'It's like Cheers:' Local restaurant looks to community support to stay open

The hiss of the crackling oil on the stove top rings through Old Times Kafe early in the morning hours. Owner and chef Dayton Brown stands with the spatula and his homemade chorizo. Potatoes, eggs and different kinds of bread surround Brown as he focuses on cooking his customers' favorite dishes.

"I make everything from scratch from the soups to the chorizo," he said. "I mean i make my own chorizo."

He said cooking is his gift and he wouldn't change his path for anything. The food and the customers bring him back to the restaurant each day. Customers like Bob and Anne Blizzard, who spend many mornings a week at Old Times Kafe.

"It's almost like Cheers," Bob Blizzard said. "The food is good and the people are friendly. We get breakfast here every morning. That's our little treat to each other.

But the restaurant opened in the 1980s and has seen the area change over the years. He said since the COVID-19 pandemic, everything has changed, which has led to the restaurant struggling to stay open.

“Volume of business, consistency and the cost of everything so everything went through the roof and the days of the 1.99 breakfast went away,” he said.

So they're looking for the community's support to keep the dream of staying open another 30 years alive.

“We want a mom and pop restaurant where you can still feel like you’re at your grandma’s house," Brown said.

Old Times Kafe is at 1485 W. Prince Road.

——-
Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9 . She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter .