AUBURN - For as long as Theresa Kustyn can remember, Lewis' Restaurant has been a true Auburn institution among eating establishments, enduring changes in ownership and winning over the taste buds of countless loyal customers.

Among those customers for many years was Kustyn herself, who in November became the fourth owner of the well established restaurant, a place that she recalled fondly from her own youth - and an experience that she believes many others can relate to.

“I remember coming here with my parents when I was a little girl,” said Kustyn, an Auburn native. “It is kind of an Auburn institution. I think the business has been around forever and it is a place that a lot of people really enjoy.”

Kustyn said that the restaurant was started by Pete and Cam Lewis, whose photo graces the wall over the booths in the restaurant to this day. In many ways, Kustyn sees herself as a link in the chain, continuing what the Lewises started.

“They started it and they are still alive,” Kustyn said. “This is a place that a lot of people enjoy and you will see the same people here for breakfast and back for lunch. I think there are a lot of people that love this place and like the way it has always been and what they (the Lewises) started.”

Kustyn herself has had a long career in restaurants, working as a waitress at various local establishments such as Webster's, Ricky's, the Holiday Inn and the Springside Inn.

But now with a family and children, Kustyn decided that it was time for her to be on the other side of the counter, so to speak. While it was not a very well known fact that Lewis' was up for sale, Kustyn was fortunate enough to find out that the business was available and fulfill a fondly held dream for her.

“I always said that if I ever owned a restaurant that this was the place I wanted,” Kustyn said. “I don't think anyone, even the regular customers, knew that it was for sale. People were always telling me that I should buy my own restaurant and I would always say that I wanted Lewis'. It is close to home, so I can get my kids to school and meet them when they get off the bus and I just have always liked this place.”

From the time Kustyn decided to purchase the restaurant to the time she took over, it was a real whirlwind.

“The previous owners closed the doors on a Thursday night,” Kustyn said. And we opened on a Friday morning in November. We didn't skip a beat.“

From all the years she worked in the restaurant business, Kustyn found the transition to be an easy one.

“I knew a lot of people already.” Kustyn said. “And a lot of the people who come here knew me from different restaurants that I worked at, so it was really easy to get to know everybody and talk and know what everyone wants and all that kind of thing.”

Along with familiar faces, Kustyn developed a simple, but effective philosophy about the restaurant business, one that she has found to be incredibly helpful thus far.

“You just get to know the business,” Kustyn said .“And you get to know people and the goal is just to keep people happy, it is the little things and if I can do it then I will. We're just trying to keep people happy and make sure they enjoy themselves while they are here.“

With this in mind, Kustyn didn't make any real changes to the restaurant. Harkening back to classic diners of the '50s, the grill is still located behind the front counter and customers can see everything being prepared.

“I think that is something people really like,” Kustyn said. “I think we are the only place around that still has that. We really didn't change anything. We moved the dishwasher so that it is in the back now, but we didn't make any changes that anyone was going to notice.”

That includes the menu. Kustyn said that she has listened to her customers and added little things like a wider variety of jellies and two different kinds of french fries. But all in all, the menu has remained the same staples of good old fashioned diner food.

“The specials,” Kustyn said. “We've kept a lot of the specials the same, like Tuesday is roast beef and Thursday is pasta, people love the specials. Really, we think it if it isn't broke, don't fix it. So the food is something that we have kept the same pretty much as it has always been and they way the customers like it.”

The only little improvements Kustyn has instituted have been the addition of a salad bar, as well as expanding the restaurant's hours.

“We're open on Sundays now,” Kustyn said. “As far as I know this place has never been opened on Sundays. I think people like that; there isn't much on this end of town. We also have fish on Fridays when we stay open a little later for dinner, which has been going well. So far things are really good and we just want to keep them that way.”