Emergency Fund-Raiser for The Silver Top Diner


The Silver Top Diner as seen in better days, 1996 photo by Larry Cultrera

The Silver Top Diner was a long-time fixture in Providence, RI until it was forced to move for the redevelopment of the property it was operating on. I was there for the last day of operation and met the owner Pat Brown. Even then, she was up against some long-odds to get the diner set-up and operating, hopefully in Pawtucket, RI. Unfortunately, the diner has languished for all these intervening years and was subsequently given an ultimatum by the city recently. Basically the diner needed to be removed from its long-time storage site or it would be demolished.

Patricia Tomasso-Brown, the owner of The Silver Top Diner, contacted me via Facebook to inform me of her current dilemma. She wrote….. Larry could you post this on your events for me, Thanks,  Pat
Fund-raiser for The Silver Top Diner, anyone knowing any place that will give gift certificates please let me know. Thank You to all who already bought a ticket! After waiting 10 years to get my business open and my diner rebuilt, on October 9, 2012 I won in court against the City of Pawtucket after a 5 day jury trial, then on October 26, 2012 a judge overturned the jury verdict and took my award & diner away.

Now I have to fight all over again. There is a Fund-raiser being held to help me with court fee’s which are high. Please spread the word to help out. Silver Top Diner Fund-raiser at Bishop Hill Tavern, 2868 Hartford Ave, Johnston, RI, Tuesday, November 27, 2012, starting at 6:00 pm until ? –  Italian style dinner and raffles, donation is $20 per ticket. I can drop them to anyone who wants them if you don’t live too far away, just let me know when I can meet you. 401-497-6169 or write savethesilvertopdiner@yahoo.com
Thank you, Pat Brown

Notes from the Hotline, 5-20-2012

Documentary about Providence, RI’s Haven Brothers Diner in the works!


Haven Brothers Diner in Providence, RI…. April 19, 2012 photo
by Larry Cultrera

Jeff Toste of Ramp Media Lab has started filming footage for a new documentary entitled…. “Haven Brothers, Legacy of the American Diner” for which I was interviewed on camera back in April (hopefully my part won’t end up on the cutting room floor). Haven Brothers, the legendary mobile food cart that sets up outside providence City Hall every night can trace its roots back to a horse-drawn lunch wagon in the 1880’s.


Haven Brothers Diner in Providence, RI. That is Jeff Toste on the left, filming the diner in the process of setting up next to City Hall.
April 19, 2012 photo by Larry Cultrera

Although Jeff has received some funding to continue the process, he is no where near close enough, money-wise to finish the film. Therefore he is starting a Kickstarter Campaign that interested people can donate to, to help him reach his goal. Below is the flyer for the debut of the Kickstarter event at the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University

A documentary about a Providence icon – the oldest operating American diner on wheels

Produced by Ramp Media Lab, and made possible through major funding support from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, an independent state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Thursday, May 24, 2012 – 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the
Culinary Arts Museum
315 Harborside Boulevard
Providence,RI 02905
www.culinary.org

RSVP required byMonday, May 21, 2012
phone number is (401) 598-2805

Suggested donation: $10
All proceeds will support the production of the film

The Haven Brothers food truck will be parked outside of the museum for the evening, with plenty of tasty fare available for purchase.

Do you have a Haven Brothers story you would like to share? Interviews will be conducted at the museum, in the diner exhibit!

Museum Director Richard J.S. Gutman will be on hand to introduce Jeff at this event as well as speak about mobile lunch wagons, and food carts through the years. Being that this event is on a week night, I will not be attending but I urge anyone who might be interested to RSVP by tomorrow (although Richard Gutman clued me in that they will except all RSVP’s right up to Thursday!), or at the very least donate to the Kick starter campaign! Other links are……

http://www.havenbrothersmovie.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Haven-Brothers-Movie/177008755666409

@HavenBrosMovie on Twitter

http://www.rampmedialab.com/

Red’s Kitchen + Tavern of Peabody, Mass. opens


Red’s Kitchen + Tavern, U.S. Route 1 North, Peabody, Mass.
May 19, 2012 photo by Larry Cultrera

Red’s Kitchen + Tavern has opened as of Tuesday, May 15, 2012 on the former site of the late lamented Bel-Aire Diner. The restaurant is part of a larger building that was built on the site that will house other businesses sometime in the near future. This new restaurant is related to a long-time fixture in downtown Salem, Mass…… Red’s Sandwich Shop. The original Red’s is known for their breakfasts and lunches and the new place will feature the signature meals as well. But it will also be open for dinner and has a full liquor license.


Red’s Kitchen + Tavern, U.S. Route 1 North, Peabody, Mass.
May 19, 2012 photo by Larry Cultrera

When this new development was started, the Bel-Aire Diner was actually still going to be a part of the complex, built into the new building. But it seems when Red’s became part of the equation, the diner was nixed! It seems with all probability that the new people thought the diner was in pretty bad shape and would have been limiting to the size of the restaurant they envisioned operating. The new place seats over 200 people and has a small dining room on the back that could be used for functions and meetings. It is nice and clean and features “U-shaped” counters similar to Red’s in Salem as well as a nicely appointed dining room. The open kitchen is also remeniscent of the original Red’s.

Denise and I had breakfast yesterday at Red’s and were nicely impressed by the place! (I should have gotten interior shots). I wish the owners well and hope for their success at this brand-new location! For those who want to check the place out for themselves Red’s Kitchen + Tavern is located at 131 Newbury St. (U.S. Rte. 1),  Peabody, Ma 01960, phone: 978-531-7337
The Hours of Operation are… Sunday: 6 AM – 10 PM, Monday thru Wednesday: 5 AM – 10 PM and Thursday thru Saturday: 5 AM – 11 PM

http://www.redskitchenandtavern.com/Home_Page.html

Providence, Rhode Island Diner set to make comeback

I received this email announcement about Poirier’s Diner from Richard Gutman yesterday. Poirier’s Diner, which has been in storage for a number of years is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.


Poirier’s Diner, operating as the Sandwich Factory in the early 1980’s
Photo by Larry Cultrera

Subject: Immediate Release – Historic Diner Being Moved on Tuesday, December 13th – Immediate Release

The historic Poirier’s Diner (a 1947 Kullman, the second Diner in Rhode Island to be individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places) is on the move!
For more than 50 years, and under many different names, such as “Armand’s, Krystal’s, the Top Hat, Arnold’s and most recently, the El Faro, the Diner served the working men and women of Olneyville at its location on Atwells Avenue at Eagle Square. Saved from the wrecking ball when Eagle Square was mostly demolished, on this coming Tuesday the 13th, the Diner will be placed on a truck and rolled down the block to its new home at 1380 Westminster Street on Providence’s historic West Side.

Developer Jon Özbek has begun a full scale renovation of the diner with the help of BankRI, General Contractor Stack Design / Build of Providence, the RI Historic Preservation & Heritage Commission, the Providence Revolving Fund, and MODA, LLC. This project represents a significant investment in the City’s burgeoning West Side business community, while it will also create new jobs.
This restaurant will be the fourth collaboration between Jon Özbek and Michael Sears, who together have brought Loie Fuller’s, The Avery, and Ama’s to the West Side of Providence.  The Diner will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. And it will feature  an updated version of classic American Diner fare, along with a full bar and outdoor patio seating.  It is expected to open in the Spring / Summer of 2012.
 
Stay tuned for details.
Jon Özbek, Manager
Kismetro, LLC
Crescent Partners LLC
1455 Westminster Street, LLC
18-20 Luongo Memorial Square LLC
Cerberus, LLC
401.369.1820