Iconic Tom’s Diner in Roxbury Demolished

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Roxbury NJ, it was a very sad day on Thursday for diner lovers and New Jersey history buffs , the famed Tom’s diner was demolished . Built in the 1930s, the diner achieved iconic status when it was used as the setting for Cyndi’s Lauper’s “Time After Time” hit music video.

Tom Seretis in a statement on Facebook said, “The true Tom’s Diner story has yet to be told. When you stand up to the most powerful corrupt &/or complicit &/or colluding politicians you get a target on your back & historic landmark diner. When they write the law & pack the court, we the people lose. Now I get to finally tell the whole story for the court of public opinion in an election year.”

The website History Girl  summed up New Jersey’s love affair with diners , “Diners are familiar beacons that have brightened New Jersey’s highways and main streets for more than hundred years, beginning as horse-drawn “lunch wagons” and evolving into classic, stainless-steel architectural gems. More than just places to eat, diners have become part of the Garden State’s culture, commerce, myth, romance, community life, and “Jersey” attitude. They are the ultimate egalitarian gathering places, opening their doors to truck drivers, college students, business executives, construction workers, and tourists 24 hours a day.” https://www.thehistorygirl.com/2015/04/history-of-diners-in-new-jersey.html