Crying At The Bendix Diner: Woman Shares Heartwarming Bergen County Christmas Memory

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — In an exclusive interview with Patch this week, the new owner of the 78-year-old Bendix Diner said he plans to restore it and reopen it next year — which comes as a relief to the eatery's many fans.

READ MORE: New Owner To Restore Closed Bendix Diner

Longtime restaurants are filled with stories. When the Patch story was posted on Facebook on Tuesday, one woman shared a heartwarming Christmas tale involving the diner.

Pat, who lived in Bergen County, posted this comment:

"I have a very fond memory of the Bendix Diner. On a snowy Christmas Eve in 1973, I got on the wrong train."

She shared, "I thought I was on the Booton line but was actually on the Bergen line. I got off at the first stop which was the Bendix diner. I had just gotten married, no cell phones no way to contact my husband to come and get me. I walked into the diner which was empty except for the waitress and the cook. I burst out crying and they couldn’t have been kinder. They let me use their phone, offered me a piece of pie and hot chocolate and calmed me down until my husband came to get me...I will always remember the Bendix diner."

Pat said that she's now 79 nears old, and has been married for 52 years.

"I can’t tell you how many times we have told that story," she said. "We are going to make a point to visit the new diner when it opens."

So When Will It Reopen?

Peter Meskouris, who bought the iconic diner last month with his brother and son, said in an interview on Tuesday that the restaurant — which was closed by the town of Hasbrouck Heights in January due to faulty equipment — will need a lot of work, but he plans to restore it. He also gave a timeline.

Read that story and get the inside scoop here: READ MORE: New Owner To Restore Closed Bendix Diner

Previous coverage:

• READ MORE: Bendix Diner Has New Owner
• READ MORE: Bendix Diner Owner Vows To Bring It Back After Shutdown
• READ MORE: Iconic Americana Diner In Jersey City Closes: See What's Next