Longtime employee Nancy Bonno had purchased the restaurant in 2016 after owner Eric Hagglund retired. Due to some later events, it sold on land contract in 2023 and became New Leaf Bistro.

But circumstances eventually led to the restaurant coming back into their hands.

“Eric meant a lot to this community, and it was important to me to continue it,” Nancy said. “It’s honestly a blessing to have Fob’s back. This restaurant has been a part of Crystal Falls for generations, and I think people were ready to have their hometown breakfast and lunch spot back again. We’ve seen so many familiar faces come through the doors already, and that means a lot to us.”

Her husband, Jeff, has been instrumental in the reopening, training new staff in the newly equipped kitchen. They are also restoring the Fob’s look, though they will have to replace the flooring, as the original tiles were damaged.

Employees Haylee Bugler and Corliss Burns stand at the counter near the entrance of Fob’s Restaurant in Crystal Falls, which reopened on June 1. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

“Jeff has really been the driving force behind reopening Fob’s. He wanted to see the restaurant come back just as much as anyone. These days, he’s taking on many of the responsibilities that people like Eric Hagglund and Chet Fabbri once carried. He’s spent countless hours working on the building, the kitchen and making sure the atmosphere feels like the Fob’s people remember. Along with several good friends, he’s helped bring the restaurant back to its roots. He loves being here, and I think that’s something people can see when they walk through the door,” she said.

From a young age, Logan Avena worked at the restaurant. He is the great-grandson of original owners Chet and the late Faye Fabbri and grandson of Hagglund, who operated it after Fabbri. “Every day after school, he (Hagglund) would pick me up,” he said. His parents were not involved and his two siblings never showed an interest, he said. Currently he is attending college in Green Bay but tries to help as much as he can. He has done a lot of the online work, such as the Facebook page and Search Engine Optimization, to try to increase Fob’s digital presence.

In her 48 years at the restaurant, Nancy has seen many changes in the business and one of the biggest has been the employees.

“I’ve worked alongside three generations of employees over the years, and every generation brings something different. The restaurant business has changed quite a bit, especially when it comes to finding help in the kitchen. There just aren’t as many people looking to work in that part of the industry as there once were,” she said.

Original owner Chet Fabbri is still going strong at age 91. Avena said he came in with Hagglund’s wife, Robin, when it reopened and was happy to see it return to its roots.

Fob’s Restaurant has reopened at its original location in the Williams Mini-Mall at 1353 U.S. 2 in Crystal Falls. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

“Before that he was so heartbroken. There was a huge physical wall that blocked the dining room. They sold alcohol. People were very disappointed. Seeing this now, he is so thrilled. Just seeing the look on his face. He is completely satisfied with Nancy and the team,” Avena said.

“We have a backing and a motivated team. I haven’t seen it that motivated in a long time. People want to work here, people want to get trained,” Avena said.

Haylee Bugler had worked at the restaurant in the past and is excited it’s open again.

“I love it, I wrote on my last job application that if Fob’s was still open I would come back here. And now I’m back,” she said.

“We’ve had to adapt, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of hard work and taking care of our customers. That being said, we’re sticking to our original hours,” Nancy said, which are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays. They plan to serve most of the same items they did in the past.

A roadside sign advertises the reopening of Fob’s Restaurant in Crystal Falls. It reopened on June 1 in its original location in the Williams Mini-Mall on U.S. 2. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

“We’re not trying to reinvent anything but we’re simply bringing back a place where people can gather, enjoy a good meal, and see their neighbors. That’s what Fob’s has always been about,” Nancy said.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.