The bone china teacups set on each table don’t match. Yet they epitomize and complement the uniqueness of the Kalico Kitchen restaurant in Milford.

“There’s a story behind the dishes,” said Gloria Thornton, 77, owner of the restaurant. “We were mostly senior-oriented, and when they pass away, the family often brings us the dishes to use.” Her customer base has grown in the last nine years and today is fairly diverse.

“We get families in here and college kids,” she said. Along with being family friendly, the business is also family operated. Thornton partnered with her daughter-in-law, Ann, and the kitchen is hustling with granddaughters helping out.

“Our customers mean so much to us,” said Thornton. “It’s like having guests in your home. It’s like feeding friends and family.”

Thornton is no stranger to opening her house to the public. Many years ago she was making jam in a commercial kitchen in her garage for the Searsport and the Waldo County Pemaquid co-ops. The other members thought it would be a good idea to have a Christmas show. She agreed.

“I had a large, older home, and [for the show] every room was full of crafts – even the bathroom and bedroom,” said Thornton. “The tearoom was in the family room. The show lasted for a week. It was obvious that the people really enjoyed the tablecloths and the bone china.”

When the building that is now home to the Kalico Kitchen came up for sale, Thornton’s son, who lives behind the structure on the river, asked if she wanted to move.

“We didn’t have a clue what I was going to do, but I thought if lunch worked out Ann could quit her job,” she said. “It worked out.”

Boy, did it ever.

“The meals are just home cooking. I say [the customers] come to see that crazy old woman and what she’s doing,” Thornton said with a laugh. “But they say it’s like going to Grandma’s.”

The Kalico Kitchen, named after a son’s restaurant in Alabama, has about 10 tables, each covered with a crisp, dark, green-and-white tablecloth. But that’s not all. Thornton didn’t stray far from her co-op roots. Maine-made crafts line the walls and the artisans often work the desk selling the wares in exchange for a lower commission rate. Cooperation seems to be a theme running through Thornton’s life.

“My husband, Tom, was always supportive of everything I wanted to do. He was a wonderful husband. And he always did the prep work. My sons and daughters-in-law have always been there for me,” she said. Tom passed away six years ago, but Thornton’s family is ever present.

“We’re very thankful that we’ve been able to serve our customers,” said Thornton. “They’re a joy to us every day and it’s always a delight to see people after they return from Florida.”

The returning customers are surely delighted to be back, as well. The Kalico Kitchen serves entrees such as pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy and chicken potpie. There are 10 kinds of pie and a cake to choose from to end the meal.

“It’s all made from scratch,” said Thornton, gesturing with flour-covered hands. Her day begins at 4:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.

“I get asked when I’m going to retire,” she said. “I tell the girls, ‘If I drop, just push me under the table and get your orders out.'”

The yellow building with blue shutters and blue-and-yellow awnings holds wonderment for visitors. Leaning back and scanning the carefully set tables and craft-laden walls, Thornton mused, “God has blessed me with good health and a love for what I do.”

Carol Higgins is communications director at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information in EAA, call 941-2865, log on www.eaaa.org, or e-mail info@eaaa.org.