Fifties style diner revived
Tuesday, August 14, 2001 10:00 PM PDT
Shannon Filonczuk
Talk about girl power, the new manager/owner of Kristy's Fourth Avenue Diner, 1281 W Fourth Ave., Ontario, Kristy Wilson has the power. Cooking power, that is. Wilson's mother, Jo Anne Wilson, waits on tables and helps manage the restaurant. Her sister-in-law, Angel Wilson, and daughter, Angie Wilson, also help wait tables. In total there is a staff of seven women no men. All the women help clean up when it is closing time and the pitch in with dish-washing duties as the day goes by, manager Jo Anne Wilson said. Kristy's Fourth Avenue Diner has been open five weeks and is doing well, Wilson said. Customers who used to visit the Fourth Avenue Cafe when it was under different management are returning and new customers are trying the diner out too, Wilson said. Previous to taking over the Fourth Avenue Diner, Kristy Wilson managed a caf in McCall, called Kristy's Caf for four years, she said. When the leased building the caf operated from was bought out and had to close at the end of March, that did not slow down the Wilsons. They just picked up and moved to Ontario, found the Fourth Avenue Diner to lease and reopened July 9, Jo Anne Wilson said. Now, the grandmother, mother, sister-in-law and daughter can be found working together Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.r, Jo Anne Wilson said. "We'll be together from now on," Jo Anne Wilson said. The diner has a 1950s theme with a juke box, waitresses in poodle skirts and classic family-style meals, Kristy Wilson said. "Good food, the best service and smiles," Kristy Wilson said. Aug. 25 the diner is holding a cruise-in of classic cars to celebrate its grand opening, Kristy Wilson said. Hamburgers, hot dogs and sodas will be served at reduced prices from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and prime rib will be served after 5 p.m., Kristy Wilson said. To decide who will win the award for "coolest car," of the cruise-in, votes by participants and customers will be gathered, Jo Anne Wilson said.
