A Slice of Life
the input of various community members , Marcus and Matheson were able to make their own way without feeling any pressure from their parents or other family members . At the time of the book ’ s publication , Matheson was training for a sales job at a large brokerage firm in Manhattan , and Marcus was working towards becoming a real estate agent . When reflecting on the sale of the business , Marcus considered it a “ relief ” that his family made the decision . Still , he says , he is “ sad to see it go .”
The Next Chapter
After the Monroe clan made the difficult decision to step away from The Blue Benn , a Bennington College alumnus and loyal customer , John Getchell , stepped up and purchased the business in December 2020 . While Getchell has made several notable changes to the Benn , including a new sign , staffing changes , and the
addition of credit card machines , he has kept many things as they were before . He remembers coming to the Blue Benn for the first time during his college years , and recalls finding happiness and comfort in one of their signature “ Sir Benn ” omelets . In the book , he is quoted as saying , “ There was just sort of a buzz , a hum to the place that was extraordinary .” Getchell is open about the fact that he has sunk a considerable portion of his life savings into his acquisition of the Benn . “ I knew that if I was going to dedicate myself to something like this and really throw all my eggs in that one basket , this was a no-brainer for me .” Looking towards the future , Getchell is hopeful for the next chapter in the saga of The Blue Benn , and sees himself as someone who is lucky to preside over the legendary Bennington diner . A quote towards the end of his interview in Sonny ’ s Blue Benn reads as follows : “ My main feeling about actually taking over The Blue Benn is not that this is my diner . I ’ m just the steward . For the foreseeable future , I ’ m the custodian of The Blue Benn diner . And my mission is to keep it the same and to honor Sonny ’ s legacy .”
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58 VERMONT MAGAZINE