'I love to gab': Popular P.E.I. server retires after more than 30 years

It was hugs and kisses all round today as staff and customers celebrated the end of an era at Maid Marian's Diner in Charlottetown.

"Today has been terrific, getting to meet all the customers that I usually serve, I'm enjoying today, it's terrific," said Barb Condon, one of the diner's most familiar faces.

"It's been awesome, I enjoy meeting all the people, the staff's great. It was wonderful."

• How 6 months turned into 30 years at Maid Marian's Diner
• School custodian gets heartfelt send off on her last day

Condon started working at the iconic restaurant in 1987 just months after it opened, hoping to earn some extra cashon top of her job as a school custodian.

"I came here for six months just from September until Christmas," said Condon.

"I loved it so much that I ended up staying and I would have stayed even longer but the body just don't take it any more."

Condon says what she will miss the most are the people.

"The people and the girls here are all terrific. The owners, everybody's terrific," Condon said.

"And I love to gab."

Decades of memories

There have been challenges along the way, including a fire in 2009.

"It was devastating, that was our job, what were we going to do? Were they going to reopen?" Condon said.

"And sure enough they did and everybody was happy to come back."

• Flames doused, but 2 landmark Charlottetown businesses lost

Condon says several other waitresses have been at Maid's for more than a decade and one of her sons has worked in the kitchen for 25 years.

"It's like a family, it's a big family," Condon said.

Keeping busy

Condon retired several years ago from her other jobas a school custodianbut she says she plans to keep busy.

"I'm going to take about a month off and then I'm going to look for something a couple of days a week," Condon said.

"Maybe delivering, where I can be out seeing people and doing things. And I might volunteer a day a week at the soup kitchen and one day at the hospital."

Her days of carrying heavy plates laden with breakfast may be over but she says she'll still be spending time atthe diner.

"I'll come here of course on Saturday for breakfast with the regulars and sit with them now instead of waiting on them."

More P.E.I. news