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Lenny's in Clearwater is mentioned in a Sports Illustrated profile of a sports agent who ate there.
By LEON M. TUCKER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 30, 2002
CLEARWATER -- Lenny's, a breakfast and lunchtime institution known for its generous portions for more than 20 years, has seen its share of famous faces in its is time.
"Derek Bell comes in here from time to time," said Dan Farrell, manager of the restaurant at 21220 U.S. 19, just south of Drew Street. "We've had Evel Knievel come in, James Wood ... Pearl Bailey came in and sang a song a long time ago."
So when sports agent Arn Tellem, most notable for representing scores of professional baseball and basketball players, recently visited the restaurant in Clearwater, he, too, was just another patron posting up for a table.
But that changed when a mention of Lenny's showed up in a profile on Tellem featured in the May 27 edition of Sports Illustrated.
The words "Lenny's Restaurant" are emblazoned atop the section of the story which detailing Tellem's breakfast visit while in town to watch the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training.
The reporter observed Tellem place a complicated order consisting of a mushrooms and onion egg white omelet, cooked with Pam cooking spray, dry wheat toast and grapefruit in a bowl.
"We're pretty customized," Farrell said. "We have people come in here and order nothing off the menu, so a guy like that wouldn't stand out."
Though none of the restaurant workers remembers Tellem's visit or taking the order, Farrell has made no bones about capitalizing off the exposure.
After learning of the mention in the national publication, Farrell posted a sign outside the restaurant this week.
It reads: "Lenny's is in this week's Sports Illustrated."
"It's very exciting," he said. "It's a national magazine. But we've been around a while, and we do the best we can, so it's kind of a big deal."
And while no one yet has said they dropped in on Lenny's because they saw the restaurant mentioned in the magazine, Farrell is optimistic.
"It's very nice, and I hope people recognize the name," he said. "Maybe next week because it just came out."
But Farrell said it is regulars such as Georgia Schoenig and her husband, Walter -- who have been coming to Lenny's since it opened 22 years ago -- that makes the restaurant special.
"The food is good, the price is right, and it's very sociable," said Georgia Schoenig, 79. "It's like Cheer's -- everybody knows your name."
The couple even has a menu item named after them.
The Walter and Georgia is a diced ham breakfast served with two scrambled eggs and toast for $3.95.
A disclaimerjokingly states that the meal is available to customers 55 and older with seven forms of picture I.D.