l;ommunit

Remembering Chris' Diner'and the way things wereBY GEORGE MORAITISAs a lifetime resident of the Port
Jefferson Station area, I often searchhack in my memory and think about
how things have changed.
For some of us old-timers: Do you
remember when a new thing called a"shoppingcp.nter" was heing built?
Remember Bohack? A&P? Newmark &Lewis'! How about Jefferson Smith andPlaymart? Or when Woolworth's had aluncheon counter where you could pop ahalloon for a price of a banana split? InIhose days of old, some 47 years ago,
well before all that came to Port
Jefferson Slat ion, Chris Karras with hiswife. Elmina.
lovinglyknnw"
as"Rusty" for her reddish hair :md complexion, opened Chris' Diner on Ihe siteof today's Hess Gas Station on Route112 across from what later became theJefferson Shopping Center.
Mr. KarTas' family had been in thedining business even before opening theonce-famous sile. Chris' father, Alex,
Chris and Elmina ("Rusty") Karras c.1963
coming 10 the area in the late I940s,
worked with his son at Chris' Snackbar
in the building across from A.B.!. AutoParts. The building is now occupied by with no vacation time. Once, a pairon
an anlique shop. The snackhar hml sevenoffered to pay the help for the afternoon
slools and a small "stand-lip' shelf 10 eat and treat Chris and Rusty to a New York
sandwiches or "Pop" Karras' chili dishCily play. They took advantage of it toes. Ilowever, when the snackbar closed
escape for a while only to return to thein 1955, Chris Karras, allhe age of 27, diner, as someone would leave them ahnught a diner building which oncenote at the register, "How was yourvacation?" It had turned
slond in New York Cityout that they only had twoand Ihen in Babylon. lIe
had it 'moved
to Pori I am told that Arthur such "vacations" in 14
Jefferson
Stationand Miller,the playyears. Their customers
slarled 'lis own dining
missed them and why
wouldcomewright,. business.
wouldn't
they
when
Diners al that timemeals like meat loaf coston Sunday afterwere
fewandfar
or a roast beef dinnernoons and read his $.25
was $1.15.
hetween, making them ahaven for oUI-of-towners,
newspaper there.
The diner was al:.vays
famous people and local
open. Even during theresidpnls alike who wereroughest
snowstorms,
looking for a clean and comfortable
when snow amounts were 24 inches,
place to eal a meal. Chris' Diner was Chris would walk from their home onwhere local senators, judges and Town
Sheep Pasture Road to the diner so hisof Brookhaven officials, and all of us, customers would not be disappointed,
would corne to dine throughout its many
only to find Brookhaven highway workyears. I am told that Arthur Miller, the ers had plowed the diner's parking lot.
They knew Chris' Diner was the best
playwright,
would come on Sunday
place 10be. There he would also find hisafternoons and read his newspaper there.
grill man, Steve Klissas; the waitresses,
Chris and Rusty worked long andJeanette Lyons Potter and Millie Strehard in the diner to make it the best placearound. They would work from 5 am to cher; and Marty Ericksen, the kitchen
help.
II :30 in the evening, seven days a week,

Chris and Rusty

Karraswith their 1959 Pontiac,

Photo courtesy of Chris and Rusty Kanasc. 1962

In the days of old,some 47 years ago...
Chris Karras with hiswife, Elmina, lovingly
known as 'Rusty' forher reddish hair andcomplexion, opened
Chris' Qiner on thesite of today's Hess
Gas Station on Route112 'across from what
later became theJefferson Shopping
Center.
. Photocoul1esyof Steve

PoulosPhoto courtesy of Chris and Rusty Karras
Chris at the 'grill

In the summer, the diner would fillwith area fishermen, who went on day
trips in the Port Jefferson Harbor or out
in the Sound, who would stop by for ameal on their way home. The fishermen
offered Chris the excess of their day's
catch of bluefish and clams. This writerand his family would go to Chris' Dinerfor the hamburger specials and enjoy thediner's interior decked out in red with atable jukebox in every stall.
What closed most of these local diners were the more elaborate restaurants
and fast-food eateries, much as supermarkets did to the local dairy farms.
McDomild's in Centereach was the firstin the area. The original building still
stands today.. But, as McDonald's,
Burger King, Wendy'sand others
became more common, more and moreof these roadside diners became extinct.
Chris' Di ner closed in 1969. Chrisfor all they have done and wish them all:I>-well, even knowing some of them are.

~1::

and Rusty retired and eventually moved
to the Midwest.
.

would not be disappointed,
only to find Brookhaven
Highway workers had plowed
the diner's parkinf] lot.

All in all, the best time spent for
Chris and Rusty between 1955 and 1969
was with their loyal patrons; withoutthem, the business would not have lasted as long as it did. Today, they wish all
their customers hearty "Thank yous!"

now gone.

~now 78~

years old and married to Rusty for 57

.....

When

this writer

asked

Chris,years, what happened to the building? I
was told that it's "buried under the Hess
Gas Station." And life goes on.

Even during the roughest
snowstorms, when snow
amounts were 24 inches,
Chriswouldwalk from theirhome on Sheep Pasture Road
to the diner so his !:ustomers~