RIP Melrose Diner

    I've watched dozens of diners close in the 21st century but the rapid closing of the iconic Melrose Diner took me by surprise. From the tv commercial of "Everybody Who Knows Goes To Melrose" to the mafia hits in the parking lot the history of the Melrose is both long and interesting.

    When Michael Petrogiannis purchased the Melrose in 2007 he quickly angered the longtime regulars by making changes to the exterior, interior, menu and prices. Also his public statement about not caring about diners history or nostalgia did nothing to win them over either. After all it's the regulars who are the lifeblood of the 24 hour diner, not the drunken fools who stumble in after 2am.

     You can count me as one of the people who weren't happy with the changes by Michael like the tags the waitresses wore like a badge of honor that stated the number of years they worked there. But I would like to thank Michael because if not for him the diner would have closed long ago and I wouldn't have been able to continue to listen to stories by the neighborhood regulars who kept me entertained at the counter.