Grafton Diner
106 W High Lane
The Grafton advertises in every newspaper up and down the Misktatonic Valley, hoping to guarantee as much business as possible from those passing through Arkham. As such, many of the Grafton's customers are out-of-towners, grabbing a quick meal the shortest distance from the train station. By each entrance are bowls filled with complimentary green matchbooks, each bearing the diner's name, likeness, and address. These matchbooks are found in the pockets of many travelers and businessmen in the Miskatonic Valley and beyond.
As the sole public eatery permitted to be open on Sundays, the clientele is much more diverse that day, with everyone from out-of-towners staying at smaller hotels without dining services to lonely souls looking for some company. On average, the Grafton does about 1/3 of its weekly business on Sunday; lines are to be expected.
The Grafton's owner is Irene Bessey (age 54), widow of the previous owner Robert "Handsome Bob" Bessey, a former prize-fighter who named it after his hometown in central Massachusetts. Mrs. Bessey had no interest in resturants or running one but, after her husband's unexpected death in 1926 (six months after he opened the diner), she has provided for herself by making sure the Grafton turns a steady profit. Bessey is not generally involved in day-to-day operations, but she is keenly attentive to the quality of service, food, and the state of the books. She watches over all of them with the same level of care.
While she is on the premises most afternoons and some evenings (there is a small office off of the kitchen area), the diner's operating manager is Michael Lawson (age 36), a serious young man and proficient supervisor. What he lacks in charm he makes up for in effort and a knack for hiring highly motivated workers.
Most of the rest of the Grafton's staff are like Lawson- quiet, but efficent - but due to the comparitively low wages offered, the diner has difficulty in retaining skilled cooks and the quality of the cooking tends to fluctuate.
The Grafton is better known for speed of service and cleanliness rather than any particular dishes. The Sunrise Special - two eggs (any style), toast and jam, corned-beef hash, and potatoes runs 25c and is popular with travelling salesman. The enormous Monel percolator, while not making Arkham's finest brew, is never empty, and the only mugs the Grafton's staff allow to be empty are either being washed or just spilled. (Huth, Chris, et al. "The Arkham Gazette, Issue 1." Edited by Ian Maclean et al., Sentinel Hill Press, Nov. 2013.)
As the sole public eatery permitted to be open on Sundays, the clientele is much more diverse that day, with everyone from out-of-towners staying at smaller hotels without dining services to lonely souls looking for some company. On average, the Grafton does about 1/3 of its weekly business on Sunday; lines are to be expected.
The Grafton's owner is Irene Bessey (age 54), widow of the previous owner Robert "Handsome Bob" Bessey, a former prize-fighter who named it after his hometown in central Massachusetts. Mrs. Bessey had no interest in resturants or running one but, after her husband's unexpected death in 1926 (six months after he opened the diner), she has provided for herself by making sure the Grafton turns a steady profit. Bessey is not generally involved in day-to-day operations, but she is keenly attentive to the quality of service, food, and the state of the books. She watches over all of them with the same level of care.
While she is on the premises most afternoons and some evenings (there is a small office off of the kitchen area), the diner's operating manager is Michael Lawson (age 36), a serious young man and proficient supervisor. What he lacks in charm he makes up for in effort and a knack for hiring highly motivated workers.
Most of the rest of the Grafton's staff are like Lawson- quiet, but efficent - but due to the comparitively low wages offered, the diner has difficulty in retaining skilled cooks and the quality of the cooking tends to fluctuate.
The Grafton is better known for speed of service and cleanliness rather than any particular dishes. The Sunrise Special - two eggs (any style), toast and jam, corned-beef hash, and potatoes runs 25c and is popular with travelling salesman. The enormous Monel percolator, while not making Arkham's finest brew, is never empty, and the only mugs the Grafton's staff allow to be empty are either being washed or just spilled. (Huth, Chris, et al. "The Arkham Gazette, Issue 1." Edited by Ian Maclean et al., Sentinel Hill Press, Nov. 2013.)
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