Loreen's Village Cafe Opens in Dexter

Five months after Dexter’s Lighthouse Cafe closed its doors on Main Street, resident Loreen McCalla announced the opening of Loreen’s Village Cafe in the vacated space on Friday.

Adorned with patriotic-themed tablecloths and decor, the restaurant features breakfast and lunch specials, including eggs, hot sandwiches, hamburgers and salads.

“We’re glad to be back,” said McCalla, a graduate of Dexter High School.

McCalla owns the building, located at 8124 Main St., and previously ran the Village Cafe there from 1992-1998 before selling the business to Lighthouse owner Steve Varney in 1999.

She said the restaurant will be open seven days a week between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. to cater to the business crowd.

“We want the construction workers to know that they can still go somewhere in the morning and get a good breakfast,” she said.

The cafe features a daily breakfast special from 6:30-10:30 a.m. of eggs, toast and hash browns for $2.85. And for lunch, patrons can order a third-pound burger for $3.50, among other specials.

“We’ll have unique specials every day,” McCalla said.

McCalla’s son Tony Bradshaw said Loreen’s Village Cafe has a long history in Dexter, originally opening in 1986 in the space currently occupied by the .

“She’s always had a passion for food service,” Bradshaw said. “When she retired, she ended up opening three more restaurants.”

Despite a slow economy, Bradshaw said he feels the café will be right at home in Dexter.

“I think there’s a lot of people who remember her. The restaurant has a good reputation, is known for its good service and it’s clean. When she owned it years ago, it was the place to go because of its family atmosphere,” he said.

Bradshaw said it took about four months to get the restaurant ready for opening day. The restaurant will keep its familiar white-and-blue exterior. The interior has been upgraded with new carpeting, trim, fans, tables and chairs and equipment. McCalla also has hired six staff, three cooks and a dishwasher.

“I used to decorate the restaurant for holidays and I had three brothers in the service,” McCalla said about her decision to go with a patriotic theme. “After Sept. 11, 2001, I just never put the decorations away. I believe if we don’t start paying attention, we’ll lose our freedoms, so sometimes you have to point it out to people.”

Each of the tables in the cafe includes a complimentary copy of the U.S. Constitution for patrons to enjoy while they are dining.

McCalla, who was born and raised in Dexter, said she is looking forward to being back in her hometown.

"I like the people. I like visiting and kidding around with my customers," she said.