Swampscott's Baker's Daughter Diner Closes For Good

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — The Baker's Daughter Diner in Swampscott has closed one year after owner Deb Newman opened the Humphrey Street location.

Newman, the daughter of late Newman's Baker owner Joe Newman, bought the space formerly occupied by the Caffe Paolina Italian restaurant just weeks before Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all restaurants closed due to the pending health crisis on March 15, 2020.

Newman took the pause to dress up the place and make it her own with hand-crafted tables and plenty of her beloved animal figures around the 24-seat diner before opening in September. She told Patch a few weeks after opening that things were going well selling the vegetarian items via takeout in October, but she then closed the location as coronavirus numbers rose in the North Shore late last fall into the winter.

While she was able to reopen through the summer, Newman informed her customers this weekend that she was closing again — this time for good — as of Sunday.

"Thank you for all the support, loyalty and goodwill you sent my way," she said on a Facebook post, "even when the diner was just a plan inside my head.

"Timing's everything, though, and considering that I bought the place two weeks before COVID became known to the world perhaps things were doomed from the start."

Newman confirmed the closing to Patch on Wednesday.

"Though a hard lesson, I discovered that I missed having time available for ventures and interests that are more meaningful to me, such as involvement in community groups," she said. "I'm set to resume animal care, and not only will I have a chance to get more serious with legal advocacy for animals, but I'll also be revisiting zoning and land use law.

"Lots to do, and my brain, heart and soul look forward to all these endeavors."

As fans of both the more recent diner and the landmark bakery reached out to her personally and over social media, Newman responded Wednesday that she was "overwhelmed, in a good way, by all the well-wishes and stories related to the original Newman's, the diner and my family."

She said anyone who has an unused gift certificate can private message her on Facebook with a picture of the certificate that shows the full amount, a name and address, and she will reimburse the owner through a mailed check.

"All will be honored, no worries," she said.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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