Ernie Febbraro, the longtime owner and operator of Ernie’s Coffee Shop in Sault Ste.
Early Life and Hard Work on Gore Street
According to Chuck Febbraro, his father’s career in the food service industry began shortly after arriving in Canada from Italy at the age of nine. By age 11, Ernie Febbraro started working by washing dishes while standing on two Coke boxes at the Princess Sandwich Bar on Gore Street, as recounted by his son to SooToday. During those early years, Ernie also worked baking pies at Mike’s Lunch and scrubbing floors at the Underpass Grill before eventually purchasing the Princess Sandwich Bar himself. Ernie worked grueling hours, typically arriving by seven in the morning and staying until nine or ten at night.
Opening Ernie’s Coffee Shop in 1971
After selling his first establishment, Ernie Febbraro and his wife, Judy, opened Ernie’s Coffee Shop at 13 Queen St. E. in 1971. Chuck Febbraro began working alongside his father as a cook in 1976 and eventually took over as the restaurant’s manager, maintaining a household and workspace shared with family members for over 40 years. The diner established itself as a local favorite known for hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, which famously included the Ernie Burger—a two-and-a-half-pound extra-large bacon cheeseburger featuring a one-pound cooked patty created in the 1980s to accommodate gym members looking for high-protein meals, according to Chuck Febbraro.
Did you know? Ernie’s Coffee Shop featured walls decorated with family photos, images of Algoma Steel in its glory days, the Agawa Canyon tour train, and sports figures like Tony Esposito, welcoming notable hockey players including Wayne Gretzky and the Esposito brothers over the years.
Television Spotlight and Retirement
The diner gained wider recognition in 2016 when it was featured on Food Network Canada’s You Gotta Eat Here!, an appearance Chuck Febbraro noted required some persuasion because Ernie was initially reluctant to have television crews in his kitchen. Marie Museum. Ernie and Chuck operated the business until 2017, when it was put up for sale, leading to full retirement after the restaurant was sold to a new owner in 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Ernie Febbraro pass away?
Ernie Febbraro passed away on July 19 at the age of 87, according to his family.
When did Ernie’s Coffee Shop open?
Ernie and Judy Febbraro opened Ernie’s Coffee Shop at 13 Queen St. E. in 1971.
What was the Ernie Burger?
Introduced in the 1980s to serve local gym members seeking high-protein meals, the Ernie Burger weighed two and a half pounds total with a one-pound cooked meat patty, bacon, and cheese.
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