Diner Stools for sale!

I was contacted by Jon Femia of Connecticut who recently obtained 3 vintage diner stools. He sent me some photos of these stools and they look to be in near perfect condition.

Jon says he does not know where or what diner they came from and would prefer to sell them as a” lot” ( not individually), and would like about $50 each for them if that is reasonable.  He is open to negotiating the price. If anyone is interested in buying these from Jon, you can contact him at  j_nfma99@hotmail.com

Regency Shop Bar Stools

Ironically I also heard from Susan who has the RegencyShop.com website. They offer modern bar stools right now but she assures me they will surely be adding traditional diner stools very soon. They also offer an interesting selection of  furniture and accessories. The website is at……
http://www.regencyshop.com/ and their phone number is 1-866-766-2680

Michael Perlman requests help for NYC’s Empire Diner

Empire Diner, photo early 1980’s by Larry Cultrera

Michael Perlman who was instrumental in helping to save 2 other New York City diners (the Moondance Diner and the Cheyenne Diner) from destruction is now on a new crusade to keep the Empire Diner intact. The former operators lost their lease recently and the new operators are planning to make changes (including the name).

LAC – If they do make changes, I hope it is just operational and not physical as I personally do not want to see this iconic diner altered.  Anyway here is the press release Michael has put out to various interested parties……

Hi Everyone, This is very important. Please help…

Under the NYC Landmarks Law, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designated landmark status to the historic Empire Diner, which is a 1946 Art Deco freestanding diner by mastermind Joseph Fodero of the Fodero Dining Car Co). It is of a dying breed, since it is one of the last of 2 highly intact examples in Manhattan, which was once dotted with freestanding diners. The Empire Diner is a marked contributing property to the city’s Historic District. Note the Dept of Buildings’ classification for 210 10th Ave as L for Landmark: http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PropertyProfileOverviewServlet?boro=1&houseno=210&street=10th+ave&requestid=0&s=A03C41B885
B461E4F46BD08866A7430E

HOW YOU CAN HELP: As many people as possible need to call the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s investigation unit and main phone number, and ask why the Empire State Building model was removed from the top corner of the landmarked facade of the Empire Diner at 210 10th Ave, and also mention that the new operators likely plan on changing the famed name (according to many press clips), which to our knowledge also has protection under the Landmarks Law. E

mpire Diner with ESB model: http://www.flickr.com/photos/professorbop/720225154/  Diner with ESB gone astray: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanjatiziana/4775179361/  Is the latter photo the ideal of progress? We believe a permit would need to be approved by the Landmarks Commission first, so it is imperative that they know.

1. Call the LPC investigation unit – Diane Simonson at (212) 669-7948
2. Also call the main LPC # for Dir of Research Mary Beth Betts, and make her aware of the ESB removal and diner name endangerment. The interior should also be recommended for Interior Landmark status (facade already has landmark status). Mary Beth Betts is reachable at (212) 669-7700.

Please call, & tell your friends to call as well. Keep Michael Perlman informed of your correspondence with the LPC via unlockthevault@hotmail.com Thank you,
Michael Perlman
Rego-Forest Preservation Council, Chair (Rego Park & Forest Hills) http://regoforestpreservation.blogspot.com/  
Four Borough Preservation Alliance Corp, Queens VP Queens Preservation Council, Bd. of Dir. Central Queens Historical Association, Bd. of Dir. Friends of The Ridgewood Theatre, Chair Friends of The RKO Keith’s Flushing Theatre, Member Committee To Save The Forum Diner/Cheyenne Diner/Moondance Diner, Chair
(917) 446-7775
unlockthevault@hotmail.com

Bel Aire Diner to become Red’s Kitchen & Tavern

I got an email yesterday from Robert DeCristoforo, a friend and former coworker of mine. The email had a link to an article from the July 7th Salem News, (Salem, Mass.) about the upcoming plans for the Bel Aire Diner located on U.S. Rte. 1 in Peabody, Mass. This article confirmed info that I already knew and posted about back in April, see…. https://dinerhotline.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/notes-from-the-hotline-4-10-2010/

 The Bel Aire Diner is a large Mountain View Diner from the early 1950’s that has been closed for a number of years. It is just up the northbound side of U.S. Rte. 1 from the Sonic Drive-In that was opened almost a year ago.

 

Here is the Salem News article….

July 7, 2010

Red’s plans to open Route 1 restaurant, too

By Matthew K. Roy
Staff writer

PEABODY — Red’s Sandwich Shop, a culinary institution in downtown Salem since 1945, could be coming to Route 1 in Peabody.

Owner John Drivas has plans to open a second Red’s at the site of the long-shuttered Bel-Aire Diner on Route 1 north. It will be called Red’s Kitchen and Tavern.

“For our type of operation,” Drivas said, “it’s a perfect location.”

Red’s made a name for itself in Salem by offering an affordable variety of traditional breakfast and lunch menu options. Pending the approval of the city, the Peabody version of the restaurant could open by late fall or early next year in a new commercial building that will house multiple tenants. Ground could be broken on the project as early as next week, said David Ankeles, lawyer of property owner John Kallas.

“We’ve been looking (to expand) for some time,” Drivas said.

The third owner in its history, Drivas has run Red’s for 23 years. The Peabody location will reflect the menu and concept of the original restaurant.

Though still in the planning stages, the new restaurant is projected to be 5,000 square feet with seating for 175. It will offer breakfast, lunch and, unlike the original Red’s, dinner. The proposed operating hours are 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., according to a special permit application filed with the City Council.

“Red’s has got a good reputation, I’m sure they’ll have a positive impact in that area,” City Councilor Dave Gamache said.

Gamache represents the ward where Red’s is slated to locate.

“As soon as we can get that corner developed, the better off we’ll be,” he said.

Red’s needs the council to grant it a special permit because it intends to sell alcohol. Drivas is seeking a full liquor license. In Salem, he operates with a beer and wine license.

“It has every type of restaurant you can think of, but I don’t feel that Route 1 has a Red’s,” Drivas said. “It will be a great addition to the city of Peabody and the Route 1 area.”

The site will have 130 parking spaces and provide day and overnight parking for tractor-trailers. Among the businesses in the nearly 21,000-square-foot building will be a convenience store and motorcycle shop, Ankeles said.

But Red’s will be the primary draw.

“I hope (Drivas) gets a chance to do a bang-up job up there,” Ankeles said. “He’s a good guy, and he has a great reputation.”

Regular customers of the original Red’s need not worry. Nothing will change there, Drivas said.

The Central Street hot spot is popular among locals and visitors to Salem and has served its share of luminaries, particularly from the world of politics.

The late Sen. Ted Kennedy dined there, so has Sen. John Kerry, former Gov. Mitt Romney and first lady Barbara Bush.

Red’s would become part of a restaurant revival on Route 1 in Peabody. A new Sonic restaurant has thrived since opening last summer.

Santarpio’s, a famous, family-run East Boston pizzeria, is transforming the former Bennigan’s restaurant on Route 1 north into its 300-seat North Shore home. The Peabody venture will be the pizzeria’s second location, after 107 years in business.

The Bel-Aire Diner went out of business in 2006.

Because of its summer recess, the council will not take up Red’s special permit application until late August.

I personally do not like that Red’s owners are planning not to use “Diner” in the name of the new restaurant. Instead of “Red’s Kitchen & Tavern” they could  name it “Red’s Kitchen & Tavern at the Bel Aire Diner”, or how about “Red’s Bel Aire Diner”, just thinking! – LAC

Thanks for the link Robert!

Notes from the Hotline, 7-8-2010

Diner Slide Presentaion in North Easton, Mass.

I will be doing one of my Diner Slide Presentations toward the end of this month. It will be held at The Ames Free Library of North Easton, Mass. on July 29, 2010. The show starts at 6:30 pm.

The Ames Free Library, North Easton, Mass. A handsome 1877 building
designed by the famed architect, Henry Hobson Richardson

In this presentation, I show how this American Institution has evolved from the horse drawn Lunch Wagons of the late 19th century to the large ultra-modern Diner-Restaurants of the 21st century. I also include a section on some of the local New England diners that people can visit, if they are so inclined!

Here is a link to the Library’s website… http://www.amesfreelibrary.org/index.htm

Diner Photos by Beth Lennon of Retro Road Map
included in Wildwood, NJ exhibit

Angelo’s Diner, Glassboro, NJ – Photo by Beth Lennon

Our good friend, Beth Lennon has a group of her Southern New Jersey Diner photos on exhibit for the month of July in wonderful Wildwood, NJ!  Beth has the hugely popular Retro Roadmap blog at http://retroroadmap.com/, probably my most favorite blog (after Diner Hotline of course!). Here is the mention of it from the July 8th Shore News Today….

WILDWOOD – Beth Lennon of Phoenixville, Pa. recently announced that a selection of her photos of southern New Jersey vintage diners will be on display in Wildwood, throughout July.  The exhibit will be at The Doo Wop Experience in celebration of their ‘Manufactured Diner Month’.
Lennon is the owner of RetroRoadmap.com – a travel blog dedicated to all things retro, vintage and mod.  The Web site includes her photos and experiences from her travels across the United States visiting what she describes as ‘cool old places’.  Her photographs have been used by cartoonist Dan Goodsell.
The Doo Wop Experience is located across from the Wildwoods Convention Center at Ocean Avenue between Burk and Montgomery Avenues.  The exhibit is free to the public and is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 to 10 p.m.  For more information see www.doowopusa.org.

Here is Beth’s list of the diner photographs she has on exhibit…

Angelo’s Diner
26 North Main Street
Glassboro, NJ 08028
(856) 881-9854
1951 Kullman diner

At The Hop Diner
411 South Pomona Road
Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215
(609) 804-1950
1952 O’Mahony diner

Deepwater Diner
552 Shell Road
Carneys Point NJ 08069
(856) 299-1411
1958 Silk City diner

Elgin Diner
2621 Mount Ephraim Avenue
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 962-0202
1958 Kullman diner

Forked River Diner
317 South Main Street
Forked River, NJ 08731
(609) 693-2222
c.1960 Kullman diner

Mustache Bill’s Diner
Broadway & 8th Street
Barnegat Light, NJ 08006
(609) 494-0155
1958 Fodero diner

Salem Oak Diner
106 Broadway Road
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 935-1305
1955 Silk City diner

Report of Plaistow, NH’s Eggie’s Diner may be in jeopardy

Eggie’s Diner, Rte. 125, Plaistow, NH – Although the diner is covered in wood instead of its original stainless steel skin, it still has a lot of integrity left on the inside.

Diner Fan Bob Higgins emailed me 2 days ago with some news on Eggie’s Diner of Plaistow, NH. It does not look good for this 1950’s vintage Mountain View Diner. Here is what Bob said in the email….

The diner is closed up and vacant as of the beginning of July. The business has moved to another location in Plastow. There are some surveyors stakes and markings around the diner property. It has been for sale for a long time.

I hope that someone can save this diner, it probably would not take much to at least get it into storage and out of harm’s way.

Recent Visit to the Wheelhouse Diner

Wheelhouse Diner, 453 Hancock Street (corner of Hayward St.) in the
Wollaston section of Quincy, Mass.

Last Saturday (the 26th of June) Denise and I took a ride down to Quincy, Mass. for breakfast at the Wheelhouse Diner. The Wheelhouse is an on-site built diner (non-factory-built) that has been in existance for decades. Doug Showstead who looks like a classic short order cook with his “whites”, (something you do not see too much of these days) has been the chef and short order grillman for 5 years.

The exterior has gotten some recent updates since I first photographed it in the 1990’s. The interior has the typical diner set-up with counter and stools and a few booths. The cooking is done right behind the counter and there is a ktichen on the back of the building. The great signage you see was done by the Modern Art Sign Company which is right next door to the diner on Hayward St. If you look closely at the bottom of the verticle street sign you will see how the sign company got to advertise their advantageous location next door to the diner, see below…..

The food and service is great at the Wheelhouse Diner, and the prices are very reasonable too! I highly recommend this as a breakfast or lunch spot if you are ever in Quincy.

As is sometimes the case, after we eat at the Wheelhouse, we drive a few blocks over to Eastern Nazarene College to walk around the small campus, (this college is Denise’s alma mater). On the way over at the center of the business district in Wollaston, I took a glance down Beal Street. I noticed that the old Wollaston Theater was still there (although not in use) and also that there was still an operating Brigham’s Ice Cream store. The company that owned Brigham’s closed recently and the only stores still open are the former franchised ones.

Brigham’s Ice Cream store on Beal Street in Quincy

The Theater is directly across the street from Brigham’s…….

Wollaston Theater, on Beal Street in Quincy, Mass

Wollaston Theater, on Beal Street in Quincy, Mass

Wollaston Theater, on Beal Street in Quincy, Mass

The entrance to the theater is in a storeblock, while the theater itself is actually behind and to the right. So I assume that when the theater was open for business, a person would  walk thru the entrance and buy their tickets, then walk to the rear and take a right to enter the auditorium. The theater looks to be intact and there is a sign on the door that anyone interested in information on the property to contact a local realty company.