Looking in on the Sunview Luncheonette
It's been more than two years since I checked in on the Sunview Luncheonette, the beautiful old Greenpoint diner that closed its doors in early 2008 after an inspection from the Department of Health made things too cost prohibitive for the old Greek woman who ran it to reopen. I wanted to see if it had been occupied, gutted or remained in a state of suspended animation.
The answer is the latter. No one's moved in, but someone's keeping the place up. The inside looks like it could survive a new DOH inspection.
Witness the low prices we've all been missing over the past four years. $2 for a ham and cheese. $1.25 for a cheeseburger. 50 cents for coffee.
The only possible change to the place is that constant exposure to the elements has turned this old Coke sign from red to rust brown.
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4 comments:
I was there last summer taking photos. The sweet elderly lady who lives upstairs, the former proprietor of the diner, let me in and I took a handful of shots. She said the DoH had closed her down and as of then, she was still trying to get the place back up and running. But she had no one to help her do so. FYI, if you watch the French Connection scene where Popeye stakes out Sal and Angie's, as he turns his car around you can see this Luncheonette pass in the frame.
This place was in a scene in an independent movie from two years ago named The Missing Person.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1339854848/tt1105512
Hmmmm, the photos seem to show a real throwback interior. Cool. With a little work this place could be like the place on upper Lex (Lexington Candy Shop? Sorry, can't recall the name exactly, but check Brooksie's archives b/c he's written about it....great place by the way). Could be a great opportunity here for someone to make a deal with the owner to fix the problems and run it with her as silent partner. I'm guessing she might own the building if she lives upstairs. Have to raise some of the prices a bit, but as long as you could steer clear of "wagyu burgers" at 50 bucks a pop, I'd think you'd do okay.
Goodness! Those prices haven't changes I don't think since I was in HS!! I used to go there almost daily for a cheeseburger and a shake.
Last time I was there was 2001. I hope she'll get to reopen one day soon.
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