The article about the "Tavern"
brought back wonderful memories for me.
I'm a South Orange boy, but I worked around the corner from the
"Tavern" on Empire St. We were the Gallo Wine distributors
for the State of NJ and it was our habit to eat breakfast at the
Weequahic Diner (with Leo & Morris Bauman looking over our shoulders
and chatting with us as we ate), sometime lunching a monster sandwich
& a beer at "Staches", but most of the time you could
find us at the "Tavern".
My father-in-law, Larry Alexander (the co-owner of Gallo Wine Sales
of NJ), his partner, Jerry Weil, and Larry's cousin Dave Slobodine
were a fixture at their own designated table.
They came alone, together, with friends, business associates and
customers. I can't say that I was an important person at the table,
but I was there and part of the "Tavern's" history as
well as our own.
I can remember that first time Ernest Gallo went with us for a luncheon
meeting, he was so impressed with the restaurant that every time
he came to NJ after that, he would make sure that we had our meal
there.
It's sad, the passing of that era, but to have been part of those
times, is of itself, what make the memories so sweet.
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