New London — Having grown up in New Jersey, sometimes called the diner capital of the world, Kevin Downey was pleased to find Monica's State Street Diner when he moved to New London.

It reminded him of home.

After spending a year away from New London, Downey on Wednesday parked on Green Street with the goal of eating lunch at Monica's.

He saw that its former location at 138 State St. was closed; the sign on the window read, "Closed for the Holidays / We will be opening January 3rd across the street at Monica's @ Wings + Pies."

So Downey walked across the street.

For a few days in mid-December, it seemed that Monica's State Street Diner was going to close for good after 15 years in business, due to financial difficulties. But Wings 'n' Pies approached owner Monica Rossi about having her business operate within its restaurant, and so Monica's @ Wings 'n' Pies opened on Wednesday morning.

The past 10 days have been a whirlwind for Rossi and her employees. They moved their booths and the mirrored window-frame wall hangings across the street. The coffee machine wasn't ready to go until Tuesday evening.

"I can't wait until the two kitchens unite, and it'll be an explosion of wonderfulness," Rossi said.

She said people are set in their ways now, but her cooks will learn items on the Wings 'n' Pies menu, and the Wings 'n' Pies cooks will learn the food on hers. At that point, the menus will be integrated.

Wings 'n' Pies owner Salim Gusainov said of Rossi, "Everybody likes her, and I'm very glad we have the opportunity to work with her."

Citing her 15 years of experience running her diner, he said, "I'm just trying to do whatever she wants, because I know she is potentially more professional than me."

But Gusainov definitely has his own goals as well. He is excited to expand the catering options to include food from the Monica's menu. Wings 'n' Pies is on the food delivery website Grubhub, and Gusainov said he is trying to get involved with Uber Eats.

He also plans to open the basement space as a private room.

Gusainov said his goal is to build community.

Coming to Monica's on Wednesday afternoon has been a longtime tradition for employees of the law firm Waller Smith & Palmer, and attorney Robert Anderson said he likes the new space and the fact the food hasn't changed.

"I don't know what the businessmen or lawyers would've done if she had closed for good," said Waterford resident Darlene Tashea. "They love it here."

She was eating lunch at Monica's @ Wings 'n' Pies with her friend Betty Sousa on Wednesday. Tashea had been to Wings 'n' Pies before; Sousa, who has been coming to Monica's for a few years, had not.

"I think it's pretty nice," Sousa said of the new location. "I like it. It's nice and warm and cozy."

Customers say they like Monica's for the friendliness and sense of family, with staff and diners alike making the comparison to Cheers. Rossi calls the atmosphere "Cheers without beers."

Tashea said of the potential closure of Monica's and subsequent merge, "It seemed like a road block for her, what happened, and then it became a stepping stone for both of them."

The restaurant is open Sundays to Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays until 3 a.m.