Acushnet’s Beloved Pop Casey’s Restaurant Is Sorely Missed

Pop Casey's was a part of South Main Street in Acushnet long before I was born. It is still surreal to pass by the once legendary family-owned restaurant, now an apartment, and not see the faithful filing in for a helping of their favorite homestyle food.

There was never anything pretentious about Pop Casey's. It was a homey, comfortable place where most everyone knew each other by name, and often, the owners and waitstaff remembered what the regulars liked to eat.

Isadore "Pete" Catonguay and his son Roland opened Pop Casey's in October 1947. It remained in the family until it closed in August 2019.

Lynn Irene (Castonguay) Baker owned and operated Pop Casey's for many years. Lynne, married 40 years to Douglas C. Baker, was the mother of three children, and was grandmother to seven grandchildren.

Lynn's doctors detected an aggressive form of cancer in 2017. The discovery launched a courageous two-year battle that, with the help of alternative treatment, reportedly showed some signs of "positive and encouraging results."

On August 1, 2019, Lynn posted to Facebook, "I am determined to beat this horrible disease." Another post announced the restaurant would close for the family's annual vacation on August 17 and reopen on August 28."

On August 27, Lynn posted that Pop Casey's would not reopen as planned.

Lynn Irene "Castonguay" Baker lost her battle with cancer just two months later. According to her Hathaway Family Funeral Homes obituary, Lynn passed away on Sunday, October 27, 2019, a day shy of her 65th birthday.

After more than 75 years, Pop Casey's was closed for good.