Restaurant Veteran Returns to the Kitchen at Newcomb's in Weymouth

Rick Newcomb learned the restaurant business from his family, which has run Newcomb Farms in Milton and Quincy for almost a half century.

Since December, there has been a new name on the breakfast and lunch restaurant at 924 Broad Street in Weymouth, but in the kitchen of Newcomb's, formerly Wendy Lou's, is a veteran of the business.

"My family has been in the business for 49 years so we pretty much took over their menu," said Newcomb, who started working for his father at age 12. "Why mess with success?"

When his father passed away in the mid-2000s, Newcomb decided to leave the restaurant business. While Newcomb went into construction, his brother David took over the Milton and Quincy restaurants.

In 2009, Newcomb broke his back and hip in a motorcycle accident. He was forced to leave construction and invested in Wendy Lou's. He was just a silent partner in the business, while Peter Winquist ran the restaurant.

"It just turned out there wasn't enough income for the two of us," said Newcomb.

Newcomb bought out his partner in late 2012 and changed the name, making a few tweaks to the menu. The building was vacant prior to Wendy Lou's opening in 2010. At that time, the owners completely redid the interior.

"It's family run," Newcomb said of the Jackson Square restaurant. "My wife [Erin] works here. My two sons work here."

And like many in the restaurant business, Newcomb works here, a lot.

"I come in at 6 in the morning and leave sometime after 4:30 in the afternoon, seven days a week," said Newcomb, who's also at the restaurant serving seafood until 7 p.m. on Fridays.
 Otherwise, Newcomb's sells popular skillets and eggs benedicts for breakfast and fresh roasted turkey for lunch, everyday.