Once part of the furnishings at Cherry Restaurant, formerly located at 335 Columbus Avenue at 76th Street, this chair has been kept since 1999 by Herb Grossinger in his garage. Grossinger was the baker of the neighboring Grossinger’s Bakery at 337 Columbus Ave, which closed in 1991.
Grossinger recently shared his memories of the former restaurant with us:
“Oh, sure I know a lot about Cherry Restaurant and its owner and owners. The Cherry Restaurant was originally established in 1938, by a Japanese immigrant we only called ‘Pop.’ As teenagers we would go in at night and order rice with gravy for 15 cents and sit around for a while. The food was good and cheap! Unfortunately, during the war years and some years after, there was discrimination, even though they claimed to be Chinese. A second location was on 91st or 92nd and Columbus Avenue.
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“The Cherry restaurant was extremely popular and Nishikawa expanded three times.”
Grossinger added, “The closing of Cherry Restaurant was a great disappointment to the neighborhood. I have their red cushion chair in my garage from the auction sale.”
Both Grossinger’s and the Cherry Restaurant occupied street level spaces in the building. Cherry Restaurant closed in 1992, a year after Grossinger’s closed their bakery next door.
c/o Landmark West
Another beloved memory. I could never figure out how they kept the prices so low. Thanks for the walk down Memory Lane.
Both places are now a Chase Bank and a Duane Reade. Go figure… 🙁
The Cherry used to serve a most delicious teriyaki burger for two dollars and change. We’d get the burger, then go to Grossingers for dessert. If memory serves, they had a giant cookie that was utterly fabulous for a dollar. It shattered, it was so flaky, and I can taste it now, 40 years later.
Wish this spot was still around. After a long day at work, it served many different comfort food at a reasonable prices.
My first summer in NYC–1982–I was subletting a place on 72nd east of Columbus. My budget was beyond tight, but every couple of weeks or so I would splurge on a meal at the Cherry (and though the prices were very reasonable, at that point in my life it was indeed a splurge). I remember it fondly and wish it were still around. If my memory serves, chicken cordon bleu was what I typically ordered.