Miss Adams Diner, Worcester Lunch Car No. 821. August 10, 2013 photo by
Larry Cultrera
I made a “quick” trip out to Adams, Mass. yesterday from my home in Saugus, Mass. Now if some of you do not know, this trip was from the extreme eastern end of the Bay State to the extreme western end…. a 3 hour ride one way! To not waste a huge portion of the day, I left at 3:45 AM (hey, I am up at that time anyway). My route for this trip is my very favorite in Massachusetts – State Route 2 (the western portion of this road is known as the Mohawk Trail) with three stops along the way, the first for a quick off/on in Leominster for a coffee to go (McDonald’s “Newman’s Own” coffee is very good by the way – a first for me). The second stop was for gas in Greenfield and the third was a very brief 3 photo stop at the infamous “Hairpin Turn” at the North Adams/Clarksburg town line (around 6:30 AM).
So, from the Hairpin Turn, it was a 15 minute ride to my destination…. the Miss Adams Diner in the town of Adams (south of North Adams on Rte. 8). I needed to get out to visit with Philomene & Ric Belair who have operated the diner since February of 2010. I initially met them a little over 2 years ago on a photo and fact finding excursion for my book, Classic Diners of Massachusetts. The diner is one of the ones I featured in the chapter on Western Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, the Belairs have been leasing the diner and earlier this year were informed by the owner that he was putting the place up for sale. Phil & Ric could not swing the purchase price so as of this coming Thursday, August 15th, the diner will be closed.
Left to right – Larry Cultrera, Ric Belair and Philomene Belair inside the Miss Adams Diner. August 10, 2013 photo by Larry Cultrera
I am particularly saddened by this turn of events as I have been reporting on too many diner closings recently. I want to wish Phil & Ric well in their future endeavors and will be keeping in touch with them.
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