BERLIN — The restaurant formerly known as Goober’s on Pitts
Street in Berlin will soon be transformed into a family-style English pub
specializing in comfort food — a dining option owner Cody Bates believes is
missing in the downtown area.

“The thing about Berlin is that every [business] is a little
bit different,” said Bates. He hopes his new restaurant, the BurleyInn Tavern,
will provide a niche for those looking for traditional food at an affordable
price.

BurleyInn will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and offer
options such as chicken and dumplings and mashed potatoes with gravy. Head Chef
Anthony Grasso said the menu will feature high-quality foods, but at reasonable
prices.

“Doing everything from scratch right away doesn’t mean it
needs to be priced like fine dining,” he said.

A beer, wine and liquor license has been obtained for the
restaurant, which will also provide entertainment soon after opening.

Bates, who has lived in the Berlin area for most of his
life, worked in many different local restaurants before deciding to own his
own.

“When I found out about the opportunity [to open a
restaurant], I wanted to be my own boss and create something for myself,” he
said.

Late last year, Bates received approval to lease the Berlin
property on the same day he discovered he was expecting his first child. Since
then, the diligent Bates has been organizing every detail of both new ventures.
He received a builder’s permit last week and said construction should begin
soon.

“There’s nothing really stopping us at this point,” said
Bates.

The BurleyInn Tavern, which is not to be confused with the
unrelated beer crafters at Burley Oak Brewing Company, will bring a historic
namesake back to Berlin.

According to information from the Calvin B. Taylor House
Museum on North Main Street, the principal part of the town was built on a
tract of land called Burley. Because Burley had an inn and was a popular
crossroads for travelers, it became known as Burley Inn. The name was later
shortened to Berlin.

Bates has not yet set a date for the restaurant to open, but
said is hoping to serve Berlin by the middle of August. After that, Bates hopes
the building’s windows will never be boarded up again.

“If everything goes well, I’d love to be around 365 days a
year,” he said.