When we decided that we were going to focus this issue of our paper largely on food in South Jersey, we knew the subject of diners was going to play a prominent role and we knew just the guy we had to talk to.
His name is Michael Gabriele and he literally wrote the book on diners in New Jersey – two of them to be exact – “The History of Diners in New Jersey,” and “Stories From New Jersey Diners.”
Gabriele is a freelance writer who lives in Clifton in North Jersey. Along with his diner titles, he’s also written a number of other books and is a frequent contributor to the New Jersey food website Jersey Bites.
He was gracious enough to take some time to chat with us to discuss the state of the diner business, its history and what the future may hold. Please enjoy our Q&A interview with Mr. Gabriele and visit his website www.mcgabrielenjbooks.com to learn more about him and his books.
Q&A with Michael Gabriele
South Jersey Local:
Since you are the diner expert – we have to ask – what exactly is a diner, how do you define it and why is New Jersey so synonymous with diner culture?
Michael Gabriele:
New Jersey is the diner capital of the world for two reasons.
First, we have more diners than any other state. Second, during the 20th century, New Jersey was the diner manufacturing capital of the world.
Companies like O’Mahony, Kullman, Silk City, Fodero, Mountain View, Paramount, Manno, Master, Swingle and others built the classic diners that the world loves.
The diners they created are iconic expressions of American industrial design. They are an enduring symbol of American culture and nostalgia.
To me though, a diner – it’s an informal place that houses all your memories. There are generational memories that are attached to a diner – the place where your father took you, the place where you went on your first date, the place where you go if you were coming home from New York City at 3 o’clock in the morning – all those little milestones in your life. A diner is unlike anything else. I like that kind of New Jersey spirit. That’s really a diner.
SJL: We know you’re based in North Jersey, but what are some of your favorites down our way, and do you see any clear difference between North Jersey and South Jersey diners?
MG: They’re all good – breakfast anytime. friendly staff, friendly waitresses. I like the diner architecture. I’ve got a couple favorites down your way. Right near Batsto Village, where 206 and Route 30 come together, there’s the Silver Coin – that’s a good one. And then one that just opened last year, it had closed, the people that ran it for about 27 years retired, and the family that runs the Broad Street Diner in Keyport, they took it over. That’s the Roadside Diner in Wall Township. That’s a good one. The Vincentown Diner – that’s a good one. And the Salem Oak, just for old time’s sake.
SJL: What is the state of the industry right now – a lot of people are lamenting that there are a lot of them closing. What is your take?
MG: Writing for Jersey Bites, I might have coined the phrase ‘the diner downturn.’
You can go back 40, 50 years and we’ve lost our share of our years. Yeah, we have. But new ones come onboard. We still have about about 450, 500 diners, depending on how you define them.
SJL: What in your opinion has in particular brought about the decline of 24-hour diners?
MG: What diner people tell me is they have a hard time hiring good staff, training staff, and retaining staff. So now if you’re going to stay open all night, you’ve got to have people you rely on.
I keep track of things that happen on my Facebook feed, and there are some diners that are now opening again 24/7. If you want to go 24/7, you can make a buck, but again, you have to have the right people in place.
The 24-hour diner is something that’s part of our part of our Jersey mythology, which I think it’s not dead, but certainly fewer diners are open 24/7. There are still some, and that’s a good thing.
SJL: Clearly you’re someone who appreciates diners, what, if anything, makes you hopeful for the future of diners in Jersey
MG: I think there will always be a place for a diner. I mean, what they’re going to look like in 50 years from now, I have no idea. But there will always be a place for that kind of informal hometown flavor and atmosphere.
You know, when you lose your favorite diner, it’s sad, and you kind of miss something. But really, that’s been part of the diner business ever since the beginning. Diners open, diners close – that turn has always been part of the diner business. So, yeah, I get concerned when I hear about a diner closing, but they’ve been opening and closing all these years, so I don’t know if that’s reassuring, but that’s just kind of the way it goes.
SJL: Lastly, and I have a feeling I’m about to set you up to make some enemies, considering you’re a North Jersey guy, but the whole Taylor Ham vs Pork Roll debate – why do you people say it wrong up there? Please make it make sense!
MG: That’s like an inside New Jersey joke. I kind of laugh at that. When I do talks down in South Jersey, I always show a picture of it and I say Taylor Ham and I say ‘now, what do you call this?’
Everybody starts screaming. I get everybody going on that one.
But I think it’s great. I love it. I love that it’s like a Jersey joke.
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