Sunday, February 06, 2005

A mystery

I need help on this one. I found this obituary in the online version of the Montclair Times, a New Jersey paper:

Leo Martin

Wednesday, May 10, 2000

Leo Martin, 83, of Montclair died on Tuesday, May 2, in the Kessler Care Center at St. Cloud in West Orange. Born in Poland, Mr. Martin came to the United States in 1928. He had lived in Montclair since 1951. Mr. Martin attended Northeastern University in Boston.

Prior to owning The Marlboro Inn in Montclair (1976-1979), Mr. Martin had owned the Claremont Diner in Verona, Arthur Maisel's in Atlantic City, Dubrow's Cafeteria, both in New York City and Brooklyn, and the Saxony Cafeteria in Newark.

Mr. Martin's wife, Teresa, predeceased him in March. He is survived by three daughters, Barbara Cogan, Linda Festa, and Patricia Roelke; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.


Now, I checked with my mother, the unofficial family historian. As far as we know, there is no Leo Martin in our family, and no one named Leo Martin ever "owned" Dubrow's. Perhaps he was a manager? Or is he some long lost family member? We do have one of those, actually. But he's been found now.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

He had been a Manager at the Manhattan store for quite a few years and I believe he became part owner prior to the closing.

Eve said...

Thanks, Robert! I'm glad you've found your way to my blog. Your comments have been very enlightening. Feel free to send me some of your memories of Dubrow's and I'll post them...I'm hoping Joe will do the same...

Anonymous said...

Hi Eve--My mother said that this guy, under a different last name, was indeed a manager at the store but that she has NO knowledge of his EVER becoming a part owner!!! (And certainly not in the years "prior to" owning his other restaurant, as the obituary claims!) Neither does my uncle Irving Gruber, who was a legal consultant to your grandfather for the Manhattan store. The person to check this with definitively is PAUL TOBIN. Love, Cousin Joanne P.S. Hi Robert!

Eve said...

Thanks for dropping by! Cool to know someone in Japan has now "dropped in" to Dubrow's...

Anonymous said...

I just found this site, while googling my wife's name. She is the daughter "Patricia" referred to in the obit. The family name was Gerstenheim, before it was changed (too long to use to sign all of those employees' pay checks); besides that, he was known as Mr. Martin in the business for many years before changing it.

Irwin asked Leo to help him run the place, and GAVE him a 10% interest in Dubrow's NY and Alfie's Steak House.

You know the rest of the story.

Hope this clarifies things for you.

Eve said...

Thank you for shedding a little more light on some of the history! I love seeing it all come together.

Bruce H said...

Just came across this post while doing some family research. Contrary to what Mr. Martin's obituary states, he never owned the Saxony Cafeteria in Newark, NJ. The Saxony was opened by my grandfather, Morris Herskovits, in 1951, and was owned and operated by him and my father until it closed in 1968.

Eve said...

I'm guessing he managed the Saxony, as he did Dubrow's. Seems to be a common mistake.