The End of an Era
July 17th, 2009
It is with great sadness that we learn that Tom’s Restaurant on Washington Avenue has changed hands. On the bright side, its long-term proprietor and neighborhood’s staple, Gus Vlahavas, finally gets to spend his days gardening and enjoying life outside of diner business.
As much a legend as the place itself, Gus is not only the one who brought us fancy pancakes (before his reign, during his father Tom’s time, the pancakes were simple and unadorned with blueberries, bananas, walnuts…), but he is the very reason this greasy spoon diner is a destination.
Tom’s is where most of the neighborhood gets their morning coffee, or enjoys a breakfast replete with morning newspapers. The diner’s claims to fame, besides Gus and his infectiously friendly personality, are wacky 1930’s approach to interior design, kitschy memorabilia, framed and autographed lyrics to Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” Gus’s mom Stella (the queen of the register, peppermints and lollipops), and free cookies, coffee, and wedges of oranges that you will be showered with by busboys while you wait on line to get in.
As we ponder the (bleak?) future of Tom’s without Gus, we get lost in predictions that the garden will be redone to accommodate additional tables, and we are convinced that the new owner will have Tom’s opened on Sundays. We can only hope that the new owner doesn’t put an end to egg creams, cherry lime Rickeys and flavorful pancakes.
Barely a Saturday goes by without a line winding out of Tom’s. We are used to seeing it and we hope to see it for as long as Tom’s is our reality.
No matter what the future may hold, the ring master will be dearly missed…
(New owner pictured above)
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