A rumor no more...Talk of the Town targets August 6 opening

Barbara Van Reed

It's not gossip. This rumor is true. Webster's Michael Niemszyk (Nimzy) has been hard at work for the last four months readying his new restaurant at 595 South Main Street, and he's looking forward to being the talk of the town again.

He's referring to the gossip about his split from Michael's Place, also in Webster, earlier this year. “That had a lot of people talking,” he said. And that's how he came up with the name for the new place..

Talk of the Town Pub & Grub is hardly Nimzy's first or second restaurant; it's his twelfth, including four in Marlboro and one in Sturbridge. He had partners and co-owners in many of them. How they ended varied, sometimes the partnership fell apart, sometimes the rent went up, some closed because of a poor economy, and sometime it was just bad luck, he said.

He calls Talk of the Town his “next chapter.”

In his own words: “I have had countless numbers of restaurants of every size and style. And now, I've determined that I have it in me to do one more.

“I've been thinking about what I've learned over the years; I want to make this one my 'Last Hurrah,' and special.

“I've been fortunate to meet, work, and become friends with many of you, and you've seen me through thick and thin. My plan is to serve you the freshest food at market prices in a casual, unique vintage atmosphere. I will be changing 15 to 20 main entrees daily and hope you will enjoy them enough to frequent Talk of the Town Pub & Grub on a weekly, or even daily, basis.

“It will be a real joy for me to share my passion for and curiosity about food.”

The restaurant is in the location of the former Isabella's. Nimzy bought the building and has completely redone the interior, redecorating throughout, opening the wall to the adjacent diner to make a lounge, enlarging the bar and installing a new kitchen. The restaurant's seating capacity is 91 now, compared to approximately 50 previously.

The décor is pure vintage, with photos of Olde Webster, an antique porcelain doll collection, lovely old telephones, and celebrity photos everywhere. It’s clear he spent a lot of time searching for all the memorabilia. The floors are old-fashioned black and white tiles.

Parking has been enhanced as well; a new dedicated parking lot next to the building has space for 34 cars.

Talk of the Town will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Nimzy's goal is to make it so reasonably priced “that someone can afford to go there three or four times a week.”

The restaurant will open pending some permits and licenses, on August 6.

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