Southern Cayuga County diner serves dessert, more in restaurant desert

Christopher Malone Town, village and business reporter

GENOA — The popular saying "eat dessert first" is appropriate at one restaurant in southern Cayuga County.

At Laurie's in Genoa, many customers do just that. The diner's popularity stems from decades of serving Perry's ice cream , soft serve, sundaes and other frozen treats.

But the restaurant has changed over the last couple years thanks to new management, with exterior renovations, menu additions and expanding seasonal hours in hopes of keeping it open year-round.

Owner Hayden Ferguson, a Genoa native, told The Citizen he wants to make the diner more accessible, as challenging as that can be in a desolate part of the county.

That's because the 31-year-old has spent more than half his life attached to Laurie's. It was his first part-time job 16 years ago, working under Laurie Fenner, who opened the restaurant in 2004. After he went on to work for the iron workers union he could still fall back on it, he said, picking up shifts if he needed them.

Then, in March 2023, he bought Laurie's from its namesake.

"I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, do my own thing," Ferguson said. "I pictured this as a really good start."

Ferguson kept the diner's name to pay respect to its roots, he said, and to avoid giving the impression that some out-of-towner had scooped it up. While some community members knew his story, he didn't want anyone thinking Laurie's was going to be neglected by its new ownership the way some restaurants are.

"People know us, and we're getting really good at (what we do)," he said. "People recognize effort. It's our job to show them we actually care."

Ice cream and other melts

Ferguson has kept the main selection of appetizers, salads, hamburgers, hot dogs and other comfort food at Laurie's, as well as its ice cream and fish fry menus. But he's built around them.

The new "signatures" section of the menu features culinary ideas Ferguson was able to turn into reality during his years at the diner. The Garlic Steak Melt, one of its more popular items, is a shaved steak sandwich with sauteed mushrooms and onions, slathered with a garlic parmesan sauce, and held together with melted provolone cheese.

Other popular signature items include the Chicken Philly, a poultry-focused take on the cheesesteak, and the Meatball Melt, complete with marinara sauce.

Friday fish fries, meanwhile, bring in people from throughout the region, Ferguson said. The rural diner averages 250 sandwiches a night during the summer.

When The Citizen visited Laurie's on Wednesday, Coral Hartnett, Steve Whaley and Howard Keller were finishing a meal. Whaley, who had the final remnants of a sausage, onion and pepper sandwich in front of him, said they've been coming to the restaurant for about 10 years. While it's one of the few places in the region to dine out, they said, the food and prices are agreeable.

Customer Hannah Richter, who was dining with a few out-of-towners, had a salad in front of her on Wednesday. But with a big smile she boasted that something else brings her to Laurie's.

"I come for the ice cream," she said.

Dessert in a food desert

Ferguson has adapted to the hours and pressure of running a restaurant, the young owner said, frequently crediting his team of women who have worked at Laurie's for several years themselves.

For all of them, he continued, changing from seasonal to year-round operations has been the biggest change under his ownership. Right now he wants to stay open through December, and go from there.

The north side of the diner is currently a work in progress, with blown-in insulation exposed. Apologizing, Ferguson said the area will be covered with white sheet metal.

Along with preparing the restaurant for the winter months, he has updated its electrical system, painted the exterior and revamped the outdoor seating area. More improvements are planned as well.

Still, the biggest hurdle Laurie's faces is geography, Ferguson said. He knows Genoa isn't the first place people think of going to grab a bite to eat, with the Genoa Hotel's limited menu the only other nearby option. While that may make the town a food desert, Ferguson said, that also makes his restaurant even more important.

"We're the backbone of the community," he said.

Gallery: Inside Genoa restaurant Laurie's