Laguna restaurateur Jon Madison puts his cafe site up for sale

A popular Laguna Beach restaurateur is putting his building on the market.

Jon Madison, owner of Madison Square & Garden Café at 320 N. Coast Hwy., said Wednesday he still enjoys running the business, but wants to “test the waters.�

Madison bought the property in 1997 and opened the restaurant a year later. He currently serves breakfast and lunch and there is a gift shop on site.

The original building, designed in the Craftsman bungalow style, was constructed in 1902, Madison said.

Madison, who turned 60 in January, said he would like to spend more time with his relatives who are moving to Southern California from the East Coast.

“I love what I’m doing here, but I would not mind to see a market or dinner service,� he said.

He said he would consider partnering with another person who could oversee an element of the business.

Sackin Team at Teles Properties listed the property at $6.5 million, according to the company’s website.

The structure features a commercial kitchen and an upstairs manager’s suite that could be a residence or office space.

Beer and wine service are allowed under the land’s conditional use permit.

“I maintain this building like a fiend,� Madison said.

Madison, who lives in Laguna, served 16 years on the city’s Heritage Committee and is known for hosting numerous fundraisers for charitable organizations.

In 2014, Madison ran for City Council amid questions about his resume.

Madison claimed he earned multiple degrees from Cornell University and a law degree from UCLA, though representatives from both universities said they had no record of him attending the schools, the Coastline Pilot reported at the time.

Madison said he was the victim of identity theft and that university records departments had lost track of his transcripts.

In placing his cafe property for sale, Madison said much will depend on the types of offers that come in.

“Someone may buy it, I might lease it out and stay here for a long time,� he said. “When I see the right offer, I’ll decide what I will do.�

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Twitter: @AldertonBryce

UPDATES:

4:40 p.m.: This article was updated with information about Jon Madison’s 2014 campaign for City Council.

This article was originally published at 1:40 p.m.