Pete’s Grille, a favorite of those who enjoy all-day breakfast and once frequented by Olympian Michael Phelps, is up for sale after more than 40 years in business.

A fixture in Waverly, the restaurant’s owner, Ray Crum, said Tuesday in a Facebook post that he wanted to “pass the torch to someone with a love for community and a passion for the restaurant industry.”

The news comes after he sold his other restaurant, Werner’s Diner and Pub, in May following two years of ownership to focus on Pete’s Grille. Werner’s, famous for its appearances in “The Wire” and “House of Cards,” caused Crum great frustration due to its low foot traffic.

Crum, who has owned Pete’s Grille since 2017, says that working a restaurant is a full-time job, and at his age he hopes to enjoy life. He wants to make it clear that the reason for the sale is not due to the business or the area itself, and he will make sure the next buyer keeps the business as it is.

“I would like to see Pete’s stay the same,” Crum said.

Pete’s Grille, known for its counter service, has passed through five owners since its opening, according to a 2022 article in Baltimore Fishbowl. In the early 2000s, Lou and Char Sharkey sold the business to David Stahl and Darlene Castle, an information technology consultant and mortgage banker, respectively, with no restaurant experience, according to the Maryland Daily Record. The new owners asked the Sharkeys to stay for six months.

”This is a place with a strong relationship between the customers and the owners, which is very important,” Stahl told The Daily Record. “I wanted [the Sharkeys] to help transition those relationships — and it worked. We haven’t missed a beat.”

One of its most famous patrons was Phelps, known for eating about 8-10,000 calories a day when training. He included his go-to order in an autobiography “Beneath the Surface,” which included three fried egg sandwiches, an omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast and three chocolate chip pancakes.

“We’ve thought about adding his meal to the menu,” co-owner Darlene Castle said in a 2018 Baltimore Sun article. “But it would be so much food that I don’t think anybody could eat it.”

One owner offered rides to the restaurant to snowbound customers, and then dropped them off after a meal, a 2014 Baltimore Sun article said.

The announcement has led to customers reminiscing in the Facebook comment section, with some sharing memories of first dates and family time spent at Pete’s Grille, while others lamented losing a beloved breakfast spot.

“I will miss having breakfast on Saturday mornings. Thanks for the memories!!“ Mary H. Sewell commented.

Diana Emerson, the executive director for Waverly Main Street, an organization that provides assistance to local businesses in Waverly, is sad to see this change in ownership. Calling it a staple of the community, Emerson noted the importance of Crum being from the area, as he was able to see the blend of new and old businesses. She noted the business’s active support of its community that it has been a part of for so long.

“Waverly Main Street is surrounded by six neighborhoods, and Pete’s Grill has always been supportive of their events, their activities, so it’s definitely a loss,” Emerson said.

With Crum on the lookout for a new owner, many in the comments suggest Phelps should take on a new Olympic-sized task.