich Farmer on Feb. 28. "He is a great guy who owns a couple of NAPA Auto Parts stores and the race track. He didn’t want to see a piece of Fremont history close.”

For Melissa Lewis, working at Billy's is like coming home

Lewis said she started working at Billy's when she was 14 years old. Having been a customer at the diner since she was little, she said, “It felt at home working there.”

She said there was a brief period of eight months when she was not working at Billy's between the previous owner, Paul Phillips, and Farmer taking over.

Phillips took over Billy’s for two years and decided to close the doors of the Fremont restaurant. Two weeks after the Billy’s closed, Farmer stepped in to keep the diner open.

Farmer, knowing Lewis' employment history with Billy’s, asked her to return and manage the establishment.

"To me, this is home. I've always been here, so when he asked me to come back and manage it, it wasn't even a question," she said. "I was like, 'take me back home, please.'"

Billy's open six days a week for breakfast, lunch

With Jim Heyman, the new cook, Billy’s is open from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily except Tuesday.

Lewis said Billy's essence remains unchanged. “We might consider tweaking the menu slightly and possibly opening in the evenings for special events like the State Street Car Show.”

She said there has been a minor change in the portioning of their sausage patties for quality control and consistency.

“We'd rather cut down on portion sizes than raise our prices,” Lewis said.

Lewis said she hopes for business growth and a chance to be open more hours to cater to customers looking for dining options on Sundays.

“I appreciate Rich for this opportunity to come back to my home. We do take credit cards now, which is another change, but it benefits the customer,” Lewis said.

“This crew, we get along so great, and it was just meant to be. I enjoy working here, I love working here, and we will keep Billy’s history here in Fremont for as long as we can.”

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Billy's Restaurant in Fremont has a new owner, and a familiar face as manager