|
|
|
Why they’re in the news
After 28 years in the restaurant business, mostly in Irondequoit, Louann Haessler finally has her own diner, Wise Guys, on Dewey Avenue near Stone Road in Greece.
“It’s always been my dream, to own my own place,” Haessler said.
Friend Dan Gilboe, the diner’s landlord, purchased the property, and the two, with their family and friends, spent two months “tearing the kitchen apart,” cleaning, and getting the diner ready to open.
What’s the origin of the diner’s name?
“He (Dan) is a ‘wise guy,’” Haessler said with a smile. The diner’s logo, however, is four aces, and the interior decor includes a more traditional “wise guy” theme with pictures of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, from the “Godfather” movies, and of casinos.
“It (the name) is kind of double-purpose,” Haessler explained. “He (Dan) really is a smart aleck — and does play cards.”
How did you get into this line of work?
“I’ve been working in food service since the age of 14,” Haessler said. “I have a degree in accounting (from Bryant and Stratton) and was doing accounting work, but I wasn’t cut out for an office job ... This (the diner) is more me.”
Now, she does “whatever needs to be done,” she said, from cooking to managing her own diner.
What is your background?
Haessler, a 1987 graduate of Eastridge High School, worked at Bill Gray’s in Sea Breeze as a teen and beyond, then at the former Helen’s and Nancy’s diners (now Comfort Diner), and at a family-owned diner in K-Mart Plaza, all in Irondequoit.
Gilboe, a 1982 graduate of Rochester’s Edison Tech high school, retired at age 45, but still owns rental properties and his own electrical business. He and Haessler met at Irondequoit’s former Nancy’s Diner.
What are the diner's specialties?
“The meatloaf has been really popular,” Haessler said, as are the "Let's Hit the Deck" breakfast specials. She adds that she has also been working to bring back Nancy’s “famous” platter-sized pancake recipe.
The diner also has a $6 lunch special and daily specials ranging from fish to stuffed peppers.
The meatloaf is actually a Monday special, Haessler said, “but anytime I have the ingredients and people are requesting it, I’ll make it.”
The diner also serves breakfast or lunch all day, every day.
Why they’re in the news
After 28 years in the restaurant business, mostly in Irondequoit, Louann Haessler finally has her own diner, Wise Guys, on Dewey Avenue near Stone Road in Greece.
“It’s always been my dream, to own my own place,” Haessler said.
Friend Dan Gilboe, the diner’s landlord, purchased the property, and the two, with their family and friends, spent two months “tearing the kitchen apart,” cleaning, and getting the diner ready to open.
What’s the origin of the diner’s name?
“He (Dan) is a ‘wise guy,’” Haessler said with a smile. The diner’s logo, however, is four aces, and the interior decor includes a more traditional “wise guy” theme with pictures of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, from the “Godfather” movies, and of casinos.
“It (the name) is kind of double-purpose,” Haessler explained. “He (Dan) really is a smart aleck — and does play cards.”
How did you get into this line of work?
“I’ve been working in food service since the age of 14,” Haessler said. “I have a degree in accounting (from Bryant and Stratton) and was doing accounting work, but I wasn’t cut out for an office job ... This (the diner) is more me.”
Now, she does “whatever needs to be done,” she said, from cooking to managing her own diner.
What is your background?
Haessler, a 1987 graduate of Eastridge High School, worked at Bill Gray’s in Sea Breeze as a teen and beyond, then at the former Helen’s and Nancy’s diners (now Comfort Diner), and at a family-owned diner in K-Mart Plaza, all in Irondequoit.
Gilboe, a 1982 graduate of Rochester’s Edison Tech high school, retired at age 45, but still owns rental properties and his own electrical business. He and Haessler met at Irondequoit’s former Nancy’s Diner.
What are the diner's specialties?
“The meatloaf has been really popular,” Haessler said, as are the "Let's Hit the Deck" breakfast specials. She adds that she has also been working to bring back Nancy’s “famous” platter-sized pancake recipe.
The diner also has a $6 lunch special and daily specials ranging from fish to stuffed peppers.
The meatloaf is actually a Monday special, Haessler said, “but anytime I have the ingredients and people are requesting it, I’ll make it.”
The diner also serves breakfast or lunch all day, every day.
Is your clientele mostly from Greece?
“So far, customers have largely been from the neighborhood; we’ve had a good reception and met a lot of nice people over here,” Haessler said, adding that a number of people come in daily.
They are also seeing old friends from Irondequoit and Webster, she said.
A Dinner with Santa last month was extremely popular, and Haessler plans to continue decorating for each holiday.
What are your plans for the future?
“We are thinking of opening other nights for dinner,” Haessler said, adding that she wants groups to know that she will also open evenings for dinner meetings.
What else do you want the community to know about the diner?
“We only accept cash, but we do have an ATM on the premises,” Haessler said. “And we don’t serve alcohol or lock up early (before posted closing times)."
