News Flash – Al Mac’s Diner of Fall River, Mass. Closes!

I just read a very disturbing news article out of Fall River, Mass. Al Mac’s Diner has closed its doors! The article which was written by reporter Will Richmond of The Herald News was posted on their website this afternoon has taken me, and I’m sure a host of other people by complete surprise.

Al Mac’s Diner in Fall River, Mass. May, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

As the slogan on their sign says….. Al Mac’s Diner was justly famous since 1910, even though the current building dates to the early 1950’s. Al McDermott had been in the business all his life operating lunch wagons and diners too numerous to keep track of. Co-owned since 1989 by Norm Gauthier, his daughter Dawn Xanyn and son-in-law Garet Xanyn this diner was known for its home-cooking.

This is the second diner I featured in my book “Classic Diners of Massachusetts” that has closed within the last week. Buddy’s Diner of Somerville was seized by the Mass. Dept. of Revenue for non-payment of taxes last week and now Al Mac’s has been affected by the slow economy. Here is the text from the newspaper article…..

Al Mac’s Diner closes

By Will Richmond – Herald News Staff Reporter
July 23, 2012

FALL RIVER —

 The clock on the facade outside Al Mac’s Diner is stuck at 10:39. Unfortunately for the owners, the century-old restaurant wasn’t frozen in better times. Owner Norm Gauthier confirmed Monday the diner that he has owned for 23 years and has been part of the Fall River landscape since 1910 is closed. No longer will pancakes be available at 6 p.m. or homestyle meals eaten away from home.

Gauthier said the restaurant was done in by the economy. “We’re out of money,” Gauthier said, standing outside the darkened diner. “I’ve put every dime I have into this business and it’s just not successful anymore. The diner era is over. People would rather have flat screens to look at then have a conversation with somebody.” Gauthier said he is hoping to find someone who would be interested in purchasing the diner and breathe some new life into the business. “This would be a great opportunity for somebody interested in a turnkey operation,” he said.

 

Gauthier said his first 20 years of ownership were successful, but called the last three a “disaster.”  In addition to rising fuel and food costs and fewer patrons, Gauthier said other expenses increased in recent years, such as licensing fees. He said costs to meet tightened requirements have also played a role in the diner’s demise. In an effort to offset some of those costs Gauthier, had recently cut back on the diner’s hours of operation. “I feel awful. There is nothing I would like more than to open this place up again,” Gauthier said. His customers would agree. With word of the closure still making the rounds, potential customers looking for lunch Monday said they were shocked by the news.

 

Leo Marien, of Dighton, said he had just returned from vacation and was hankering for something from the Al Mac’s menu. “Boy, I’ll tell you, this is a landmark,” Marien said. “When you think of Fall River you think of Al Mac’s. This is a surprise.” Marien, who got familiar with Al Mac’s during a 40-year career working in Fall River, said he didn’t have a favorite menu item. Instead he said he often went with one of the daily specials, which he considered to be as good as home cooking. He recalled one time marveling over a slice of cherry cheesecake baked by Gauthier’s wife. After offering to purchase the remaining cheesecake, he said she instead baked him a fresh one. “I would always say coming here was like going home and eating,” Marien said. “I’m going to miss this place. I hope it isn’t going to be closed for long. I wish them all the luck.”

 

Calling the omelets, the Greek one in particular, his favorite, John Mello had traveled from Somerset for lunch Monday. Instead of getting a meal, he learned about the diner’s fate. “I knew they weren’t doing well, but this is depressing,” Mello said. “To me they had the best breakfast. This sucks.”

Hearing rumors about the diner’s possible demise, Tom Khoury, of Fall River, drove by to check for himself. He wasn’t pleased to see the “Closed” sign hanging in the window, confirming the worst. “It’s iconic and part of our social culture,” Khoury said, recalling an image from a car calendar that displayed the diner lit up in its neon glory. “It’s a shame it’s being closed. I’ve lived in Fall River all my life and to see something like this emotionally affects me.”

 

Marien offered a similar thought before getting back into his car in search of lunch. “It’s a piece of Americana we’re losing,” Marien lamented.

 

I will echo what these loyal customers stated…. this really sucks! I hope Gauthier can indeed find a worthy successor who can step back in and get this classic back up and running.

Diner roadtrip, Memorial Day, 2011

I decided I needed to get to southeastern Massachusetts over the long weekend for some new photos. These would be for my “Classic Diners of Massachusetts” book. I am attempting to use entirely all-new photos for all the diners I am “featuring” in the book, mainly so I can show these diners as they are today. The diners I was interested in photographing were Betsy’s Diner in Falmouth, the Shawmut Diner in New Bedford and Al Mac’s Diner in Fall River. I was also hoping to squeeze in Don’s Diner in Plainville if we had time.

So Denise and I headed out on Saturday morning and stopped for a quick bite and a cup of coffee at Marylou’s Coffee Shop in West Quincy, right off the Expressway. After Marylou’s, we pointed the vehicle toward State Route 28 and followed it all the way into Wareham. We passed Dave’s Diner, a Star Lite Diner in Middleboro and the “closed” Sisson’s Diner, a “converted trolley car” in South Middleboro as well as the Mill Pond Diner, a 1950’s O’Mahony in Wareham along this route. I am happy to report that Dave’s and the Mill Pond were doing a great business. After crossing over the Cape Cod Canal we also passed by the Patriot Diner in Pocasset which also seemed to be doing a great business.

The weather was funny this particular morning as it was warm and sunny away from the coast but we were going in and out of Fog as we were mostly by the ocean. That is why the diner photos (with the exception of Don’s Diner) are a little on the cloudy side. Oh well, what can you do!

We got down to Betsy’s Diner shortly after 9:00 am and the diner seemed to be hopping. Denise overheard someone say they had gotten the best crowd they have seen all spring that morning (it has been a really unseasonably cold one). We got something else to eat and I briefly talked with Karen Chandler, who along with her husband Dave, have been operating the diner since they bought it from Larry Holmes in 1994.

Betsy’s Diner, Falmouth, Mass. May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

Betsy’s Diner interior. May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

Betsy’s is a beautifully maintained 1950’s Mountain View Diner that originally operated in Kuhnsville, PA under names such as the Peter Pan Diner and Michael’s Family Restaurant before being relocated here in the early 1990’s. I obtained a take-out menu for some info for the book as well as the photos and we were on our way again, heading toward the Shawmut.

The Shawmut was fairly busy as it was between breakfast and lunch. I had given owner Phil Paleologos a call when we were traveling from Falmouth to New Bedford and he promised to meet us within a half hour. This was when I found out that my buddy Phil’s concept of 25 minutes was actually closer to an hour. So while we were waiting, I got some new photos of the outside and inside of this great 1954 O’Mahony diner.

Shawmut Diner, New Bedford, Mass. May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

Shawmut Diner interior, May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

In fact, we were ready to leave when he finally showed up. We did have a nice few minutes talking with him. I got at least 3 bear-hugs from him (he never shakes hands as far as I can tell). Phil is the friendliest diner owner I know!

After saying goodbye to Phil, we continued west into Fall River for our next diner destination….. Al Mac’s Diner. We got there and it was still foggy but I got some decent photos. We met Garet Xanyn who co-owns the diner along with his father-in-law, Norman Gauthier. I asked for a take-out menu so I could refer to some of the diners offerings in the book. But unfortunately, they were out of them. Garet promised me that he would email me a copy.

Al Mac’s Diner, “Justly Famous Since 1910”, Fall River, Mass.
May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

Al Mac’s Diner interior, May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

I started heading home when Denise asked me about the possibility of checking out Don’s Diner in Plainville. She wanted to know if there was enough time to get there and then back home around the time we needed to be in Saugus. I said we could probably fit it in, so we detoured down I-495 over to Wrentham, which is just north of Plainville. We got to Don’s right after they closed, but the door was still open, so we went in. I was hoping to meet Perry Perreault who is the current operator for the business that was started by his grandfather in 1936. Unfortunately, he had just left! I explained to the waitress who was still on duty that I needed a couple of interior photos for the book. She said she could not give me permission, so I asked her to call Perry, whom I had been in contact with a day or two before to get permission. She did call him and he told her it was OK. So I got my shots and went home.

Don’s Diner, Plainville, Mass. May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

Don’s Diner interior, May 28, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

After Don’s, we scooted home and went about our usual Saturday afternoon routine at home and I was able to get some more writing in for the book. The next day we had breakfast at the Four Sister’s Owl Diner on our way up to Hudson, NH for an errand. After that I got some more writing in and around noon time we went and dropped something off at the place I am employed in Danvers. We then jumped over to nearby Beverly for another errand which was conveniently located near the newly opened stand called The Scotty Dog, a place that features a true “Chicago Hot Dog”. This is located on the corner of Rantoul Street and Elliot Street (Rte. 1A & Rte. 62) where Ron Dogs had operated for a short time.

I met Steve Scott who runs the business with his son Matt along with a few other employees. I was excited to see that they were doing a decent business as they had their Grand Opening two days before. I was not hungry so I grabbed a couple of photos and promised to be back.

The Scotty Dog, Beverly, Mass. May 29, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

The Scotty Dog, Beverly, Mass. May 29, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

Well, I did get back there on Tuesday after work. I got a Chicago Dog (a Vienna Beef Dog) with all the fixin’s, a kosher pickle spear, 2 slices of tomato, diced onions, 2 sport peppers and neon relish with a dash of celery salt (I did not get the yellow mustard, I don’t like mustard) on a steamed poppy seed bun and an order of French Fries. The photo below is the very first time I have ever photographed a meal I was about to eat! I felt really weird doing that, let me tell you. But I figured, I see “Food Bloggers” doing it all the time so here you go.

An order of French Fries with a Chicago Hot Dog at The Scotty Dog
May 31, 2011 photo by Larry Cultrera

I wish the crew at The Scotty Dog good luck and hope to get up there for semi-regular meals.

I also heard from Bob Higgins over the weekend and he sent reports and photos of the former Diner 317 in Plaistow, NH. They had only been open a short time, from the opening in November, 2010 to the closing in March of this year. Now it looks like this beleagured diner is reopening as Betty’s Diner fairly soon. Bob said the stools had been removed (hope they put real ones back in, not movable ones) and they painted the exterior a bright pink (which actually does not look bad). I guess we will have to check this out in the near future and see what happens.

Betty’s Diner, Plaistow, NH. Photo courtesy of Bob Higgins

Betty’s Diner sign, Plaistow, NH. Photo courtesy of Bob Higgins
as you can see the project for the new sewer pipes being installed along Rte. 125 seems to be moving along.

Betty’s Diner, Plaistow, NH. Photo courtesy of Bob Higgins

Thanks to Bob Higgins for sending along these photos.