Purchase of Cambridge Restaurant a full circle moment for new owners

The Cambridge Restaurant holds a special place in the hearts of Emily Little and Oscar Giron.

It was one of the first restaurants Little dined at as a newborn, she's been told, and a place she introduced Giron to.

Now the husband and wife are the proud new owners of the well-known eatery on King Street East in Preston. 

The decision to buy was made quickly, almost on a whim.

When Little saw the previous owners were putting the business up for sale through a Facebook group, she said to her husband how sad she was to see it go.

His response? Not what she expected.

"Oscar said 'okay, let's buy it then,'" Little said.

"I said 'that's funny,' but he was serious. It kind of came across naturally."

Little, a Preston High School graduate, has a background in marketing, while Giron immigrated from Honduras where his mother owns a bakery.

Seeing his mother's joy of serving people and the success she's had made him want to pursue a similar path.

"I've always liked the aspects of owning a business," Giron said.

"One of my dreams has been to have a café, this is kind of like that ambience."

Formerly the Skyway Restaurant, the Cambridge Restaurant took over the location in 1973.

Both Little and Giron understand the history and want to continue to build on it, while adding their own touches to the menu and atmosphere.

"That's the reason we bought the restaurant, we want to keep the feel of the restaurant the same," Giron said.

"I feel like it's always been this legacy of building on what was before and people putting their own spin on it. We want to continue that trend and make what's already good, better."

Part of the pairs focus is on supporting the current staff, which Giron called "the backbone of the restaurant for many decades." An example of their commitment was remaining open through the process of changing ownership on Jan. 4 to ensure no one missed a day of work.

It's the same type of commitment they want to have to the community as a whole, whether it be through a meal or contributing to events happening in the city.

"The team that we have here is so incredibly genuine and warm," Little said.

"When you come in, you really do feel like family. It's such an honour to take on a legacy that is the Cambridge Restaurant."