Tuesday, March 26, 2019

The Blairstown Diner: New Owner, Old Charm

By: Joey Licata
In January 2019, Blairstown Diner owner and resident, Peter Apostolou, sold the historic Diner to Frelinghuysen resident, Gary D Wishnia. Petey, as he is affectionately called, sold the diner because it reminded him too much of his father, Pete Sr., who passed away in January 2018. Petey had been running the diner with a heavy heart, until he started talking to Gary.
Petey and Gary started communicating a while ago when Gary moved to the Frelinghuysen area back in 2014. Gary told Petey whenever he thought of selling the diner to let him know. Well that time came around a year after the passing of his father. Petey contacted Gary and then the transfer of ownership happened.
The Blairstown Diner, founded in 1949, is an old-school, small town diner beloved by locals, visitors, and Friday the 13th movie fans. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, everything is reasonably priced, making it affordable to bring your family out to eat. This year, it celebrates its 70th Anniversary. All locals and new visitors enjoy the diner because it is one of few original style diners still around.
The diner was featured in the original Friday the 13th movie in 1980, and in the movie, Plasterhead. On every Friday the 13th, locals and tourists come from all over the tri-state area to dine at the historic diner and meet the cast of the movie. On Friday the 13th, visitors have the chance to see the locations of where the movie was filmed, then stop by for a bite to eat.

Gary Wishnia has owned the diner for about two months now and is making a lot of great changes;  and makes sure all of the Friday the 13th movie fans know they are welcome. He created a website as well as an Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter page. Although he is making quite a few changes in the way the diner looks, prices, and food will not change. Gary’s plan is to bring as many new faces into the historic diner all while leaving its old fashioned charm.

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