MASSENA - People looking for a bite to eat on South Main Street will soon have an option besides fast food thanks to Belle S. Bevins, who is planning to open the Southside Diner in the former Italian on the Run building.

“Definitely by the 24th of July, if not sooner, we will be open,” she said.

Ms. Bevins who is the manager at Arby’s said she saw the vacant storefront as the perfect opportunity for a new eatery.

“For me this was a good location,” she said. “There’s nothing down here.”

In addition to providing a diner on the south side of town, Ms. Bevins said her restaurant will also provide a service not provided elsewhere in town, 24-hour service on the weekends.

“It’s not just me who wants french fries and gravy after 9 p.m.,” she said. “You can’t get that anywhere.”

The diner, which will be closed on Mondays, will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 6 a.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Sunday. Delivery will be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.

In addition to “typical diner” food, Ms. Bevins said they will be serving breakfast all day and offering items that other diners in the area might not have including chicken wings, quesadillas, sliders, blooming onions and taco salad.

“Our taco salad is going to be served in a bowl made right here,” she said. “The whole thing’s edible.”

In addition to daily soup and lunch specials, the Southside Diner will also offer a “lighter side” menu for people who are health conscious.

The diner will also offer free wi-fi and a 20 percent discount for law enforcement with a valid identification. A 50-inch plasma TV will also decorate the wall.

And while the diner hasn’t served its first customer, Ms. Bevins said she’s optimistic the business will be a success.

“We have had a lot of people pull in just to see if we’re open yet. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback,” she said.

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