Clifton Merchant Magazine - August 2014

Clifton Merchant • August 2014 3

August 2014• Clifton Merchant4

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Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko

Business ManagerGabriella Marriello

Graphic DesignersKen Peterson

Andrew Noblett

Contributing WritersIrene JarosewichDomenick Reda Carol Leonard

Michael Gabriele

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

© 2014 Tomahawk Promotions

By Tom Hawrylko

With 85,000 hungry residents, Clifton is a greatrestaurant town, serving up plenty of sustenance, cel-

ebration, friendship and love. So if you want to dine

around town, our August cover hints at some sugges-

tions. And if you want a list of most every restaurant in

town, turn to page 22 for our directory.

But back to the cover: From top left, that’s Paul

Wong and Steve Chang at Chengdu 46, a North Jersey

landmark for Sichuan cuisine, consistently ranked as a

favorite restaurant. Thirty-one years as a Clifton dining

destination, turn to page 6 for more on Chengdu.

Centered on the page is George Balkjy of Ace and

George’s Market. Now a third generation deli and mar-

ket on Madeline Ave., between Hazel and Main Ave.,

the store is a must-stop on any taste tour of our home-

town. Sandwiches and other lunch specials are store-

made so visitors are often greeted with the aroma of

fresh roast beef or turkey roasting in the oven.

There is one big rule when going to pick up lunch at

Ace and George’s: get there early. With a long line of

hungry working folks, lunch specials sell out quickly.

At the right of the cover, chef Julian Montano has

taken over the pizzeria and restaurant on the corner of

Main and Luddington in Downtown Clifton. He has

added a number of creative options and is worth a visit.

Another pizza favorite on the cover is Mike D’Angelo

of Bruno’s Pizzeria in the Clifton Plaza near the inter-

section of Route 46 and Van Houten Ave.

Food is sustenance Food is celebration Food is friendship


Although Mike is pictured with

one of Bruno’s round pies, it’s the

square ones for which they have

become a dining destination.

The two waitresses from Toros

on Hazel St. display the authentic

Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine

the restaurant has been serving

since 1972. Now with three loca-

tions in North Jersey—Clifton, the

original in South Paterson and the

latest in New Milford—the chefs at

Toros have been amazing foodies

from throughout the region.

Pictured on our cover and above

is Domenick Sportelli, co-owner

since 1961 of the Hot Grill. Over a

decade ago, folklorist from The

Library of Congress came to the

region to determine what puts the

Texas in the Hot Texas Wiener.

Researchers traced the origins of

the all-the-way Hot Texas Wiener

back to Paterson in the 1920’s.

And then the writers and photogra-

phers of the report, entitled

Working in Paterson Folklife

Project, ended up following their

story to Clifton and onto Lexington

Ave. They cited the Hot Grill as

the most authentic of the region’s

Hot Texas Wiener restaurants. So

stop in and order Two All The Way,Two!—add a salad or fries all the

way—and you’ll see for yourself.

And those waiters from the

Portuguese Tavern want you to turn

to page 10 to read our feature.

Finally, the second annual

“Taste of Clifton” to benefit the

Boys and Girls Club is on Sept. 29.

Three dozen food, wine, beer and

beverage vendors will sample their

wares—attend and you’ll see how

food is sustenance, celebration,

friendship and, yes, even love.

Waitresses at Toros Restaurant onHazel St. Store made roast beefand turkey are at the heart of thehuge sandwiches made by GeorgeBalkjy at his deli on Madeline Ave.Chef Julian Montano at the recent-ly opened Julian’s Restaurant andPizzeria on Main Ave. DomSportelli gives thumbs up and sug-gests Two All The Way, Two! at theHot Grill on Lexington Ave.


When Chengdu 46 first opened in 1983,patrons enjoyed not only unique food and

excellent service, they became part of an

evolving political and cultural exchange.

China was still a closed country in the

1980s, severly limiting emigration. Efforts to

bring Sichuan-trained chefs here required political astute-

ness and was facilitated by the late Sen. Frank

Lautenberg, who became a loyal patron of Chengdu.

The restaurant has remained a favorite spot for local

political leaders and where, on a recent afternoon, the

mayor of a neighboring town was seen enjoying lunch.

With a desire to bring the flavors and sophistication of

their native Sichuan cuisine to their new home in the

United States, the original owners opened Chengdu 46 as

the only restaurant in northern New Jersey dedicated to

both fine dining and a Chinese menu.

The name of the restaurant is derived from the name of

the capital of China’s Sichuan province, Chengdu, an area

known for spicy dishes uniquely presented.

The area is also the home of the lovable

panda. Almost all of the world’s pandas origi-

nally came from the Chengdu region, hence the

restaurant’s iconic panda logo.

Located on a non-descript stretch of Route

46, the low-key outer appearance of the restaurant belies

inner strength: excellent food and expert service.

Reviewed positively by Zagats, the New York Times and

numerous New Jersey newspapers, Chengdu 46 has won

awards from New Jersey Monthly 27 times as the best

Chinese restaurant in North Jersey.

Michael Del Greco, a business owner form a neigh-

boring town, has been coming to Chengdu 46 since 1983.

A resident of Woodland Park, Del Greco notes that there

are few excellent restaurants where he lives, so he

“comes down the hill to Clifton, where there are several,”

among them Chengdu 46, one of his favorites. The food

is superb, according to Del Greco, as good as the first

time he ate there 30 years ago.

By Irene Jarosewich

31 YearsChengdu 46

at



The consistency comes in large part from what is a

most remarkable feat in resturaunteering—three of the

four original chefs remain. Zeng Qi-Chang, the original

head chef, has retired, while D.Y. Liu, X.C. Yang and C.J.

Chang continue to prepare and train younger chefs.

Together they maintain the tradition of Sichuan authentic-

ity in taste and presentation. The elaborate presentation of

certain dishes is one of the outstanding and popular fea-

tures of Chengdu 46.

Clifton attorney Glenn Peterson and his wife Kathy

have been dining at Chengdu 46 for more than 23 years

and still consider it as one of their favorite places for a

meal. Peterson travels often with business into Manhattan

and has eaten at many well-known restaurants. He believes

that Chengdu 46 to be equal to or better than most of them.

“My wife and I love Peking Duck at Chengdu, one of

their most popular dishes. And I would never go into

Chinatown for authentic Sichuan, I would only go to

Chengdu.”

Not only is the food and presentation excellent said

Peterson, but the service is outstanding. “The staff are real-

ly nice, and Paul (Wong), who has been at the restaurant

for years, greets his customers by name. It’s a pleasure to

eat there.” Both Del Greco and Peterson made the same

point: many people who go to Chengdu 46 are surprised a

bit at the prices. Most have experience with Chinese food

as inexpensive carry-out or at a Chinese buffet.

But, says Peterson, “Chengdu is an entirely different

level. This is fine dining with exceptional attention to

detail, excellent food quality and presentation. It’s a differ-

ent dining experience, for which people are sometimes

unprepared.”

So if you have not yet been to Chengdu, get there. And

if you have not visited in a while, dine there again. As an

incentive, now through December, Chengdu 46 is offering

discounts on weekday lunch and Monday dinner. The pro-

motion is a way to reintroduce the restaurant at a great

price and an excellent opportunity to experience the dis-

tinctive meals served at this fine Clifton restaurant.

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By Irene Jarosewich

Among New York metro area foodies, Newark’sIronbound is famous for a wide variety of Spanish

and Portuguese restaurants, from small cafes to venues

that can host events for several hundred. Here in

Clifton, however, one can just stay in town and enjoy

excellent meals at the Portuguese Tavern on Crooks

Avenue near the Clifton/Paterson border.

With a bar and a dining room, the casual and com-

fortable restaurant provides opportunities for a quiet

meal or allows you to find your place among the

patrons at the rail cheering a sports victory on the

widescreen TV. The restaurant also offers a carry-out

menu, as well as space to host birthday parties, wed-

ding receptions – any and all of your celebrations.

At the Portuguese Tavern, the trademark for years

has been the generous portions. This has not changed.

On a recent visit, two of us had a rich seafood soup

and two appetizers: aromatic shrimps in garlic sauce

and a Portuguese specialty, tripe stew, a brothy, slow-

cooked stew with tripe, potatoes, beans and smoked

pork.

With a basket of delicious bread, a very generous

serving of shrimp and the rice that came with the tripe,

we were full.

We took home the entrée, again a generous portion,

a dish of delicate flounder filets – four – rolled and

stuffed with crabmeat served with crisply steamed

broccoli, carrots and boiled potatoes as a side.

“If patrons didn’t take food home with them, we’d

feel they didn’t like it,” said Sergio Fernando Gave,

one of the two owners.

BIGClassic

STILL

&

Serving up great food while dining at the Portugese Tavern, BrianSanchez and Carlos Rodriques make the experience complete.From a block away you can smell the take out barbeque chickenand ribs roasting on the wood charcoal grill experted handled byGustavo Ruez and Pablo Aguero.

Gave and his partner Serafim

Silva were both born in Portugal,

however they did not meet up until

they were in the United States. They

got together 30 years ago and first

opened Chateau of Spain in

Newark, which continues to serve

Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, and

then five years later, opened

Portuguese Tavern in Clifton.

Both Gave and Silva know how

to cook and early on did everything

to get the restaurants going from set-

ting tables to peeling potatoes to

seating guests. Nowadays two chefs

Pavlo Aguero and Tigre Gilberto

prepare the dishes lead the kitchen

staff and train new cooks at the

Portuguese Tavern.

Seafood or meat – an abundant

number of choices means that you

can come several dozen times and

always have a different dish.

The seafood selection is impres-

sive – cod (bacaloa), snapper, squid,

sea bass, flounder, lobster, shrimp,

mussels. Among the popular offer-

ings are the rice and shellfish

Portuguese dish mariscada, almost

like a thick soup, and the rice and

seafood paella.

Paella Marinera is a can’t-miss

selection. Moist rice is heavily laden

with lobster, scallops, shrimp,

clams, squid and mussels. Also

receiving raves is the Mariscada

Verde (green salsa) equally filled

with shellfish, and bathed in a

brandy and wine sauce with fresh

parsley, a touch of garlic.

Meat grilled over a wood charcoal

fire gives the barbeque a unique fla-

vor. The Portuguese Tavern had a

custom-built grill installed in order

to prepare the recipes properly. Try

their tasty and delicious chicken and

ribs cooked in a deep charcoal pit.

The barbeque, known as chur-

rasqueira, has a smoky flavor and is

sizzling hot, hotter than on a gas

grill. Sirloin, T-bone, shell, skirt –

all the steaks are delicious when pre-

pared over wood. The outside is

crispier and the inside more moist.

Take a break from your backyard

grill and try a steak over at the

Portuguese Tavern.

Gave and Silva understand that

kids may not appreciate monk fish

or trout, so there is a children’s

menu that includes such safe staples

as mozzarella sticks and chicken

fingers. And to add even more vari-

ety, the restaurant offers distinctly

different menus for lunch and din-

ner, not just smaller portions, as well

as daily specials.

The Portuguese Tavern is a com-

fortable eatery, with a friendly,

home-like atmosphere, large por-

tions and reasonable prices.

Whether coming with a friend to

catch up, or bringing the family for

dinner, you will be greeted and seat-

ed and served with a smile, fed tasty

food until you are full, and you will

still take some home.



There’s no denying that New Jersey is the undisputed diner cap-ital of the universe, and Clifton has done more than its fair share to

maintain that distinction. For seven decades, when it comes to din-

ing out, the city has enjoyed a love affair with the down-home cui-

sine and colorful atmosphere of All-American diners.

Clifton’s current stable of diners includes the Tick Tock, the

Allwood, the Lexington and the Egg Platter (on the Paterson side of

Crooks Avenue border).

The Clifton Manor Diner, 1016 Main Ave. (adjacent to down-

town Passaic) opened in May and is the newest installment in

Clifton’s grand diner tradition. The Downtown Clifton eatery, a

storefront diner with booths and tables (but no counter), specializes

Good Eats

Story & Photos by Michael C. Gabriele

NOTHING SAYS JERSEY...

Matchbook images by Passaic CityHistorian Mark Auerbach

like our

DINERS


in Mediterranean dishes, such as

grilled shawarma (seasoned beef or

chicken served on a pita), Tabouleh

salad, and a Manor Combo appetiz-

er that features hummus and baba

ghanoush dips with falafel and pita

bread.

For breakfast, there are six Eggs

Benedict platters, along with

omelets and French toast. And

owner Max Salih is offering great

prices to introduce the diner.

Over the years the city was flush

with a generous assortment of din-

ers now long gone but some name

readers may recall... the Perryman

Grill (Lexington Avenue), the

Aztec Diner (Westbound Route 3),

the Queen’s Diner (Van Houten Avenue), Scottie’s

Diner (Main Avenue), the Clifton Plaza Diner (Clifton

and Lakeview Avenues), the Claremont Diner

(Westbound Route 3, on the site of the Aztec), the

Melody Hill Diner (Westbound Route 46 near the inter-

section of Valley Road) and the “old” Allwood Diner

(Market Street and Bloomfield Avenue).

The Tick Tock, located on a slice of property that

stretches between Westbound Route 3 and Allwood

Road, is one of the most acclaimed diners in New

Jersey. During the last 60 years, the Tick Tock has come

to embody all that was, and is, in New Jersey’s mythic

diner saga.

However, many city residents may not know that the

origins of the Tick Tock are tied to another


renowned Clifton establishment: Rutt’s Hutt, the River

Road restaurant established in 1928, and home to the

world-famous, deep-fried, “Ripper” hot dog.

The groundwork for the Tick Tock began on April

30, 1948, when Harry Rutt and his wife, Helen, pur-

chased a parcel of land in Clifton that straddled Route

3 and Allwood Road. Rutt was the younger brother of

Royal (Abe) Rutt, the family of Rutt’s Hut fame.

The 1948 transaction presumably was a speculative

real estate investment. Considering his experience in

the restaurant business, Harry Rutt knew that direct

access to a steady flow of automobile traffic was a key

to financial success for any future eating establishment.

Swarms of cars certainly were on the horizon.

By the early 1940s plans had been finalized to build

Route 3, a state highway that would offer improved

access to the Lincoln Tunnel.

By September 1949, the final section of the highway,

the Nutley/Great Notch section that runs from

Cathedral Avenue to Valley Road, was completed.

Tax and building records from the City of Clifton’s

municipal assessor’s office show that the original Tick

Tock, a stainless steel Silk City diner car built by the

Paterson Vehicle Company, was installed on Harry

Rutt’s property in 1952. Clifton’s 1954 city directory,

published every two years, lists the Tick Tock as a busi-

ness at its current site. In 1956, a modular dining room

extension was added to the east side of the diner.

In the April 1977 the familiar silver Silk City car was

removed and a second Tick Tock, on the same site, was

born. The new Tick Tock, with seating for more than

200 customers, was built and installed by the Musi

Dining Car Company Inc., Carteret.

Pancakes, Patties and Pies…the History of the Silk City Diner Company of

Paterson... is an exhibit at Lambert Castle, home

of the Passaic County Historical Society, at 3

Valley Rd., at the Clifton/Paterson border, which

opens Aug. 6 and will be displayed through Oct. 6.

The exhibit will focus on the history of the old

Silk City Diner company, a prolific New Jersey

diner manufacturer that was a division of the

Paterson Vehicle Company. The Silk City busi-

ness ran from the mid-1920s to the mid-1960s.

Clifton resident Michael C. Gabriele (who

penned our diner feature article), is the author of

“The History of Diners in New Jersey,” and the

co-curator of the Lambert Castle exhibit. There

will be a reception on Sept. 21, and Gabriele will

give a talk on New Jersey diner history.

Lambert Castle visitors can see the exhibit

Wednesday-Sunday. Go to lambertcastle.org for

hours and admission, or call 973-247-0085.

The Passaic County Historical Society, a not-

for-profit 501(c) (3), was founded to cultivate

interest among individuals and the community-at-

large in the rich history of Passaic County.

Lambert Castle showcases examples of the

County’s cultural and artistic diversity, as well as

examples of natural, civil, military, and ecclesias-

tical history, and maintains a library and archive

that houses manuscripts, books and photographs

of historical and genealogical interest.

Good Eats

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It was a boxy structure with large windows and car-

riage lamps. The third and current chapter of the Tick

Tock unfolded on in April 1994, when construction

workers began disassembling the Musi structure to

make way for a new diner built by Kullman Industries

Inc. (The Musi structure was transported to Mays

Landing on Route 40, where it operates today as the

Mays Landing Diner.)

Manufactured in seven sections at its plant in

Avenel, Kullman delivered the new Tick Tock to the

Route 3 site during the spring of 1994. June 1, 1994,

was the grand opening. The diner—crowned with the

familiar Tick Tock neon rooftop sign and “Eat Heavy”

clock—glistened with architectural features of neon

lights, glass bricks and stainless steel, all of which radi-

ated a classic and contemporary charm.

As for its menu, the Tick Tock features daily specials

of seafood and beef, but the grand old standby—the

classic open hot turkey sandwich with vegetables and

potatoes—is hard to beat. The perfect way to start lunch

or supper at the Tick Tock is with the Matzo Ball soup.

Breakfast, especially two eggs with home fries and

corned beef hash, is a royal feast. The coffee is top

notch and many members of the wait staff are skilled in

the proper way to prepare an egg cream. For dessert,

simply peek into the display case to choose any of the

high-rise pies.

The “new” Allwood Diner, located at 913 Allwood

Road, this year is marking its fourth anniversary. (As

mentioned above, there was an “old” Allwood Diner—

no relation to the current diner—which operated in the

1960s and 1970s).

Brothers George and Gus Logothetis purchased the

old Jubilee Park Diner, which had been on the current

site, in April 2010. They ran it for several months, then

gutted the building and constructed the new diner,

which opened on Dec. 16, 2011.

During the last four years the establishment has been

embraced by the Clifton community and gets high

marks for its daily hot platters, salads, burgers, omelets

and French onion soup. The brothers Logothetis take

great pride in their coffee. Online, social media reviews

praise the diner for its friendly, courteous service and

bright atmosphere. The Allwood’s corned beef hash is

especially delicious and the rice pudding, a dessert sta-

ple, is rich, creamy and smooth.

One sunny Thursday morning in July at the

Allwood’s checkout counter, two women offered their

praise for the establishment and their meal, but lament-

ed to the cashier that “we don’t have any diners like this

in North Carolina.”

The venerable Egg Platter, located at 159 Crooks

Avenue in Paterson (on the Clifton line and pictured

above), originally was known as Geier’s City Line

Diner. It was built by the Master Diner Company of

Pequannock, which is best known for constructing the

Bendix Diner on Route 17 in Hasbrouck Heights.

Good Eats



The Egg Platter, like the

Bendix, was built in the late

1940s, and is an example of

classic, 20th century diner

construction, which has

remained unspoiled and

authentic over the decades.

And yes, the Egg Platter real-

ly does have 21 egg dishes.

The outstanding feature of

this establishment is the flat-

top grill, which sits behind

the counter and provides a

daily show for customers.

The Egg Platter grill is a

great source of pride for

owners Tommy Philis and Steve Kolovos.

Unfortunately, as many diners have been remodeled

over the years, most have chosen to eliminate grills

behind the counter, in open sight of customers, placing

them behind the kitchen wall.

In fact, diner remodeling often results in shorter

counters and fewer stools, in favor of more table and

booth space. This reduces the spontaneous, convivial

free-form dialogue that takes place between customers,

proprietors and wait staff, which is characteristic of the

diner spirit.

Established in 1938, the Lexington Diner and

Pancake House, 351 Lexington Ave. (adjacent to

School 17) has delicious coffee and a menu that’s sea-

soned with Latin American favorites such as fajita plat-

ters and huevos rancheros. The menu also includes

paninis, wraps and an assortment of burgers.

During the 20th century New Jersey was the nation-

al hub for diner manufacturing. The sublime, stainless

steel, Streamline Moderne diners of the 1930s, 1940s

and 1950s reflect classic American industrial design,

which is admired around the world. Today only a hand-

ful of classic diners survive.

Factory-built, modular, diner production in the

Garden State and elsewhere has all but completely dis-

appeared, and except for the prefabricated eateries

themselves, virtually no vestiges remain of this bygone

era. For the most part, diner manufacturing is a forgot-

ten chapter of New Jersey’s history. Diners are iconic

roadside attractions—beacons on the Garden State’s

highways and byways. They are also friendly, familiar

neighborhood haunts in towns and cities. Diners host

the ultimate American egalitarian dining experience.

There’s a stool and a booth for everyone. No reserva-

tions are required, and none are accepted.

A diner is the place where wayfarers from any

socioeconomic demographic can walk in and grab a

bite to eat, day or night.

There is a distinctive American charm when it comes

to the enjoyment of diners, an experience that’s unique

Good Eats

There are plenty of booths as well as outdoor dining seating at the Clifton ManorDiner in Downtown Clifton near the Passaic border. Below owner Max Salih.


from any other kind of eating establishment in the

United States. It’s been said that, when it comes to eat-

ing out in diners, food is only half the meal.

The other half is the enjoyment of a diner’s charac-

ter—the quirky hometown atmosphere; the signature

interior design elements (terrazzo floors, marble coun-

ters, Naugahyde booths and stools, neon lights, tile

walls, stainless steel trim); the eccentricities of owners

and waitresses; and the unscripted body language of

customers that stumble into the joint.

Diners have inspired paintings, books, music videos

and movies; kindled reunions and romances; and serve

as oases for hungry travelers. Depending on how you

count and define them—whether they’re venerable,

factory built, prefabricated eateries or modern retro

style, site-built establishments—the Garden State has

370 to 600 diners, more than anywhere else.

Pennsylvania diner historian Randy Garbin provided

insights to define a diner’s underlying essence. Garbin

said it starts with the establishment’s cozy and intimate

interior physical dimensions.

Random seating at the counter, where customers are

“entertained” by the cooking activity at the grill, pre-

cipitates neighborly small talk.

Then there’s the repose of booths, where visitors can

sit back and maintain a more secluded perch.

It’s this unrehearsed mingle of diverse patrons that

creates the magic inside a diner. A strange, spontaneous

human chemistry percolates from this random gather-

ing of non-kindred spirits. “There’s always an open

invitation to join the theater,” Garbin said. “Diners are

a haven for humanity. At the best diners, there’s never

a dull moment. The interaction of people is appealing,

and on top of everything you’re enjoying good food. A

meal at a diner can be 45 minutes of your life that

you’ll never forget.”

The New York Times once observed that “there is no

state with a more wondrous variety of diners than New

Jersey. New Jersey is a roadside archeologist’s wonder-

land—gleaming with chrome-banded beaneries. People

crave what diners promise and the best of them pro-

vide: big portions, good value and an honest menu. At

their best, diners are restaurants we can trust.”

(Note: In addition to recent research, partaking in

meals at the above-mentioned Clifton establishments,

information in this article comes from Gabriele’s book,

The History of Diners in New Jersey, published by The

History Press.)


Over 30 years ago when I was a rookie Clifton week-ly newspaper editor, the Clifton Main Diner at the inter-

section of Main and Clifton Avenues was where the guys

would meet Monday to Friday, at 10:15 am.

The long gone diner, which went up in flames along

with most of the entire corner almost a decade ago, was

the place for casual coffee and conversation. There was

one rule for this group—that the last soul to enter was

the guy who would pay for all the coffees. This was back

in the day, so this was an all mens coffee clutch. Guys

would work an hour or two at the office and then by 10

am walk up Main Ave. Around a big round table, they’d

talk, joke, smoke, make deals. Back to the office for an

hour, they’d be out again for lunch and more business.

The Main Clifton was the center of the community

and full of life because city hall was around the corner

on Harding and Main then. Lawyers, doctors and pro-

fessionals had offices in what was then called Main

Mall, above the retail stores like Epstein’s, the Clifton

Camera Shop or Industrial Stationary Store.

Most of those who attended are now gone but it was

a roll call of Clifton’s finest including Harry Peterson,

Harry Fengya, Merv Montgomery, Mike Koribanics,

John Koribanics, Don Hetchka (still with us), Henry F.

Marrocco Jr. and a changing cast of journalists, politi-

cians, developers and those who enjoyed the banter.

Real estate and insurance agent Ray Luchko seemed to

be the prime organizer of the bunch. A self made Passaic

kid who found the good life in his adopted hometown of

Clifton, Luchko had his office on the corner of Getty and

Clifton Aves. Ray had one arm but could pull a cigarette

from a pack and light the match like a magician or handle

an axe or a rifle up at his PA farm like a cowboy.

Joints like the Main Clifton were cozy, where waitress-

es were quick with a refill or to take an order for a guy on

the run. Then there was the crew, the guys who made it in

Clifton or those of us that were coming up, learning the

ropes. It was exciting to be at the center of it all, listening

and getting schooled on how business is really done—over

morning coffee in a downtown diner.

From left, Clifton real estate man Ray Luchko withhis dear friends Passaic County Judges Nick Mandakand Pete Ciolino. Luchko, who had one arm and agentle swagger, was the prime organizer of thosemorning coffee get togethers at the Main Clifton.

The Main Clifton DinerIn the 70’s & 80’s, this was the place to meet

By Tom Hawrylko


In 2001, Dr. Neville Mirza (at left) was the firstneurosurgeon in the area to perform a minimal-ly invasive cervical and Lumbar EndoscopicDiscetomy. Since then, he has performed over1,500 of those procedures—right here onMain Avenue. Along with Pain ManagementSpecialist Dr. Shams Qureshi, their team ofhighly trained physicians and healthcare spe-cialists at Mega Medical have dedicatedthemselves to the diagnosis and minimallyinvasive treatment of the entire spectrum ofneurological and pain disorders.

1084 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton

973-470-8848321 60th St., West New York, NJ

201-295-5003

The human body isn’t designed to absorb the jarring impactof a car accident, even a low-speed collision. Minor back

injury can have a significant impact on your daily life. But

Drs. Mirza and Qureshi and their team of physicians at

the Mega Medical Group on Main Ave. can help

“The spine is a complicated system which myself and

my associates have studied and repaired for decades,”

explained Dr. Qureshi. “When we see a person after an

automobile accident, we are focused on accurately

diagnosing the sources of pain and restoring the health

and function of the person.

“When we first meet with a

patient after an accident,” he

said, explaining how the Mega

Medical Group approaches pain

relief, “we consider every aspect

of the person’s spine, from the

lower part of the skull to the

remanent of the so called tail

bone. Then we consider their

overall health before we plot a

course of action. It is a team

approach with our physicians

and staff along with the patient

and his or her family.”

After a car accident, back

injuries can be diagnosed — and

their severity determined —

through the use of x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, myelograms,

and bone scans.

Once a diagnosis is made, treatment varies according

to the type and severity of the injury sustained. Many

back injuries require only short-term, temporary treat-

ment, such as pain medication, injections for inflamma-

tion, physical therapy and chiropractic care.

Serious back injuries may require the use of surgical

procedures to address the problem. However, in one of

the more popular pain-relieving procedures performed by

Drs. Mirza and Qureshi—the Lumbar EndoscopicDiscectomy—the only incision made

is covered by a small bandage and

the patient can be home in four

hours.

They are supported by a staff of

10 specialized healthcare providers

trained to treat and care for patients

who have undergone surgeries relat-

ed to pain management, spine,

orthopedic and sports medicine.

They will schedule your procedure

so there is no waiting and no driv-

ing... a member of their team will

pick you up from your home and

bring you to and from the state of the

art surgery center in Downtown

Clifton.

Car Accidents, Back Injuries & Pain Relief

August 2014 • Clifton Merchant22

Agamie Brothers Deli and Catering62 Market St. • 973-779-3643

Al Cavaliere Ristorante247 Piaget Ave. • 973-928-3766

Alexus Steakhouse and Tavern955 Valley Road • 973-746-6600

Allwood Diner913 Allwood Road • 973-365-2575

Ameti’s Pizzeria1162 Broad St. • 973-272-6080

Aji Limon1239 Main Ave. • 973-272-3660

Angelo’s Pizzeria & Restaurant72 Market St. • 973-777-5599

Anthony’s Coal Fired PizzaPromenade Shops • 973-471-2625

Back in Feb. 2007, our Downtown Clifton cover fea-tured from rear left Elizabeth Sainz, an employee of

the Famous MidTown Grill. Next to her is Suzanne

Bailey of White Castle and Mike Duch, owner of

Homemade Pirogi. Front, from left: Jimmy Doris,

co-owner of the MidTown and the late Jimmy

Pappas, owner of San Remo Pizzeria.

Stretching Across ClionFrom Fine to Casual Dining Options

Clifton is home to many cultures and that is

reflected in the diverse restaurants and food mar-

kets around town. We tried to list as many as we

could, establishments that run the alphabet from

A to Z, from most every neighborhood in our

town.

And we didn’t forget dessert. Following the

list of restaurants is more names and addresses to

Clifton’s array of sweets and treats. Enjoy!

For those who will notice their favorite estab-

lishment is not listed or is published with an

error, we apologize. Would you kindly write us

a note with the corrected info? And please be

sure to include your name and phone.

Mail to [email protected]. Thanks!

23Clifton Merchant • August 2014


Applebee’s375 New Jersey 3 • 973-471-6161

Bagel Station1223 Van Houten Ave. • 973-249-7999

Barilari’s Restaurant & Pizzeria755 Van Houten Ave. • 973-928-4500

Beirut Restaurant1543 Main Ave. • 973-955-2311

Bogey’s Sports Pub103 Valley Road • 973-523-4653

Boston Market1342 Clifton Ave. • 973-778-7879

Bruno’s PizzeriaClifton Plaza, Rt. 46 • 973-473-3339

Botany Village Pizza266 Parker Ave. • 973-546-4163

Buco Ristorante953 Allwood Rd. • 973-779-3500

Castle of Gourmet Nuts1291 Main Ave. • 973-340-8888

Chengdu 461105 Route 46 • 973-777-8855

Chevy’s Fresh Mex365 Route 3 • 973-777-6277

Christian’s Steak & Grill24 Outwater Ln. • 973-772-3313

Restaurant Directory

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ask for Mark or Brian

Mike D’Angelo of Bruno’s Pizza.

Angelo Curcio, chef at Bogey’s Sports Pub.




China Inn Restaurant261 Clifton Ave. • 973-772-5552

Chipotle Mexican Grill380 Route 3 • 973-916-0040

Clif Tavern605 Clifton Ave. • 973-365-2060

Clifton Buffet79 Ackerman Ave. • 973-772-8438

Clifton Thai Restaurant239 Parker Ave. • 973-253-1400

Con Sabor A Peru109 Lakeview Ave • 973-340-0008

The Counter374 Route 3 W • 973-594-8700

Dalto Ristorante Italiano14 Market St. • 973-778-4533

D’Columbia Latin Cafe & Restaurant1055 Main Ave. • 973-779-4947

Defeo’s Market Street Grill64 Market St. • 973-767-2449

Dingo’s Den615 Van Houten Ave. • 973-471-7767

Dillinger’s Pub349 Hazel St. • 973-246-3066

Djordan Burek223 Parker Ave. • 973-513-9050

El Dorado Restaurant and Lounge255 Parker Ave. 973-246-1856

El Fogon Restaurant1025 Main Ave. • 973-272-2675

El Mexicano Restaurant and Lounge1293 Main Ave. • 973-546-2348

El Pincon Familar Restaurant213 Parker Ave. 973-772-0886

Emerald Corner12 Oak St. • 973-773-2000

Dom Sportelli in forefrontwith his brother Nino at

Hot Grill on Lexington Ave.



Empanada Spanish Grill8 Market St. • 973-772-8202

Euro Cafe211 Dayton Ave. • 973-478-0508

European Grill & BBQ Restaurant224 Parker Ave. • 973-928-1680

George’s Coffee Shop227 Parker Ave. • 973-546-0920

Giovanni’s Grill and Pizzeria570 Clifton Ave. • 973-470-0500

Grande Saloon940 Van Houten Ave. • 973-472-5207

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria1296 Van Houten Ave. • 973-777-0061

Golden Palace473 Piaget Ave. • 973-478-2899

Happy Garden1154 Main Ave. • 973-614-0601

At A&P Printing, you can be sure your job will be delivered on

time and on budget. We can help you create a product you will

be proud of—and at an affordable price. When you are ready

to talk about your next printing project, call me and I will be

happy to show you how we can save you time and money.


Rudy Ploch at Ploch’s Farm on Grove Street.




The Hearth Charcoal Restaurant 1116 Hwy 46 • 973-473-6444

Homemade Pirogi1295 Main Ave. • 973-340-0340

Hot Bagels Abroad859 Clifton Ave. • 973-591-0661

Hot Grill669 Lexington Ave. • 973-772-6000

IHOP680 Route 3 • 973-471-7717

Istanbul Cafe Restaurant1378A Main Ave. • 862-238-8888

It’s Greek To Me852 Route 3 • 973-594-1777

Jaimito’s Chinese Restaurant389 Lexington Ave. • 973-546-2549

Jamie’s Cigar Bar and Restaurant915 Bloomfield Ave. • 973-779-8596

Joe’s Crab Shack405 Allwood Road • 973-777-5114

Joiyl’s Deli and Café1070 Main Ave. • 973-470-0087

Julian’s Pizza1281 Main Ave. • 973-340-3900

Daniel Garces of Julian’s Pizza on Main Ave.



Kamil’s Restaurant1489 Main Ave. • 973-772-1972

Karpaty Deli457 Clifton Ave. • 973-546-4659

La Piazza Pizzeria Ristorante150 7th St. • 973-478-3050

La Riviera Gastronomia429 Piaget Ave. • 973-772-9099

La Riviera Trattoria421 Piaget Ave. • 973-478-4181

Leandro’s Pizzeria754 Clifton Ave. • 973-928-6020

Mario’s Restaurant710 Van Houten Ave. • 973-777-1559

Master Pizza Deli & Caterer1326 Main Ave. • 973-772-4333

Matthew’s Italian Restaurant1131 Bloomfield Ave. • 973-928-4300

Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque850 Route 3 • 973-777-8340

Modena Fine Foods and Wine158 River Rd. • 973-470-8499

Moe’s Southwest Grill852 Route 3 • 973-773-1700

Mountainside Inn509 Hazel St. • 973-772-1333

Muscle Maker Grill1043 Bloomfield Ave. • 862-899-7111

Neil’s Pizzeria & Restaurant57 Harding Ave. • 973-546-8889

New Corral499 Hazel St. • 973-772-0941

New Great Wall603 Van Houten Ave. • 973-777-8688

New Taste of China655 Van Houten Ave. • 973-777-3380

Noches de Columbia25 Lake Ave. • 973-928-4553

Osaka Sushi116 Market St. • 973-815-0801

Panera Bread352 Route 3 • 973-778-1436

Park Pide Lahmacun247 Crooks Ave. • 973-928-4202

Tom Buckley of Muscle Maker Grill in Styretowne. Taking priestly orders at Marios, on Van Houten Ave.




Perico’s Bar and Grill709 Van Houten Ave. • 973-928-2240

Plaza Bagel & Deli850 Van Houten Ave. • 973-777-2094

Portuguese Tavern507 Crooks Ave. • 973-772-9703

Pub 461081 Route 46 • 973-473-8184

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers265 Route 3 • 973-470-9222

Riverside Bar & Grill2 South Parkway • 973-859-0777

Rutt’s Hut417 River Road • 973-779-8615

Sabor y Sazon1159 Main Ave. • 973-272-3279

San Remo Pizzeria1102 Main Ave. • 973-779-5885

Sergio’s Bistro327 Lakeview Ave. • 973-772-1655

Scotto’s Pizza58 Main Ave. • 973-667-5697

Shake N Grill 600 Getty Ave. • 973-340-1100

Shannon Rose Pub98 Kingsland Road • 973-284-0200

Sharkey’s Wings & Raw Bar545 Highland Ave. • 973-473-0713

Shots Sports Lounge1168 Broad St. • 973-928-3610

Smashburger700 Rt. 3 West • 973-777-3600

Spuntino Wine Bar and Italian Tapas70 Kingsland Road • 973-661-2435

Stew Leonard’s Wines of Clifton345 Allwood Road • 973-859-7700

Subway1043 Bloomfield Ave. • 973-685-99924 Village Square. East • 973-478-1656261 Clifton Ave. • 973-478-4400

Sunny Buffet166 Main Ave. • 973-471-8018

Taste of Tuscany1051 Bloomfield Ave. • 973-916-0700


At El Mexicano in Downtown Clifton. Brothers Marc Mauriber at left with Ryan and crew at Bagel Station on Van Houten Ave.



TGI Fridays826 Route 3 • 973-778-1828The Famous Midtown Grill1218 Main Ave. • 973-546-0121

The Season’s Fine Chinese Cuisine1061 Bloomfield Ave. • 973-777-8073

Tick Tock Diner281 Allwood Road • 973-777-0511

Toros Restaurant489 Hazel St. • 973-772-8032

Troops Subs

1212 Van Houten Ave. • 973-365-1544

Uno Chicago Grill426 Route 3 • 973-574-1303Villa Roma Pizzeria849 Clifton Ave. • 973-472-4833

Villa Pizzeria290 Lakeview Ave. • 973-546-5707

White Castle1341 Main Ave. • 973-772-0335Wize Guys Brick Oven Pizzeria353 Crooks Ave. • 973-772-3535

Yesterday’s Bar and Grill


George Balkjy with son George Jr. and Ray Guardiano at Ace & George’s Market and pizza chef at Taste of Tuscany.

Chef Vincenzo Calabretta of Gastronomia La Riviera, Karpaty Deli’s Maria Szumniak on Third Ave. presents a tray ofkielbasa, smoked ham and kabanosa. At the fish counter in Corrado’s Market, a worker with the catch of the day.



Arnold Bakery Thrift Store106 Market St. • 973-778-1074

Baskin Robbins1053 Bloomfield Ave.973-473-9631

Beyti Sweet Shop & Bakery60 Madison Ave. • 973-458-0067

Carvel750 Van Houten Ave. • 973-773-4737

Cold Rush1376 Clifton Ave. • 973-928-6600

Corrado’s Bakery1578 Main Ave. • 973-340-0628

Costco Bakery20 Bridewell Pl. • 973-779-8715

Cupcake CaféPromenade Shops • 973-594-1711

Cups Frozen YogurtPromenade Shops • 973-272-1990

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Leana Lantigua, Jennifer Estelle, and Christina Yoscio dis-play their edible art at Mr. Cupcakes on Van Houten Ave.


Dayton Homemade ChocolatesStyertowne Shopping Center • 973-574-0444

Dunkin Donuts817 Clifton Ave. • 973-365-0158531 Van Houten Ave. • 973-365-01581372 Clifton Ave. • 973-773-21301209 Main Ave. • 973-340-82451578 Main Ave. • 973-546-97191053 Bloomfield Ave. • 973-473-9631

Lakeview Bakery308 Lakeview Ave. • 973-772-3837

Mr. Cupcakes1216 Van Houten Ave. • 973-859-0180

Natural Homemade Ice Cream243 Parker Ave. • 973-772-5040

Scoops & Wize Guys Pizza353 Crooks Ave. • 973-772-3332

Starbucks 360 Route 3 • 973-473-2560160 Kingsland Rd. • 973-779-6697

Styertowne Bakery1039 Bloomfield Ave • 973-777-6193

Sweet Lane Cupcakes116 Market St. • 973-894-3689


Sam Bittar owner ofCastle of Gourmet Nutsin Downtown Clifton.

Frank Corradino Jr. ofShake n’ Grill on Getty Ave.in Corrado’s Plaza nearPlanet Fitness.


Hornitos Colombian Bakery1092 Main Ave. • 973-272-8899

Last year’s Taste of Clifton wassuch a great success that as soon

as the event was over, the date was

locked in for 2014.

This year, the second of what

everyone hopes will become an

annual event for years to come, the

Taste of Clifton will be held on

September 29. With almost no pub-

licity other than word of mouth, more

than 150 tickets have been sold

already for the event that will raise

funds to support the Boys and Girls

Club of Clifton.

“The most our auditorium can

hold is 400, so I encourage everyone

to order tickets through our website,

or email us or call me. Tickets are

only $35, $30 for groups of ten or

more. We fully expect to be sold

out,” said John DeGraaf, Resource

Development Director for the

BGCC. When approached to be a

vendor in support of the Taste of

Clifton, Mash Sopariwala immedi-

ately replied, Please count me in!

A longtime resident of

Clifton, he is a big supporter of

the Boys and Girls Club where his

daughters have participated in

events and programs for many years.

Sopariwala will open Mausam

Express Indian Curry ‘n Bites a new

restaurant on Market Street on

September 1, and sees the Taste of

Clifton as both a great opportunity to

introduce the community to Mausam,

as well as to support the BGCC.

“I know the town very well and

there has been no Indian restaurant

here. At Mausam, we will be serving

not only a growing Indian communi-

ty in the area, but the many non-

Indians who love Indian food.”

Those attending will sample

Mausam’s curries and the restaurant’s

signature dish, invented for the

restaurant, that will be first presented

at Mausam’s opening.

Matthew Tyahla of Matthew’s ItalianRestaurant who will provide samplesat the Taste of Clifton on Sept. 29.


By Irene Jarosewich

With Great Pride, We Recognize the Clifton Office’s Highest Achievers.

May 2014 Award Winners

June 2014 Award Winners

Alma BillingsTop Sales

Linda CuellarWeichert Pride

Alma BillingsTop Producer

Lesia WirstiukAgent of the Month

Lesia WirstiukTop Lister

Hilda FerroTop Sales

Ken HauserWeichert Pride

Hilda FerroTop Producer

Meghan RussoAgent of the Month

Carlito ChiTop Lister

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DeGraaf notes that the Boys and Girls Club of Clifton,

part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, is a large

operation, serving more than 10,000 children annually,

about 1,000 children each day in the after school pro-

gram. Each summer the BGCC offers Camp Clifton, as

well as year round full day kindercare for ages 2.5 to 5

years and a full teen program.

The BGCC employs 24 full-time staff and more than

135 part-time staff and many volunteers.

Within this large operation, proceeds from the Taste of

Clifton go towards support for the programs and keeping

fees affordable.

Four main sponsors, Cuellar

Shoprite, Fairway Market, Investors

Bank and Wine Country are helping

offset the costs of the event this year,

and already more than 30 vendors have

agreed to offer their food and bever-

ages for tasting. Lisa Delanty of the

Santa Fe Salon is the raffle sponsor.

“The Taste of Clifton is not only an

opportunity for the restaurants in

Clifton to promote their excellent food,

but it’s also an opportunity for the

Boys and Girls Club to let the commu-

nity know about our organization,”

said Keith Oakley, chairman of the

board. “Besides sampling delicious

food, as an added bonus, people of

Clifton can meet one another and

remind ourselves once again that this is

a really great town with really wonder-

ful people.”

Last year’s event was so popular,

that people barely sat down, said

DeGraaf. “The event truly is a sam-

pling and people went from vendor to

vendor, trying out the dishes. Then

they would see someone they knew

and just stopped to talk. It was good

fun. This year we will also have a few

vendors providing wine tastings and

Fairway Market will set up a table for

the sampling of craft beers.”

At the first Taste of Clifton, Brian Tangora of the NorthJersey Chamber of Commerce with Guillermo Garcia,GM of the Cuellar ShopRite on Paulison Ave., one ofthe main sponsors of the Taste of Clifton.



The Buco family have been serv-

ing delicious Italian food to Clifton

residents for almost five decades,

first for 30 years at Martha’s

Vineyard, their restaurant on Route

3, and since 1998 at Buco Ristorante

on Allwood Road.

Consistently rated as a top restau-

rant, the kind that people return to

even after they leave Clifton, Buco

will be offering samples from their

menu at the Boys and Girls Club

event.

“Frank Buco, Jr. and one of our

managers Jeniffer participated last

year,” said Buco host Linda

Baldino, “and it was a great success.

Not only is this event a way to sup-

port and give back to the communi-

ty, it allows us to directly connect

with many of our loyal customers in

a new way.”

Buco Ristorante has earned the

reputation as a top area restaurant

not only for the quality of their food,

but for the overall consistency of the

dining experience - the service, the

decor, the wine selection. Whether a

meal for two or a birthday celebra-

tion for dozens, Buco will please.

Also returning for their second

year will be Toros Restaurant, which

has been serving authentic Turkish

food to rave reviews.

Named after the Toros mountain

range in Turkey, the restaurant,

nightclub and bar has remained a

popular spot, offering unique veg-

etable preparations and lamb dishes,

including the always popular

kebabs, and a variety of seafood.

A favorite technique in Turkish

cuisine is filling one food with oth-

ers and Toros offers eggplant stuffed

with a melange of sauteed vegeta-

bles, stuffed mussels, stuffed grape

leaves, stuffed cabbage among their

many dishes. Some will be available

for sampling on September 29.

Matthew Tyahla loves coming to

work everyday. The young owner of

Matthew’s Italian Restaurant (he

just turned 30) will be returning this

year to the Boys and Girls Club

event.

“This event represents the best of

Clifton. As big as this town is, the

Taste of Clifton brings people

together. It says ‘Clifton is your

friend.’ Events such as this is why I

love this town, why I chose to open

my business here.”

Tyahla, who opened his restau-

rant four years ago, will offer a

favorite pasta dish for sampling,

fresh pasta with pancetta and crispy

eggplant.

Obviously owning a restaurant is

a business, said Tyahla, one at which

you must make money. Yet there are

lots of ways to make money.

“What I love the most about

owning a restaurant is the fact that

this is always an opportunity to

make people happy. When my cus-

tomers are happy and satisfied, then

so am I.”


1301

Brothers Don and Rich Knapp

We now doGutter Cleaning• Roofing • Siding • Gutters & Leaders • Windows

We are the sons of the founder of

R.F. Knapp Construction, a family

owned business founded in Clifton

nearly 50 years ago. We are a preferred

contractor of Alcoa Mastic Siding and a

GAF Factory Certified Installer of GAF

Products Cert. # CE19509.

We specialize in roofing, siding, gutters,

leaders and windows. Give us a call and

we will gladly set-up an appointment to

discuss your job needs and go over a

complete written estimate.

NJ License 13VH00726700

Tickets for Taste of Clifton can be

ordered by contacting John DeGraaf

at 973-773-2697 ext. 111 or visiting

www.bgcclifton.org and emailing

your request through “Contact Us”.

Individual tickets can be ordered, or

tables of ten reserved.



A stroll down Market Street any sunny afternoon quicklyleads to the realization that not too many people stroll down

Market Street anymore. Once the main commercial strip of the

Allwood neighborhood, the street now has a quiet, almost too

quiet, feel.

For Abel Alicea, owner of Empanada Spanish Grill at 8

Market, the short street between Allwood Rd. and Bloomfield

Ave. reminds him of the children’s movie “Cars” that he watch-

es with his young son, Jason.

“The main character, Lightning McQueen finds himself in a

sleepy town on old Route 66,” he said, “once a busy highway.

But it has become forgotten because of the new interstate near-

by.”

“For us, that interstate is Route 3,” he adds with a chuckle.

While Alicea approaches the problem with a sense of humor,

increased competition a few blocks away from the new stores

and eateries along Route 3, an aging local population that results

in less foot traffic, and an economy still in a slump, all mean that

the merchants on Market Street face many challenges. Each is

responding differently.

Some have left. The Allwood Ice Cream Shop, which depend-

ed heavily on walk-ins, closed, as did Grandpa’s Gourmet Glatt

Kosher Deli, Hammer and Thread Apparel Studio and after 18

years, Peluso’s Italian Specialties.

Others are relocating, such as two venerable Clifton family-

owned businesses, Dayton Chocolates, now in Styertowne

Center next to Dunkin’ Donuts, and Allwood Optical Boutique,

which will be at 777 Passaic Ave., at the intersection of Allwood

Rd. after June 1.

Others, however, are staying. Empanada Spanish Grill just

celebrated a fourth anniversary and owner Alicea signed a lease

for an additional four.

Entirely new businesses are coming in. Atlas Chiropractor

and Rehabilitation at 100 Market Street held a grand opening on

May 3 and DeFeo’s Market Street Grill held theirs on May 12.

And still other businesses have new owners or new management.

MARKETMARKET STSTMerchants of

Story by Irene Jarosewich • Photos by Nicole Sciarra

Empanada and Spanish Grill owner

Atlas Chiropractic

DeFeo’s Market Street Grill


Old Business, New Life Allwood Liquors at 60 Market Street held a grand re-

opening in April. Closed for a year, Raj Patel, the new

owner, brought the vacant store back to life. Patel has

bought, managed, sold numerous small businesses dur-

ing the past 20 years throughout New Jersey, and “all

have been successful,” he said, “many I have kept, oth-

ers I sold after I turned them around.” He is convinced

Allwood Liquors can be a profitable small business.

“Our market niche,” he said will be a large selection

of brand name wines at a discount. Same prices or bet-

ter than big box stores. We will be a convenient choice.”

Patel believes that people will eventually tire of try-

ing to get in and out of the jammed strip malls, or cruis-

ing for a parking space to buy a couple bottles of wine

on a Friday night. “It’s a mob scene in those parking lots

on Route 3. With us,” he adds, “you can be in and out in

few minutes with great wine for a great price.”

Patel is pleased that former customers came to the re-

opening to welcome him and have been coming back

since. “They appreciate that we are a nice, clean, neat

store, well-organized. We make it easy for them.”

Patel understands that he cannot rely on foot traffic

only, and will need to invest in promotion. In fact, he

thinks the entire area needs promotion. “For some rea-

son, new people do not know about the block, others

have forgotten,” he said, “but it’s very nice area. I drove

around here a lot at different times before I bought. It

has a good feel.”

He thinks a Market Street Merchants Association

would help. “This area needs more visibility. Pick up a

bottle of wine, then a pizza or Chinese on your way

home for dinner. Or lunch at a deli and a $5 matinee in

the afternoon at the movies That’s a great date for a cou-

ple, young or old.”

Agamie Deli & Allwood Liquors


The Chinese food Patel mentioned would be from New China

Wok, a small, basic, but well-reviewed restaurant at 90 Market,

and the pizza would be from Angelo’s Italian Restaurant and

Pizzeria at 72 Market.

Those Who Are StayingAngelo Gencarelli started his restaurant eight years ago, sold

it, then bought it back. He has a solid reputation for excellent

pizza and fresh salads not often found in a pizzeria, such as a real

Caesar’s salad and a tart and sweet arugula. Although pizza is

the most popular item, Angelo’s offers a full menu of Italian

favorites, and all ingredients used in the dishes are top quality.

“I’m doing good,” he said, “I can’t complain. But I also can’t

slack. The economy still isn’t what it should be. That shows.”

He has noticed the drop in walk-ins, but is planning to revamp

his catering menu to compensate. “With our delivery service,

and new catering menu, I think we’ll see a definite increase in

business.”

For Alicea, his family-run restaurant Empanada Spanish Grill

is an example of the change underway on Market Street.

Although he gets walk-ins, he understand that now the new busi-

nesses on the street are more oriented towards those who come

specifically for the service or product, often based on referrals

and reputation.

People travel from near and far for his baked empanadas, a

lower-calorie, flaky dough alternative to the deep-fried tradition-

al empanadas. After his wife Madeleine gave birth to their

daughter Gabriella 14 years ago, “her system changed,” he said,

“she could not tolerate fried foods. But we loved empanada. So

I began to experiment.”

When he lost his job due to downsizing, the family, which

also includes oldest son Seth, 17, took his recipes and turned

them into a business. The customer favorite is the “cheeseburg-

er” empanada. A close second is “the Wife – because it’s wife-

approved,” laughs Alicea, filled with lean chicken, shredded

cheese, tomato, onion, cilantro. Healthy.

Alicea, who has lived in Clifton for 17 years and walks to

work from the family’s home in Allwood, attributes his success

to old-fashioned values. “Basically, we’re a mom-and-pop oper-

ation, we offer fresh, homemade food for a really good price and

we know and appreciate our customers.”

Pragnesh Shah, owner of Aquanet Computer is now into his

fourth year at 114 Market. He likes the location, very close to the

main intersection with Allwood Rd., which makes finding his

storefront easy for his clients, mostly small and mid-sized busi-

nesses seeking computer repairs and maintenance.

Angelo’s Pizza

Infatuation Hair Salon

Aquanet


“Don’t get me wrong, I also

have local clients, walk-ins, with

tablets and smartphone problems

or home computer issues. My goal

is that I am here to solve your

problems with electronic devices,

business or personal.”

Shah, who is Apple Certified

and MS Certified, not only per-

forms routine installation, mainte-

nance, and repairs for clients, his

business works hard to protect or

resolve computer security issues,

the most notorious of which right

now is the Ransom virus.

“The Ransom virus is the

newest malware that gets into your

system and threatens to destroy

your files unless money is sent to a specific account

within a specified amount of time,” said Shah, “One

recent incident was traced to a network of 41 hackers in

Russia. One million dollars was sent to them.” Small

and mid-sized businesses are most vulnerable.

The Sweet Things in LifeGreat customer service is one of the reasons that

Allwood Bakery at 70 Market has a repeat and loyal

clientele, especially for their custom cakes. Young Carly

and her mother ordered a chocolate mousse and butter-

cream frosting “Cross Cake” decorated with flowers to

celebrate Carly’s First Communion on April 27.

Carly’s mother has lived in Clifton her entire life and

coming to Allwood Bakery was a family tradition. The

full name of the bakery is Brother’s Quality Bakery of

Allwood, part of a two-bakery family business owned

by the Gencarelli family with their original location,

Brother’s Quality Bakery, in Kearny.

Joseph Putz has not only been the baker at Allwood

for 40 years but he also owned the landmark for many

decades. He is still there in the kitchen creating tradi-

tional favorites such as pound cake, sponge cake, Italian

wheat pies, Easter breads macaroons for Passover, and

dozens of cookie varieties, including the delicate flakies

–tender dough twists with raspberry, apricot, or prune

filling topped with crystalized sugar made from an old

German recipe. On my tour of Market Street, I had the

chance to meet and talk to Putz. After we met, I bought

a dozen flakies, planning to share them with my hus-

band. I had one. And then another and my husband

never even saw one. Yes they are that good.

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The smell of fresh bread fills the bakery

and when I was there, on old-time favorite

– salt and caraway seed sticks had just come

out of the oven. Yum.

Up the block, when you first walk in to

Sweet Lane Cupcakes of Clifton at 116

Market, the warm-baked aromas are so deli-

cious that you just want to take home the

entire store. Sima Elali and her husband

Joseph opened the gourmet cupcake shop

18 months ago that offers 34 varieties of

cupcakes, as well as cupcake minis, cake

pops, and creatively decorated custom

designed cakes for all occasions.

Photos of Sima’s cake designs can be

found on their business Facebook page. The

gourmet cupcakes come with great names

like Molten Lava (chocolate with chocolate

fudge inside) and great tastes, such as

Tiramisu, a luscious coffee sponge cupcake infused with

coffee syrup topped with mascarpone cheese frosting

with a dusting of cocoa powder. I had the Dulce de

Leche cupcake with caramel drizzle. Scrumptious.

Sima had a passion for baking and turned it into her

business. She took courses for with a professional pas-

try chef in Manhattan and all baking is done daily on the

premises. Joseph had hoped for more walk-ins when

they chose the location, but since opening, they have

developed a regional clientele that come in from nearby

Montclair, Nutley and Bloomfield or to whom they also

deliver. The minis and cake pops are a great solution for

kid’s parties, when regular cupcakes or cake slices can

be too big.

New Owner, New ManagementThe new owner of Bottleneck Liquors, Jyotsna Patel

(no relation to Raj Patel), has been visiting friends on

Grove St. for more than ten years. Although she lives in

North Bergen, she came to Clifton often and when the

opportunity arose in early 2014 to purchase Bottleneck

Liquors at 120 Market Street from an acquaintanc-




es, she took the chance. She opened in March, and is

happy with her decision.

“It’s a great neighborhood; I get both customers from

the neighborhood, as well as those who are driving by on

Allwood Rd.” And with three Cash Five prizewinners

and one Mega Lottery winner for $250,000, Bottleneck

is a Lucky Lottery Location for the New Jersey Lottery.

Ben Santana, general manager at Allwood Cinema 6,

has big plans to for the movie house at 96 Market.

Recently Empire Cineplex purchased the movie theater

from Clearview Cinema and began a complete overhaul.

Cleaned up and painted inside and out, the movie house

went digital in January, improving the audio and visual

of the movie presentation.

“Clearview let the theater go down,” said Santana,

“but Empire plans a full upgrade, including reclining

leather seats with power buttons so that seniors don’t

have to strain. We want to make it nice and cozy, so that

people come back.” Santana convinced Empire to offer

five-dollar tickets all day Tuesdays and five-dollar/day

and seven-dollar/evening tickets. “That’s a great deal for

new release movies,” said Santana, “with unlimited

parking close by. And we’re not crowded.”

Other upgrades coming soon will be the ability to pur-

chase tickets online through www.allwoodcinemas.com,

and an expansion of movie offerings to include inde-

pendent and art films. “This is one of the biggest requests

we get, to include art films. And this would draw people

in from outside Clifton,” noted Santana.

Marilyn Burgos opened up Vida Wellness Studio at 16

Market in October 2013 to give clients a space to focus

on healing their minds and bodies through guided medi-

tation, yoga, Pilates, expressive dance. Offering small

classes, individualized attention, personal training, nutri-

tional counseling, educational workshops, “we are the

type of business people make part of their habit,” said

Burgos.

She notes that the calmness offered by small class

sizes, “when there aren’t 30 people crammed into a

space,” is one of the major pluses of Vida. Burgos clients

include those who are fully fit, as well as those with lim-

ited motion. Trained as a professional dancer, as well as

in the martial arts, then later in yoga and Pilates, Burgos

also worked in a medical office for many years.

“With that experience I became convinced that 90%

of illness is life-style related,” she said, “I knew I didn’t

want that in my life. And I wanted to provide a space to

help others feel well.”


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America’s DealershipBy Irene JarosewichOLDEST

Family-owned businesses that have called Cliftonhome for three, four, five or even more generations are a

hallmark of this town. Richfield Farms, Bartlett’s

Greenhouses, Montclair Beach Club, Ploch’s Farm,

Corrado’s are among them. Add

to that list Gensinger

Volkswagen on Valley Rd. now

bringing their fourth generation

up through the ranks.

Kenneth Gensinger, Sr. was

still a teenager when his parents

Stephen and Jane decided to

open Steve’s Garage in 1950. A

mechanic by trade, Stephen

Gensinger decided to move the

family out of Paterson to Clifton

and set up shop on Bloomfield

Ave. near today’s Allwood

Circle. The business began as a

gas station with a one-bay body

shop and service garage where

Ken Sr. came to help after school

and on weekends, pumping gas,

cleaning up before graduating

CHS in 1955.

Now patriarch of the Gensinger Motors dealership, it

never occurred to Ken Sr. while he was growing up that

there might be anything else that he might do other than

stick with the family business.

In 1961, Stephen Gensinger (left on facing page) moved Gensinger VW to the inter-section of Valley Rd and Rt. 46, where a VW Beetle was “planted.” He is seen withan executive from Volkswagen Group of America. The house pictured in the rear iswhere Stephen Gensinger and his wife Jane raised their family. Above, MayorStanley Zwier in a Karmann Ghia at the opening of the dealership on May 18, 1962.

Gensinger patriarchs Betty and Ken Sr. and children from left, Cindy, Michelle, Ken Jr., and Laura.



Along with the gas pumps and service bay, the busi-

ness also sold new cars. Among the cars for sale were

Croselys, an American automaker that had a short life

span and the French-made Renault.

The car that was the keeper was the Volkswagen.

Gensinger sold its first VW Beetle in August 1950. In

those days, the price of a basic Beetle was $1,250.

Oldest in USAStephen Gensinger ordered his first Volkswagens

directly from Max Hoffman, America’s legendary

importer of foreign cars. Hoffman introduced car-crazy

Americans not only to the family man’s Volkswagen, but

also to luxury brands such as Bentley, Rolls Royce,

Mercedes-Benz, as well as European sports cars from

Alfa Romeo, Jaguar and Porsche.

Old car buffs will tell you how using his purchasing

clout, Hoffman would convince foreign automakers to

modify their designs for the different tastes and budgets

of the American market, creating such classics as the

1953 Mercedes Benz 300SL and later the Porsche 356

Speedster.

Hoffman, who had the sole franchise for VW in

America until the middle of the 1950s, would travel to

eastern seaboard states visiting small auto dealerships

like the one owned by Stephen Gensinger, making deals

with a handshake.

Then Allwood Motors, Gensinger’s first location was near the Allwood Circle where the Gensinger family sold and serv-iced autos manufactured by Renault, Crosley and VW.

“I’m not sure if we were the first VW dealership in America, only

Max Hoffman would have known that,” underscored Ken Gensinger Sr.,

“but now, for sure, we are the oldest.”


Then he would go down to the docks to greet the ships

loaded with autos arriving stateside from Europe.

“I’m not sure if we were the first VW dealership in

America, only Hoffman would have known that,” under-

scored Ken Sr., “but now, for sure, we are the oldest.”

By 1965, more than 900 Volkswagen dealerships were

doing business nationwide and Gensinger Motors kept up

with the wave of VW popularity. The Gensinger family

left the original Bloomfield Ave. location for one on

Clifton Ave., where today’s Boys and Girls Club can be

found, and in 1960, broke ground on the current landmark

dealership location on Valley Rd. near the intersection of

Route 46 and 3.

The VW Beetle, or even more simply The Bug, was

one of the most popular cars in America during the

1960s. According to Volkswagen Group of America,

the combined sales of the VW Beetle and the VW Van,

or The Bus, reached a high in 1970 of more than

500,000 sold in the United States.

However, with the 1973-1974 oil crisis, Asian car

manufacturers began to compete in earnest with the

fuel-efficient and compact Beetle. By the early 1980s,

VW sales dropped to a low of 50,000 annually.

Four siblings come of ageWhile his father Ken Sr. was growing up in the 1950s,

Ken Gensinger, Jr. was a kid during the 1970s, and

remembers the sales slump.

Now the general sales manager for Gensinger Motors,

he recalls that besides the oil crisis, the other factor that

influenced the slowing of VW sales was that while VW

balked, the Japanese automakers quickly figured out and

provided the bells and whistles that Americans love and

wanted in their cars.

“Americans wanted cup holders. We wanted driver’s

side trunk releases. The German engineers did not under-

stand this,” said Ken Jr. “Why would you want to fill up

a car with more things that could possibly break?

Besides, you shouldn’t be driving and drinking coffee

anyway. That was their way of thinking.

“Simple, safe, well-engineered transportation, that’s

all a car should be. But the Japanese designers said –

safety, sure, but you want convenience, we’ll give you

convenience. They figured that out about us.”

Within a few years, Volkswagen also figured that out

and began to bounce back. The automaker developed

new models such as the Jetta and Passat, which are

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now Gensinger’s volume sales

leaders, as well as the Rabbit,

Golf and Touareg.

By 2018, VW plans to refresh

existing models and introduce a

few new models, such as an all-

electric Golf and a 7-passenger

SUV. Sales are projected to

reach 800,000 in the United

States.

Just like their father, the

four Gensinger siblings,

Michelle, Ken Jr., Cindy, and

Laura, were expected to work

at the dealership after school and on weekends. There

was no way to wiggle out of it.

“I remember Frank, our sales manager, would come

by to pick me up after school,” giggled Cindy, “I would

get out of class and he was already there, waiting.” Like

their father, the four never thought about working any-

where else and all continue to work at the dealership.

“Sometimes I think people don’t understand how

lucky we are,” said Cindy, “we get to work with our fam-

ily every day. We are very fortunate. Other people don’t

see their families for days or weeks at a time. We see

each other in the morning, work together, and then go

home at night to talk to each other.”

“I think what Cindy’s trying to say is that there aren’t

too many families who can work together, eat together,

stay together, and not get on each other nerves,” added

Ken Jr. with a grin.

And while there is the immediate family, the

Gensingers consider employees and customers to be

their second family. Parents who knew her parents

bought their cars here, said Cindy, and then brought their

children, who are now bringing their children to buy

cars. “They know all about us, our lives and we know all

about them.”

“As a business, regarding employees, our philosophy

is different than most,” said Ken Jr. “Let’s face it in

today’s business world, the idea is to cut expenses, bring

on less expensive, younger workers, put no value on

experience. But we don’t see it like that. We all partici-

pate in same goal.

“While we invest in our employees, they also invest in

us. We’re family. And as for customers, VW has told us

many, many times that we’re one of the few dealers that

has a long customer loyalty base. Our customers won’t

go somewhere else. That’s important. How many car

dealers do you know get invited to their customer’s fam-

ily events, to their weddings? They trust us. They’re a

part of our family and we’re a part of theirs.”

Ingredients for SuccessHaving a good product is essential for sales success:

the VW brand is reliable and well-engineered, each car

often driving more than 200,000 miles. However, essen-

tial, is not enough. Like father, like son, Ken Sr. is also

convinced that superior customer service, treating cus-

tomers fairly with attention to every detail is one of the

key ingredients to the dealership’s continued success.

Ken Sr. and his wife Betty, now in their late 70s, still

come in to work. “I continue to read every comment,” he

said “every complaint that we receive and make sure that

there's follow-up, that the problem is solved. We are ded-

icated to our customers, and they understand and appre-

ciate that.”

Ken Sr. is also a loyal customer of his own merchan-

dise, having just bought a new set of wheels, a sleek,

low-slung, shiny, and elegant black 2014 CC sports

sedan.

Sure, it’s good looking and moves fast, points out Ken

Sr., but one of the car’s signature safety features is the

protection against “roof-crush”. Although many cars

now have protection to prevent rollovers, in the rare

event even if the CC sedan were to flip and land on its

roof, the weight of the car will not collapse down on the

people inside. That frame design and construction to pre-

vent roof-crush, said Ken Sr., is part of the superi-

Gensinger Sales Manager Frank Barone with some of the long time sales people,front left: Humberto Lapa, Aika Chaudhary, Roger Sudol and David Silvestor .


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Bertelli’s Liquors (973) 779-0199

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Dayton Homemade Chocolates (973) 574-0444

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Corbo Jewelers (973) 777-1635

CVS Pharmacy (973) 778-7630

Dollar Tree (973) 249-7530

Dress Barn (973) 249-0233

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins (973) 473-9631

Footnotes Bookstore (973) 779-6122

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Kim’s Nail Salon (973) 471-8118

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or safety standards offered by VW, and why customers

remain loyal not only to Gensinger Motors, but to the

VW brand in general.

Throughout the roller coaster of highs and lows for

the past 65 years, the Gensingers have kept the family

dealership on track. Like the cars themselves, the busi-

ness has withstood the test of time.

When his father first started out, besides selling VWs,

the business serviced all makes of foreign cars. In 1955,

Ken Sr. was sent to England for a year to see how some

of these European cars were built, an experience that

proved invaluable after he returned to work in the shop

as a mechanic. He made sure his son Ken Jr. also worked

in the shop, experience that, notes Ken Jr., now makes

him a better salesperson.

Ken Sr. and Betty, who met in 1957 while he was sta-

tioned in Memphis, TN with the Marine Corps, are now

watching as three of their 14 grandchildren—Billy,

Rachel and Bob —come in after school to work in the

dealership. “And just like my father, who lived near the

dealership, I now do too. I live up the hill, behind the

business. He used to cross the street to go to work, I

come downhill,” said Ken Sr. with a chuckle.

However, the best Gensinger tradition for Ken Sr., is

keeping it in the family. “I love to work surrounded by my

family. It’s a good life, a good way to run the business.”

A view of the Gensinger Motors VW showroom and service center looking up Valley Rd. when it was completed in 1961.

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Roll Over, Chuck Berry:

The Violinist From CliftonBy Mariel Vazquez

If not quite on the culture-shaking level of theBeatles’ first American album release and appear-

ances here, 1964 also saw the second graduating class

for Clifton High.

One of its members, Debra Biderman, is today a vio-

linist with the well-regarded New Jersey Symphony

Orchestra (NJSO).

And just like Sir Paul and Ringo, she’s still playing.

Maybe not Chuck Berry covers a la As early as age

five, Debra was in a pilot musical training program of

Columbia University for prodigies. She moved to

Clifton to attend Woodrow Wilson Middle School from

seventh to ninth grade.

Then she attended what’s now Christopher

Columbus Middle School while the current Clifton

High on Colfax Ave. was being built, in time for grades

11-12 at the new building.

She graduated alongside 1,200 other Mustangs in the

summer of 1964 (you thought CHS was crowded

today?), and happily keeps in contact with some of her

former similarly “arty” classmates like movie director

Ron Maxwell (“Gettysburg,” “Gods And Generals”)

and composer Joe Turrin (both operas and film scores).

Debra even recalls half-day split-session schooling

at CCMS, and live radio coverage of the Cuban missile

crisis in the CHS cafeteria.

When President Kennedy was assassinated, Debra

first heard of it from another student in the halls of

CHS. The classmate’s news shocked Debra, and she

recalls telling her not to joke in such a manner. Until

she got to class and learned that the devastating news

was true. “It was scary,” she says now.

Debra kept busy at CHS: Latin Club, Math Club, the

Hub newspaper. She also performed with the New

Jersey All-State Orchestra and the Nutley Symphony.

She also co-created and performed in the Garden State

Players theater company with Ron Maxwell and others

in both Clifton and NYC.

‘64‘64

Class of

But the main focus of most of Debra’s high school

activities during her four years was, of course, music.

It’s surprising, then, to find that after high school,

Debra went to Miami University of Ohio as a pre-med.

But then, CHS in her day did not have an orchestra.

Yes, it offered a string quartet, but the music depart-

ment was mostly focused on the Mustang band.

And Debra’s parents couldn’t see music as a practi-

cal career path. Debra’s mother headed the math

department at Passaic High School, would have

become a doctor had her gender not limited career

options at the time. Debra’s father was an electrical

engineer, and Debra remembers her parents working

through calculus problems together after dinner.

“I thought it was normal. I thought everyone’s par-

ents did math problems together each night,” she

laughs.

After two years at Miami, Debra worked as a

chemist in Nutley before becoming bored with the job.

She then got a teaching degree in

music from Montclair State and

began teaching at public schools in

Cedar Grove, Bloomfield, Tenafly,

Newark, Pompton Plains and

Edison, NJ, where she now teaches

privately in her home.

And Debra loves teaching.

“People say it’s crazy to enjoy

teaching, but I really enjoy doing

it.” She also found time in ‘67 to

successfully audition for the NJSO.

“It occurred to me that the reason

I enjoy being a performing musi-

cian is [that I get] to share the music

with an audience,” she enthuses. “I

regularly visit hospitals, nursing

homes, [and] veterans' homes...to

play either ‘classical’ music or

Christmas/holiday music and sing-

a-longs...I also bring my students to

these venues to do the same -

share!”.

With NJSO, Debra has shared

her music both nationwide on the

stages of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln

Center, and even worldwide.

She has a silver medal from the American String

Teacher’s Association Violin Competition and is first

violinist with the Woodland Quartet.

She’s also a wife and mother.

She met husband Joel Mintz, a mechanical engineer

who is a co-founder of a medical electronics company,

in 1979, at a singles dance. They have two daughters,

Janine, a nurse-practitioner, and Laura-Jean Mintz, a

trapeze artist with Cirque Du Soleil

Debra’s own lack of fear when performing comes

from fierce preparation, something she learned from

CHS and of course her parents.

“When you’re prepared, you don’t get nervous,” she

explained, quite simply.

It’s gratifying to know that the activities and teach-

ers at Clifton High School played a part in preparing

such a successful woman for the life she leads. Debra

Biderman is living proof, maybe, that all Mustangs are

born and bred to be strong individuals.

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLCMember FINRA/SIPC is registered broker-dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Insurance products are offered through our affiliated non-bank insurance agencies.

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40th Reunion7-11pm

OCT

11atThe Bethwood, Totowa

CHS Class of 1974

$85 due by September 15 • no payments at the door

FB: CHS 1974 Alumni Pageemail: [email protected]



Class of

By his own admission, Brian Murphy is not the kindof guy to spend a lot of time looking back at the past,so his interest in history could be considered by some

to be dubious at best.

But when you take a closer look at his life, which

has taken him from Maryland Pl. in Clifton to

Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C. and beyond,

you start to understand what makes the 1994 graduate

Clifton High School graduate tick.

“I’m not really a nostalgic guy,” said Murphy, who

teaches history at the University of New York. “But I

like the study of history.”

Besides being a history professor, Murphy is also a

contributor for MSNBC and has been one of the lead

investigators reporting on the Gov. Chris Christie

“Bridgegate” story.

It all started for Murphy during those early days

growing up on Maryland Pl.

“My parents used to have books all around the house

and we used to go to museums and Civil War battle-

fields, so I was already hard-wired to ask myself, ‘how

did things get to be this way?’ by thinking about them

in a historical way,” he recalled. “My mom still lives on

Maryland Place.”

During those years on Maryland Place, Murphy

attended Columbus Middle School and School 1.

Murphy’s mother – Joan Murphy – still works today

as a secretary at School 15. Joan grew up in Garfield.

His father, James Murphy, grew up in Paterson. James’

death in November had a profound effect on the

younger Murphy.

So when his friend and former CHS Class of ’94

classmate Alyse Pashman, who is leading the reunion

committee for their 20-year reunion, came to him with

the idea for the reunion it awakened his “nostalgic”

side. “I thought, ‘I should go to this, it could be a lot of

fun,’” he said.

“He was a smart guy then, and he still is,” said

Pashman, who met Murphy while both were freshmen

at Clifton High.


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(Then) Most Socially Conscious

Clifton’s Talking Head (Today) By Domenick Reda

Not surprisingly, Murphy was voted by his class-

mates as “Most Socially Conscious” and “Most Likely

to Succeed.”

While grieving his father’s death, Murphy found sol-

ace by immersing himself n his work.

“I wasn’t sleeping well for a few months,” Murphy

recalled. “I would watch Christie’s press conference

and something about his performance didn’t smell right

to me. When that initial batch of “Bridgegate” docu-

ments was released, I read everything, that night, 1,000

pages for more.”

Murphy’s acumen for history, politics, and the

“Bridgegate” story, made him a valuable resource for

MSNBC and led him to become a regular contributor to

several MSNBC programs including “Hardball with

Chris Matthews” in which he appeared on June 20. He

has also been a regular on programs hosted by

Lawrence O’Donnell, Rachel Maddow and Chris

Hayes.

Murphy’s journey, which led him to where he is

today, started 20 years ago right after he graduated

CHS. Murphy started as a pre-med student at

Haverford College, a liberal arts college outside of

Philadelphia which at the time had about 1,100

students attending the campus.

“I wanted something small in contrast to the size of

Clifton High School,” Murphy recalled. “I started as a

pre-med student. I had been a good science student at

CHS and it seemed like the thing to do. Along the way

I figured out that I like history - a lot - and I made a

switch at the end of my sophomore year to major in it.

The smartest people I hung out with were history

majors. And I liked it.”

Murphy graduated Haverton in 1998 and during that

time he worked several internships at Teen Magazine ,

as a fact checker, Money Magazine, Time Inc. and even

at the White House.

“I learned a ton,” Murphy said. “And I learned how

to do the basics of real journalism and how to turn out

copy and fight for stories.”

Murphy said at Money he learned “how to price a

stock” and during those years interning, most impor-

tantly, he learned “how to get people to tell you things

they don’t really want to tell you.”

In 2000 Murphy started working for George

Magazine, which was run by the late John F.


‘94‘94

Class of


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Class of

Kennedy Jr. There he was hopeful of covering former

Vice President Al Gore’s campaign for presidency but

the magazine folded by early 2001 and he never got

that opportunity.

Then he was hired as managing editor for

politicsnj.com, now known as politickernj.com.

“That was a fascinating job,” he recalled. “I had a

front row seat to New Jersey politics and all of its man-

ifestations.”

In 2002 Murphy left the website to focus on pursu-

ing a PhD in history at the University of Virginia.

Murphy handed the job over to Boston-area political

reporter Steve Kornacki, and staying true to his Clifton

roots, turned to his old stomping grounds to discuss the

transition with Kornacki.

“I interviewed him over a very long lunch at the Tick

Tock Diner,” Murphy remembered. “When I left the

website, I handed the job over to him. Kornacki even-

tually returned the favor and later became the conduit

for Murphy’s work with MSNBC.

Murphy earned his PhD in 2008 and got married

shortly after that. Murphy met his wife Sarah

Breckenridge, who was a writer for Smart Money

Magazine, during a dinner for financial writers dubbed,

“Financial Follies.”

He taught at a few colleges before landing the job at

the University of New York.

“We moved to Connecticut and ended up buying an

old farmhouse outside of New Haven,” he said. “We

got a dog, I started raising beehives as a hobby and

eventually we had two kids, Seamus, 2, and Catriona, 8

months.”

Despite being far removed from his days on

Maryland Place, Murphy remains connected to Clifton.

Murphy stays in touch with his old classmates

through Facebook, “which has made re-connecting so

much easier,” including Neil Feldman, “my best friend,

who was in my science class,” Lauren Benech, who

now lives in Cape May and “a bunch of people who

were active in the youth ministry at St. Paul’s Church.”

Murphy said those old Mustangs will also always be

part of him.

“I’m still friends with a lot of those people,” he said.

“They made me who I am today,”



Annie’s Angels is named in memory of my motherAnn DaGiau. For the last years of her life, she was in

a knock-down drag-out fight with breast cancer, a

mental fight, a physical fight and a financial fight.

Sadly and finally, on Christmas night 2002, she lost

her battle with this dreadful disease.

My family established a not-for-profit 501(c)3 in

Ann’s honor in 2007. The mission of Annie’s Angels

Memorial Fund is to raise funds and provide services

that help families who are struggling financially

through a life threatening illness or disability of a

loved one by connecting neighbor to neighbor, friend

to friend and business to business in a caring,

fundraising network.

On Aug. 3, Brian Cisneros, Stacey Hayes from

Clifton and I will begin a 500-mile bike ride to

Hampton, NH to raise funds for Annie’s Angels, as

well two other charities.

To kickoff the ride, a beefsteak will be held the

night before, on August 2 in Botany Village at the

Italian American Family Association. Tickets are only

$50 and all are encouraged to come.

Board members and volunteers from Annie’s

Angels have worked hard to raise money to help our

neighbors. With the more than $765,000 we have

raised to date, Annie’s Angels has purchased wheel-

chairs, stair lifts, and Hoyer lift systems to help fami-

lies care for a disabled member.

Annies Angels has helped build entry ramps for

wheelchair access to people’s homes. A father, unex-

pectedly paralyzed, whose wheelchair got stuck in the

dirt during his first trip home from the rehabilitation

center, had his driveway paved.

Electric and phone bills have been paid. When there is

a refrigerator full of medicine and the power is about to

be shut off or if an ambulance needs to be called and the

phone is disconnected, these utilities are not conven-

iences, but necessities. The fund has even organized a

firewood drive during which six cords of wood were col-

lected to help families survive a bitterly cold New

England winter and offset their heating bills.

In December 2012 we received a call from a family

who needed us. A mother and her daughter were

involved in a devastating auto crash.

The family only had the one car, so through our out-

reach, we found a donor who lent us a car so we could

provide a way for the other family members to travel to

and from the hospital.

Annie’s AngelsWheels and Wings Keep Her Spirit Alive

By Bill DaGiau

The DaGiau brothers, Pete and Bill.

Joseph M. Shook, Sr., Founder1924 - 2008

Nancy Shook Garretson, PresidentNJ Lic. No. 3657

Roy B. Garretson, ManagerNJ Lic. No. 3550

Thomas J. Garretson, DirectorNJ Lic. No. 4988

Kevin V. White, DirectorNJ Lic. No. 4964



We’ve helped families produce

successful fundraisers so they can

help themselves, such as spaghetti

dinners, dances and auctions. The

goals was to help these families

raise funds to pay bills so a sick

loved one could rest easy.

Since none of us is in control of

the final outcome of a patient,

these events sometimes turned

into memorial celebrations to help

pay for final expenses. This helps

ease the stress of a very confusing

time for a family.

Over the past years, I have

cycled many miles to raise money

for Annie’s Angels.

My longest ride was from Daytona Beach, FL to

Exeter, NH, 1,800 miles in 22 days. Last year, I rode

with Brian Cisneros, our vice president, from Niagara

Falls, NY to Hampton, NH, 500 miles in seven days. We

raised money for Annie’s Angels and Boston Children’s

Hospital.

While our home base in now in New Hampshire, our

mission in New Jersey, where we are from, is clear: to

help families struggling financially through a disease ill-

ness or disability.

Searching for a local charity with which to partner, we

found Tomorrow’s Children Fund, a charity at

Hackensack University Medical Center.

The mission at Tomorrows Children’s Fund, estab-

lished by a group of committed parents to help their chil-

dren and other like them with cancer and serious blood

disorders, was very similar to that of Annie’s Angels.

Tomorrow’s Children Fund provides a warm, healthy

and loving environment for children in

treatment; a full scope of services to

relieve emotional and financial stress

for families; the very best possible

medical care; and funding for research

on these diseases. All of which con-

firms our belief that through hope,

hard work and heartfelt generosity,

extraordinary things are possible.

I grew up in Clifton. I have good

memories here; my first base hit, my

first job, my first love, my first car.

Unfortunately, for the kids of

Tomorrow’s Children, their memories

of childhood will include IV bags and

hospital beds, MRI machines and CT

scans, radiation and chemotherapy.

Annie’s Angels is teaming up with Tomorrow’s

Children’s Fund to give these kids a chance to have the

same good memories I had growing up in Clifton.

This August 2, the night before the start of our 500-

mile bike ride, Annie’s Angels hopes to raise at least

$5,000 at the beefsteak that will be directly donated to

Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund. All the money we raise

will be used directly to help the children at Hackensack

University Medical Center.

None of the money raised will go to administrative

fees or overhead, only to help the children.

To donate without coming to the beefsteak, go to

http://anniesangels.net/product/fund-donation/ and

select “Annie’s Angels NJ” from the drop down.

To attend the beefsteak in Botany Village on August

2, get the latest event details at www.anniesangels.net or

on Facebook at Annie’s Angels Memorial Fund. Send

questions to [email protected].

Annie’s Angels

Ann and Val DaGiau.



Friends of the Clifton Library present MusicalMondays at the Clifton Main Library at 292 Piaget

Ave. on the first Monday of each month to showcase

Clifton’s musically talented youth. Each performer

has the stage for 20 minutes and the Aug. 4 concert is

from 1 to 2 pm and will feature Leigh Wang on piano,

Jen Marie Chie on piano and Jaquan Eke on violin.

The series began on July 7 with 8-year-old Tyler

Fengya, winner of numerous regional and interna-

tional competitions. Also performing were Ethan

DeRose-Travia, an 8th grade honors student at

Christopher Columbus Middle School who began

playing cello while in the 4th grade. He is a member

of the Greater Newark Youth Chamber Orchestra,

part of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and is

the 2nd chair cellist. Jen Marie Chie began playing

piano at the age of six and will attend 7th grade at St.

Andrew the Apostle School. Concert are free. For

info, go to cliftonpl.org.

Sarah Marie Kelly has named to the Dean’s list at

Syracuse University in the College or Arts and

Sciences. After attending St. Andrews School on Mt.

Prospect Ave., she went to and graduated from Saint

Dominic Academy in Jersey City, an independent col-

lege preparatory school for young women.

CHS Principal Anthony Orlando invites all incoming

high school students to the Mustang Academy on Aug.

4 to 7. They can walk the halls, meet staff and teach-

ers and learn more about the athletic, social and educa-

tional opportunities at Clifton High. Parents can attend

an open house on Aug. 5. More info: 973-470-2301.

Top from left: Ethan DeRose-Travia,Jen Marie Chie and Tyler Fengya,who performed in the first MusicalMondays program on July 7 at theClifton Library.

Below: students at the MagicalPalace of of Knowledge participat-ed in a 2014 Graduation Pageantwhich celebrated cultures, lan-guages, music and art. Located at855 Valley Rd., Magical Palaceoffers full-time day care for chil-dren ages six weeks to kinder-garten and has an aftercare pro-gram for students up to age 13.

Events & Briefs



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Accepting Children from Birth to Age 12• Open 7 am to 6 pm• Weekly Chapel• 16 Teachers & Aides —

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• After-School Pick-Up at School 5

• When public schools are closed, we’re open!

VFW 7165 held a ceremony on July 16 at 3 pm dur-

ing which they lowered the flag to half mast in front of

their Valley Rd. lodge to honor the memory of Jersey

City Police Officer Melvin Santiago.

The 23-year-old rookie officer was killed on July 13

by a man who moments earlier said “watch the news

later. I’m going to be famous.” Lawrence Campbell

then opened fire on Santiago and his partner when they

arrived at the Walgreens at Communipaw Ave. and

Kennedy Blvd., killing Santiago. Led by their Honor

Guard, the members of 7165 said the flag will remain

at half mast until Santiago’s funeral, on July 18.

The Avenue of Flags Committee summer barbecue is

Aug. 23 from 1 to 5 pm next to the Avenue of Flags Barn

on the City Hall Complex. Join volunteers, their fami-

lies and friends to an all you can eat barbecue of hot

dogs, hamburgers, sausage and peppers, salads, bever-

ages and dessert. Cost is $10 and proceeds will help pay

for expenses associated with the maintenance of the

Avenue of Flags. Now with nearly 2,000 flags which will

again be displayed on Labor Day and Patriots Day, the

Avenue of Flags decorate the road around city hall, with

each flag representing a US military veterans. For tick-

ets, or for info, call Chair John Biegel at 973 519-0858.

Events & Briefs


In July’s magazine, we edited and

shortened the stories of three Clifton

High Students of the Month.

Our logic was that the bios and info

on the three were already covered in

the June graduation edition. After

conversations with the parents and

notes from the students, we decided

that perhaps we did short change

these three by not telling their com-

plete stories, based on the responses

they provided.

So on the following pages, we

present a longer version of their sto-

ries and achievements. Congrats to all and we look for-

ward to continuing this monthly feature when school

returns.

Heather Has That DriveHeather Atamian was ranked 12th in her graduating

class for a reason. Even at a young age, her drive to

succeed has propelled her near the top of the Class of

2014. And with many years ahead, there is no telling

how far she will go.

“I believe I was chosen as one of the Students of the

Month because of my consistent work ethic,” said the

former North Wing student. “I am driven in everything

I do, which I believe to be my strong suit. My hard

work has finally paid off.”

Atamian’s favorite subject was something she would

have never expected to have liked when she began as

CHS student four years ago. And for that, Atamian

thanks her teacher Karen Slinger who she greatly

admired for her ability to share math theories.

“My favorite class this year was calculus with Mrs.

Slinger,” Atamian recalled. “It’s funny because a part

of me has always hated math. In the beginning of the

school year, I was a bit apprehensive about what the

class would have to offer because I wasn’t sure if I was

able to do it or not.” But the subject brought out

Atamian’s competitive nature and she grew confident.

“I think what made the class fun

was the challenge,” she said. “I never

imagined I would end up getting A’s,

and the fact that I proved myself

wrong is what made it bittersweet.

Mrs. Slinger made it her priority to

prevent us from feeling over-

whelmed, and that’s what made her

such a great teacher.”

Apart from academics, which

included maintaining distinguished

honor roll status for all four years,

Atamian also participated in many

extracurricular activities.

Atamian was editor for the CHS newspaper, “The

Hub” during senior year, played softball for two years

and was a member of the Marching Mustang Band for

all four years, serving as majorette sergeant during her

junior and senior years.

“I consider that to be my greatest accomplishment

during high school,” she said of her days as a Marching

Mustang. “It was an honor being part of the band’s 75th

anniversary this past season.”

Atamian looks back fondly on the relationships she

formed at CHS, especially one that goes back even far-

ther. “I met Serra Aygun in 6th grade, and we have

been close ever since,” Atamian said. “I think through-

out the years our bond has only gotten stronger. We

always find something to laugh about and she is a gen-

uinely admirable person. Although we’ll be going away

to different colleges in the fall, I know we’ll always

keep in touch.”

This fall, Atamian will no doubt make new friends as

she continues her studies at the College of New Jersey

where she will major in criminology with plans of pur-

suing a career that will give her an opportunity to work

for a federal agency.

“I’m always learning more about myself and of what

I’m capable,” she said. “School allows me to challenge

myself in more ways than one, and it is because of this

I enjoy what it has to offer.”

Heather Atamian


Aulla Finds Her InspirationAulla Hamdeh believes joining the

Mechanical Mustangs robotics team

sophomore year was one of the best

decisions she made during her time as

a high school student.

“It has changed my life,” said the

former East Wing 12th grader. “I met

amazing friends and engineers there.

Working on the robot helped me decide

that I want to become a mechanical

engineer and try to become just like

those who taught me.”

Because Hamdeh was inspired by so

many at CHS she cannot mention

everyone who left an impression.

“I have quite a bit of best friends,” she shared. “I

cannot choose one because each one of them has affect-

ed me in different ways and we all share common inter-

ests. They have been with me throughout high school

and made me laugh everyday. I am truly grateful for all

of them.” Hamdeh said the diversity of students at CHS

is one of the things she enjoyed most about her high

school years.

“I enjoyed interacting with all the

different people,” she said. “Because

our school is so large it gave me a

chance to meet new friends and

grow as a person.”

When it comes to faculty,

Hamdeh points to one person in par-

ticular who influenced her: Monique

Dituri who teaches chemistry.

“Miss Dituri was my robotics

coach and has been an inspiration

not only to me but to my entire

team,” said Hamdeh. “She works

hard and by her hard work she is a

role model to everyone.”

Hamdeh said Dituri embodies the

kind of person she aspires to be and that influence

helped her become one of the CHS Students of the

Month.

“I worked hard and have been passionate about my

robotics team,” Hamdeh said. “I try to promote the club

and get as many people to join the team and help them

discover what they want to do, because that is what

robotics has done for me.”

Students of the Month

Aulla Hamdeh


How can I Protect my Property?With technology, electronics and textbooks to

clothing, furniture and bicycles, an average col-lege student will bring between $5,000 and$10,000 worth of personal property away. Moststudents will suffer a loss at least once, with themost common cause being theft and the mostsevere being fire and weather events.

Talk with us about scheduling certain items ofhigh value separately or purchase technology cov-erage, which often provides broader coverageand usually has a lower deductible.

Most homeowners policies classify student’s pos-sessions as “personal property located off premis-es” and are often covered for up to 10 percent ofthe home policy coverage value.

Listing the campus residence as an insured loca-tion on homeowners and umbrella policies will addanother level of protection. For students living off-campus, another option is renter’s insurance,which often covers both property and liability cov-erage. If you do incur a loss, it’s important to haveproof of purchase for the items reported. So createa “dorm inventory” with purchase prices, modelnumbers and photos before packing.

What about Automobile Insurance?Auto insurance follows the insured vehicle more

than the driver, the insurer said. So if a studentbrings a car to college and loans the vehicle to afriend, they are loaning the car’s insurance. So theparents can end up with a claim because someoneelse got into an accident with your vehicle.

Liability laws also follow the car’s owner, butcan impact a driver as well. So keep your studentcovered on the auto policy even if they are notbringing a car to school. If they borrow a friend’scar and causs an accident, both the parents of thedriver and the car owner can be sued. Some insur-ance companies will allow a “hold” or reduce cov-erage while a student is away at school — partic-ularly if the college is more than 100 miles away.

How can we avoid Identity Theft?The 18-29 year-old age bracket accounts for 24%

of all identity theft complaints. A simple talk aboutthe potential lasting issues created by identity theftis the first step. Students should not carry SocialSecurity cards or even their SS number. They needto be wary of peer-to-peer sharing programs thatcreate easy access to a computer. And remind thekids to avoid sharing credit cards, identificationcards or PIN numbers with anyone—even a friend.

And if an Unforeseen Tragedy happens?Since most college students are considered

dependents and are covered by your home andauto policy, that also means their parents can beheld responsible for their actions. So if a party in adorm or apartment get out of hand, the parentscould be held responsible. We suggest an addi-tional umbrella policy to protect valuable assetslike your home. These policies can be purchasedfor a few hundred dollars to provide coverage forlegal judgments that exceed the standard auto orhomeowners policy level.

We’ve prepared some questions and answers regarding potential insurance risks and liabilities. If youwant more info, give us a call and we’ll mail a booklet or make the time to sit and talk over your policies.


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Richard Remains HumbleRichard Bandurski is proud to be

named as one the CHS Students of

the Month, but at the same time, he

recognizes the accomplishments of

so many of his high school peers.

“To be completely honest I don't

know why I was chosen,” said the

former Central Wing 12th grader. “I

had my studies locked up and I

always did what I could to help oth-

ers, but there were other students out

there who worked even harder and

helped out even more.”

Bandurski’s ability to recognize

dedication in others is something

that will serve him well as he pur-

sues a career in the military.

“I do feel I am deserving of this award but there were

many unsung heroes among the students at CHS,” he

said. “Thank you to all of you for doing the right thing

expecting nothing in return.” Bandurski lives by the

same hard work and dedication that he admires in others.

“Focusing on my military career,

I stay active with training myself

physically and mentally, while vol-

unteering around the community

with MCJROTC,” he said. “I also

study as much as I can in regards to

my specific interests and what will

help me in my future.”

Bandurski said he enjoyed

“learning from the teachers who

truly care about my future,” but also

“seeing my friends and just making

the best of high school.”.

Bandurski could not single out

one person as his best friend but

said every member of his so called

Flight Crew was special to him:

Kevin, Sammer, Luis, Maurice, Adam, Ferras.

His favorite teachers at CHS were Joseph Bell and

John Lesler and his favorite class was history.

“It was always interesting learning from such knowl-

edgeable men,” Bandurski said. “I believe we must

learn from our past to make a better tomorrow.”

Richard Bandurski

Students of the Month



Margot Villanova................8/1Kim West...........................8/1Angelo Greco ....................8/2Karen Lime ........................8/2Michael Urciuoli .................8/2Kevin Ciok.........................8/4Scott Malgieri ....................8/4Mark W. Mikolajczyk .........8/5Christina Sotelo ..................8/5Ed Gasior Sr. .....................8/6Sean McNally....................8/6

August 2014

Birthdays & CelebrationsSend dates & [email protected]

Rita and Jim Haraka celebratedtheir 60th anniversary on July 24.

Joan and Gene Murphy celebratedtheir 50th anniversary on July 25.

Peter & Christina Kedl celebratetheir 10th anniversary on Aug. 21.Their daughter Ottilia turned 8 onJuly 23 and son Alexander cele-brates his 6th birthday on Aug. 28.

Tom Hawrylko and his bride Lori celebrate birthdays.Lori will be 56 on Aug. 4 and Tom turns 57 on Aug. 15.

Gladys Shefchik .................8/8Chiara Cristantiello.............8/9Jean Schubert.....................8/9Emily Hawrylko ................8/12Danielle Swede ................8/13Andrew Cronin ................8/14Kimberly Mozo ................8/14Michelle Smolt..................8/14Yuko Angello....................8/15Christopher Antal .............8/15Peter Bodor......................8/15Andrew Noblett................8/15Jessica Oliva....................8/15Maria Pinter.....................8/15Susan Van Blarcom...........8/15Daniel Wolfe....................8/15Arlene Hard.....................8/17Bella Bulsara....................8/18Alexandria Veltre..............8/19Michael Melendez............8/20Rachelle Swede................8/20Cara Cholewczynski .........8/24Yasmin Ledesma ...............8/24Joanne Pituch ...................8/24Robbie Lucas....................8/25Eileen Gasior ...................8/26Cameron J. Popovski.........8/26Adam Brandhorst .............8/27Peter Fierro, Jr. .................8/28


Belated wishes to LakeviewBakery baby Daniel Sontambaon his first birthday on June 30.

Turn the page for more Birthdays and Celebrations


August Edition

Nicholas Swede. ..............8/29Michelle “Mish” Choy .......8/30Joe Rushen.......................8/30Kathleen McKenny............8/31

Emilie Oakley is 21 on Aug. 22 and JoAnn Frances Moriciwill begin her ninth decade on Aug. 10.

John Traier and Mark Petersonobserved their 10th anniversaryof becoming Legalized DomesticPartners and at their engage-ment on July 13th announced

a July 4, 2015 wedding.

Jeremy MacDonald (CHS 2000)& Tamra McGrath (CHS 2002)annouce a July 2015 wedding.

Phil J. Smith celebrates a mil-stone birthday on Aug. 24.Nancy & Mike Ressetar havetheir anniversary on Aug. 15.Bruce & Diane Drake mark 44years of marriage Aug. 22.

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Clifton Merchant Magazine - August 2014

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