AFTON — When Cornerstone Kitchen opens its doors at 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, the Village of Afton will not only welcome a new eatery, but also marks the next generation of a family business.

Twenty-four-year-old Taylor Hinman, who previously waitressed at the former Henry's Drive-in, said taking ownership was a big decision for her family. It came from a place of caring for the people who became part of her daily life.

“I love my customers, and I just couldn't let them starve,” Hinman said with a laugh. “We like working as a family too,” she added.

Cornerstone Kitchen is operated by three generations of the Hinman-Stilson family. Taylor's mother Stephanie Hinman and grandmother Patricia Stilson both have long histories in local food service. Stilson previously owned the original Cornerstone Cafe in McClure for nearly two decades.

The family also holds deep connections to the building itself. The new restaurant is located in the former Henry's Diner space, where all three women waitressed for years, getting to know the local clientele and diner regulars.

Although Cornerstone Kitchen is not affiliated with Henry's, the staff, atmosphere and menu will feel familiar to longtime customers.

“People will see a lot of familiar faces from before,” Stephanie said. “Taylor and I were the only waitresses. Everybody knows us.”

As customers make their way into the new Cornerstone Kitchen, they'll first notice the sign above the entry. The handcrafted sign was originally made for Stilson's Cornerstone Cafe. At its closing, a family member stored it in a garage “just in case” the family ever opened another restaurant. Now updated to read “Cornerstone Kitchen,” the sign brings a piece of that family legacy to the new venture.

“When we took it down, my dad stored it in his garage, because he had a vision,” Taylor said. “He didn't know that it would ever come back, but here we are with the opportunity we had.”

The family mentioned that prior to the Monday opening, this Saturday they plan to hold a “meet the family” event, which will be announced on the Cornerstone Kitchen Facebook page.

Taylor and her family entered the renovation stage with a vision for what they wanted to create and ideas to improve what was already there. Having worked at the diner for years, they knew what to make a priority.

They began tackling everything from flooring and ceilings to kitchen layout and insulation. They added new steam tables, soup warmers, additional sinks and expanded the kitchen to improve efficiency, especially considering the heavy volume of takeout orders anticipated.

“We think that we can make food come out faster now,” Taylor said. “But we still have the warm, welcoming atmosphere.”

They also revamped the bathroom, added two more dining tables and refreshed the décor with items sourced from local antique shops and woodworking businesses.

The restaurant can seat about 40 people across 11 tables.

“Even though I am the owner, it's taken the whole team,” Taylor said.

The whole family has pitched in to get the space ready for opening, including grandpa Gary Stilson and her sister Mariah Hinman, while other local businesses in Afton have also supported the change.

Cornerstone Kitchen's menu will feature classic foods like burgers, tenders, salads, homemade soups and desserts. They will offer changing daily specials. Cornerstone Kitchen will also see the return of Mrs. Stilson's Friday fish fry, a tradition they're carrying over from the family's first diner.

For opening day, the special will be “Mom's Famous Pot Roast,” a recipe the family has served for decades.

“I hope it stays popular,” she said.

Customers can also look forward to holiday specials, some of which are already planned.

In preparing for opening day, Hinman said she ordered twice the usual amount of food for a typical week, anticipating a large turnout. More than 60 dozen eggs and 80 pounds of ground beef sit in their walk-in ready to feed hungry customers. She added that they also have a backup plan if they run out of food.

Many locals liked Henry's for its atmosphere, cuisine and affordable prices. Hinman said that while the prices won't be as cheap as Henry's because of higher costs, they've priced the menu comparable to other diners within a 100-mile radius and think they will still be the most affordable around.

“We want it so that people can afford to eat here multiple meals a day,” Hinman said.

The family expects a large crowd on Monday, especially from regulars who have been without a local diner since Henry's closed earlier this year. Many have reached out, eager for the reopening, with some sharing that they have been lost without their daily visits.

Taylor and Stephanie described how emotional the closing had been for both the regulars and diner staff.

“This place has been here forever,” Stephanie said.

They shared that at closing, with tears welling in everyone's eyes, they gave small gifts to their regulars that read “see you soon.”

The restaurant's name, Cornerstone, reflects the family's faith. Mr. Stilson explained that “In the Bible, Jesus is called the Chief Cornerstone. Everything's built on him only.”

“So our diner is built on faith, family, and community,” Stephanie said.

The family hopes that the diner once again becomes a gathering place for the community.

“Somebody on our social media page thanked us for coming in, and said they hoped we'd be the cornerstone of the community,” Stephanie said, “and we want that.”

Twenty-four-year-old Hinman, who self-funded the restaurant from her years of waitressing and farm work, said she hopes to expand the dining room and kitchen in the future. The family also dreams of adding bakery items and eventually launching a food truck.

For now, they're focused on welcoming customers back.

“We've been extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to be back for the community,” Hinman said. “Our regulars turn into family,” she said. “I know our customers will come. I know they will.”

Cornerstone Kitchen will open Monday, Oct. 12, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with updates posted on its Facebook page, Cornerstone Kitchen, at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593876527178.