Nick Bofferding wishes he had discovered Sparty’s Coney Island sooner.

The mechanical engineering senior said he is very disappointed the restaurant, 1127 E. Grand River Ave., closed a couple weeks ago.

“I went in there a few times before they closed,” he said. “The pancakes I ate were huge and cheap.

“I just started going there at the end of the (spring) semester and would have gone there a lot more.”

The blueberry pancakes Bofferding ate aren’t the only thing he is going to miss.

“They had good service and it was a short walk from my house,” he said.

Chris Baryames Jr., the restaurant’s owner, was contacted and refused to comment on the reason for closing.

But Carolyn Bennett, community and economic development administrator for East Lansing, said businesses have a cycle they go through and the restaurant closing was part of that cycle.

“That is a good location and has good parking,” she said. “It is a matter of the property owners knowing if they want to rent it to someone.”

Bofferding said he can’t imagine what would cause the restaurant to close.

“Their food was good, the service was good,” he said. “My friends and I ate there three times in just two weeks.”

Terri Bettinger, former owner of Bagel-Fragel Deli, said she and her family would eat at Sparty’s Coney Island quite often on Saturdays.

“It was kind of hometown,” Bettinger said. “The waitresses knew who you were and it had a good atmosphere.”

She said it is sad another locally owned business in East Lansing closed. Bagel-Fragel, 527 E. Grand River Ave., shut its doors May 21.

“What is really sad is when you have another independent business leaving East Lansing,” she said.

Bofferding said he is going to be looking for a new place to grab a bite after class.

“There aren’t a whole lot of sit-down restaurants close by,” he said. “I guess I am going to have to drive to get the same type of food and service as Coney Island.”