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Knobbies4Ever t1_jaihvha wrote

I wish this place success.

Cool to read the 1975 NY Times review of the original Alps in McGinley Square. That building on Bergen (across Fairmount from Wonder Bagel) had been boarded up for many years when I moved nearby 15 years ago, but it looked like it had been a fancy place at one point. Glad that lot is finally being redeveloped with an appropriate-scale residential building.

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SoundMachineJC t1_jajar02 wrote

Yes and great lines from the NYT’s 1975 review….

“Once, most cities had restaurants like The Alps: solid, unpretentious and expertly run. They have been replaced by anonymous chains, those where fast‐food operations are dressed up to resemble real restaurants. The food is frozen and tasteless, the atmosphere gimmicky and gauche. Places like The Alps have all but disappeared in this country. Perhaps, we prefer spurious “atmosphere” and plastic food to good meals in unpretentious surroundings.”

The Alps was one of the go to JC restaurants for family occasions like graduations, birthdays, etc. As the NYT’s review says in the 70’s the patrons were older.

The area was getting kind of shady and the old-timers had worries getting to it. So as I recall the owners started a door to door limo service. They hired off duty cops as drivers. Great idea at the time…pre Uber.

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Knobbies4Ever t1_jaje3tq wrote

Nice background, thanks!

It's been great to see new restaurants open on that stretch of Bergen the last few years: Cavaro, ITA, Krewe, Crema. Hopefully more to come.

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