Eastpointe Restaurant, The Canteen, has Transferred its Lease to Another Eatery Not Yet Identified
By Jeff Toquinto on July 30, 2025
A local restaurant that brought back plenty of memories and nostalgia has shut down operations, but there is some positive news.
According to Dr. Shana Nicholson, the business has had its lease transferred to another eatery that will open in the future. The lease transfer comes about one year after opening with much fanfare in August of 2024 at the heavily traveled Eastpointe Plaza minutes outside of Bridgeport.
Walt Foster and Jared Spraggins are the co-owners of the business. Foster could not be reached for comment regarding the transfer. However, according to Nicholson, the Director of Community Development for the City of Clarksburg, Foster is on a family vacation, which is why he was unable to return calls.
She said the new restaurant will be another family-owned eatery. The name of the new restaurant could not be disclosed.
“(Foster and Spraggins) will be beginning a rehabilitation on a historic property in downtown Clarksburg with an opening slated for next spring to summer of 2026,” said Nicholson.
The property in question was known as the home of the former Country Kitchen Restaurant. It is located on the corner of Third Street and Pike Street. The restaurant, Nicholson said, would include their homemade specialty ice cream.
The name of the restaurant was derived from The Canteen on Milford Street in Clarksburg, which was open for decades. For those under the age of 45, they may not remember Clarksburg's older version of The Canteen. The business was an iconic Clarksburg eatery open for decades and known for never closing. The lone exception in its decades of business was during the 1985 floods.
As for the most recent restaurant, it featured smash burgers, fries, and shakes. It also featured its version of the Giovanni, which was a sandwich the old Cantee claimed to be the originator of the sandwich found on menus throughout the area.
