"My father was reading the paper one day and saw the obituary on Roula. I was devastated," Stanifer said.

Stanifer had been there when Tina's Restaurant first opened more than seven years ago, Stanifer worked as a waitress and bookkeeper for its former owner, Tsagaris.

"I learned so much from Roula. She was an amazing woman. I told her one day that she had my dream. She asked me what that was and I told her it was to own my own restaurant like she did but that I didn't think I'd ever have that chance. Roula put her hand on my arm and told me to never give up, that someday I would be living my dream just like she was," Stanifer said. "She was right. I am."

After working at Tina's for several years Stanifer moved to Gilroy where she worked at Jessy's Truck Stop. While working there she met and befriended a cook named Jorge.

"Jorge and I just hit it off. We got along really well and worked great together. He knows so much," Stanifer said.

When Stanifer learned of Roula's death, she contacted the family and made an offer to buy the restaurant.

"Jorge and I talked about having our own place and this seemed like the perfect opportunity for both of us. We were so happy when we were able to buy the restaurant," she said.

According to Stanifer there were some changes made in the restaurant when Roula became too sick to oversee it's daily operation.

"I plan on making some changes, but not many. One thing that will stay the same is the name. The restaurant was named Tina's after Roula's daughter and I'm keeping that name in memory of Roula," Stanifer said.

One of the major changes that will soon be in effect at Tina's is the pricing of menu items.

"I'm going to lower the price of everything on the menu but the drinks. This is a good restaurant, but the majority of our customers are senior citizens. They need to be able to get in and out of a restaurant for about $10," Stanifer said.

She is planning to lower prices from $1 to $2 per menu item.

"We can do that and still make sure that everything we serve is the freshest quality available. And hopefully some of our regular customers will come back," she said.

And as news spread that Stanifer was back, customers have returned.

"It seems like once the word got out that I was back and now part-owner of the restaurant people I used to wait on started coming in to see me! It was great to see old friends," Stanifer said.

The menu will most likely remain the same aside from the pricing, mostly American cuisine with only a few additions.

"My father is from the South and he's a great cook, so I'd like to get him to come in and make his chicken and dumplings, homemade cornbread and some of his other great dishes. It's good food, I think the customers will love it," she said.

Keeping the business in the family is another of Stanifer's goals, her son, Joshua, 19 and daughter, Trisha, 15, work with their mother when time permits.

"It's always been a family restaurant. I want to keep the same feel that Roula had," Stanifer said.

Tina's Restaurant is located at 2306 "K" Almaden Rd. It is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available all day. For more information call 408.978.8006.