If I had a dollar for every cup of coffee I drank at Lil’ Chef over the years — or for every minute I spent inside — well, I’d have a lot of money. Ever since I moved to Livingston County, Lil’ Chef has been there.
I have such fond memories of Lil’ Chef. My first date with my husband included a late dinner there. Back then, I worked midnights at the rival 24-hour restaurant in Brighton — the Nugget, which burned down in the 1990s — and after a shift, I’d often head to Lil’ Chef for breakfast.
And now, the last cup of coffee will be poured, and the last conversation will be had at the iconic Brighton restaurant on Sunday.
I first knew Lil’ Chef when it was located at the entrance to the Brighton Mall; then, in 2008, it moved from that location — which was torn down to make room for the Olga’s/Starbuck’s building — to its current location a bit east on Grand River Avenue, in the space that was occupied by Hollywood Video in the Brookside Mall.
Back when I worked at the local paper, that first closing came without any clear knowledge of where Lil’ Chef could reopen, as its owners promised. And it was big, big news.
Here’s the front page from the March 4, 2008, edition of the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, when everyone learned of the first closing:
And the stories written:
Today, in current fashion, Lil’ Chef’s closing was announced on social media:
Good bye, Lil’ Chef, part of my Livingston County history, best wishes for your retirement, and thanks for the memories.
