CHESHIRE, Mass. — A year after opening Common Table, partners Cj Garner and Marcus Lyon are planning to expand into the former Bass Water Grill around the corner.

 

"I think I always subconsciously planned on having a restaurant in Cheshire, but the stars just kind of aligned that we were able to do it in the current space, and we came up with a brand, and we launched the brand in May of 2024 or that's when the restaurant opened," Garner said.

 

"And it's been very well received. And it's grown, and it's just been incredible. It's been a whirlwind. It's been so cool to like you come up with this concept and this idea, and you never know if it's gonna stick until you throw it against the wall. And we did it, and it had it's just been incredible."

 

Doing business as Common Brands LLC, the partners closed on the building at 287 South State Road on May 28 for $560,000. 

 

Garner says he is excited to replicate what he did at Common Table, which is to restore a restaurant.

 

The restaurant on Cheshire Reservoir closed in 2022 and the building has been used as a real estate company office. Common Table's current location was a former pizzeria, among other businesses, and was being used for storage by the landlord. 

 

"Both spaces that we're in had historically been restaurants, and then there's like a lapse of them being a restaurant," he said. "I think the town was bummed when the  [Bass Water] building sold and wasn't a restaurant again. ...

 

"So for us to be able to go and obtain both spaces and bring them back to being what they're supposed to be, is really cool." 

 

The new building will allow them to seat more people as Common Table can now seat 40 people, and 25 more outside if the weather is nice.

 

"Being here, we're going to be able to expand upon our menu, where we're going to be able to offer a larger variety of things," Garner said. "We're going to have a separate bar, whereas right now, it's all one room. So we're going to be able to have a more kind of casual, relaxed vibe. ... This space also provides us with some cool, private dining spaces."

 

Lyon also said there are also plans to expand the bar offerings. 

 

"We're limited in space. So I can only serve so many draft beers. I can only serve so many different bottles of wine or types of wine," he said. "We'll be able to expand upon that, have a full bottle offering — a list of bottles of wine, significantly more draft beers, which is nice. So we can expand upon our beer, wine and cocktail program as well."

 

Garner says there is a need for a restaurant in Cheshire. Since opening Common Table, he has been busy all year. 

 

Before Common Table opened last year, Bass Water was the last operating sit-down restaurant in Cheshire — Bea's Daily Buzzz closed in 2005, Christina's in 2007, and the Country Charm had closed its doors in 2004 after 33 years. Green Acres (now Plaza) closed decades ago. 

 

"We knew that there was a demand for a dinner restaurant, we also know that there's a demand for somewhere for people to get breakfast," he said. 

 

They plan to open the larger restaurant for dinner and will turn the current Common Table into a breakfast and lunch space after some renovations and kitchen changes.  The new name will Common Cafe with hopes to open in the beginning of 2026.

 

The "new" Common Table will require renovations as well.

 

"More or less needs a full overhaul, new equipment, code upgrades, the kitchen is going to be the biggest project. ... [The] barroom's going to undergo a full makeover, new bar layout," said Garner. "The spaces that we're in now [private room], are paint and flooring, cosmetic stuff, and the goal is to be in here sometime around September."

 

The two say they wouldn't have been able to do this without their "huge, very strong, regular clientele base." 

 

"The biggest thing for me, is that the brand that everyone has come to know and support and love is going to be expanding," Garner said. "And this opportunity presented itself, and we felt like we needed to do that for the customers. Not only just for us, so we can expand upon what we've created, but we created it for them, and they love it, and they enjoy it ...

 

"We're so fortunate to have our customers."

 

Lyon also said they're excited to be able to bring the community a different space to enjoy.

 

"I think that it's really exciting that we're able to now take another space that the community has always known as a restaurant and create a fresh, vibrant atmosphere that no one will necessarily expect. And it's really exciting to have that opportunity to again create a new space," he said.

 

They said they will still be offering the staples that are on the menu now. One of their most popular dishes is their pan-seared scallops, which is with roasted tomato pesto, baby spinach and lemon risotto, Maplebrook Farm feta from Bennington, Vt., and parmesan.

 

But Lyon's favorite dish is their cheese and charcuterie appetizer with local cheese and assorted meats, with jam and pickles they make in house. 

 

The two said the entire "Common crew" is looking forward to welcoming everyone in the new restaurant once it's up and running.