South Jersey’s revered Gateway Diner closes to make way for a bridge construction project

For more than 30 years, South Jersey’s Gateway Diner has been a landmark along Broadway in Westville, Gloucester County. Generations of patrons and travelers have walked through the doors for a meal and conversation, but Sunday marked a bittersweet end for the beloved restaurant.

In a Facebook post made Friday, the restaurant announced that 9 p.m. on Sunday would be the restaurant’s “last serving,” citing construction of the Westville Route 47 Bridge and the state’s acquisition of the property through eminent domain as the cause for closure.

“Every sacrifice and attempt has been made to keep our doors open, especially for our loyal employees and customers,” the post said. “Through the years you have all become like family to us. We would like to thank you for your loyalty and patronage and offer our sincere apologies.”

The diner property is located near Route 47 and a bridge over Big Timber Creek between Brooklawn and Westville — a span the New Jersey Department of Transportation plans to replace. The bridge, built in 1928, is “structurally deficient and functionally obsolete,” according to state records. NJ.com reported that the state wants to widen the bridge and elevate a nearby road to mitigate damage from potential flooding.

Steve Schapiro, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, told NJ.com that the diner will be demolished “in order to build a drainage basin and utility infrastructure.”

He said the project is expected to begin later this year, NJ.com reported. Under New Jersey law, state and local governments must pay fair market value for property taken by eminent domain. The state transportation agency didn’t return messages Sunday, and details about the sale couldn’t be determined.

Owner Angelo Poulos said Sunday the project has loomed for more than five years. But in recent months, the decision to close the restaurant became “more real,” he said.

“They announced that they were going to take the property and fix the bridge in the road,” said Poulos, who owns the restaurant with partners Angelo and Dimitrios Frangos. “And with all the appraisals from both sides, and the contracts and negotiations, everything’s been signed and finalized. The time has come.”

Longtime patron William Barnett, who’s been eating at the diner for decades, said the closing of the restaurant “is just wrong. It’s a New Jersey landmark. The state takes what it wants, but it’s wrong and this place will be missed.”

About 40 customers stood outside Gateway Diner’s doors by 8:45 Sunday morning. As patrons walked inside, hostess Kylie Buechlein said, “Good morning. It’s about a 25- to 30-minute wait.” Some turned away, but most chose to wait for a final meal at the revered restaurant.

When Charles Gubler and his wife, Maureen, moved to Westville 18 years ago, he said they came into the Gateway Diner for breakfast one day and “never left.”

It’s been their go-to spot every Sunday since their arrival, and they’re sad to see the place close its doors after so many memories. “The owners are great people,” Charles said. “It’s very sad and devastating to see it go.”

“The waitresses are the best,” Maureen added. “We met a lot of good friends here. And even like ... people we never knew before. They come every Sunday, the same people, so I don’t know where I’m gonna go now.”

Theodore Davis, whose grandfather started the Gateway Diner, said it’s “upsetting” to see the place go, especially under the circumstances. But seeing how many people came out for their final goodbyes has been a joy. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he said, “but this was awesome to see. I know friends that have come here on a regular basis for years, and this was like their comfort place.”

With tears in his eyes, Joseph Reiber looked back on his memories inside the diner. He’s eaten at the restaurant twice a week for the last 25 years. “It’s like family,” the longtime patron said. “I don’t know what other diner to go to.”

While saddened by the restaurant’s closure, Poulos said the support he’s received from patrons has been “overwhelming.”

“We spent 30 years here grinding and working, and we’ve developed real relationships with these people,” he said. “They’ve been loyal patrons.”

Poulos said there are no current plans for a new restaurant, but Reiber is hopeful Poulos welcomes him back to a sprawling eatery sometime soon.

Staff writer Andrew Seidman contributed to this article.