Scrambler Marie's Celebrates Grand Opening

Dr. J. Harold Ellens may have set some kind of record for customer frequency at , a breakfast/lunch restaurant celebrating its grand opening this week.

The retired U.S. Army colonel and psychological therapist has already filled four Scrambler Marie's loyalty cards. And he's just getting started.

Ellens has grown especially fond of the seafood crepes, and his son, Brett, loves waffles. He said his granddaughter, Phoenix, is a big fan of Scrambler Marie's, having ordered the Eggs Benedict on Easter Sunday.

"The food was extremely good," Ellens said. "The people are so warm and gracious. I felt right at home right away."

That's something co-owner Joe Carron hears a lot.

"We've had lots of repeat business," he said, adding that customers will ask for menu items friends have recommended. Quite often, it's the Awesome Avacado Omelet, which is stuffed with avocado, bacon and cheese and topped with sour cream and homemade salsa. "I think the uniqueness of that is really drawing people to try it."

The quality of Scrambler Marie's food, which is all made from scratch, drew Carron and his brother Randall to the Ohio-based franchise. People rave about the pancakes, he said. "We start with flour," he said. "It's nothing out of the ordinary that you wouldn't do at home."

The homey atmosphere keeps Ellens coming back, on his own and with his family.

"They've got one menu, one crew, one shift, so they can concentrate on quality and good training," he said.

A resident of Farmington Hills, Ellens said he was disappointed when other restaurants located in the same corner of the Twelve Orchard shopping center failed. "It was such a sad thing to see this glorious space empty. It's the anchor piece to this corner, and to have it standing here useless was an insult to everyone's psyche," he said.

"Seeing a bright, open, busy, successful enterprise is a very good thing," Ellens added.

During Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony, Director Mary Engelman said it's exciting to see the investment of another business opening in the community. "To me, it shows we're just moving in the right direction," she said.