Anthony Panissidi

@APPanissidi

RED BANK – Bill Meyer suddenly finds himself in search of another go-to restaurant, an unfamiliar feeling for the attorney who usually ate five meals per week for nearly two decades at the Broadway Diner across from his law firm on Monmouth Street.

The Broadway Diner served as a community hub since it opened 18 years ago in 1996 as a vintage 24/7 eatery within a single-story building of glass and stainless-steel illuminated by neon lights at night. It shut its doors for the final time Monday following the death of one of it owners nearly six months ago.

"It's resonating through the town like a family friend passed away," said Meyer, who recalled the diner's steel-cut oatmeal with fresh fruit as his favorite meal. "This business was basically a cog in the wheel of the Red Bank economy."

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The diner's history stretches back to 1959 when Walter and Joanie Wilson opened it as the Palace Diner and sold it 20 years later. Afterward, the building failed to hold onto a pair of Chinese restaurants and other businesses. Then, in 1995, Rocco "Bob" Russo spotted the vacant diner while driving through the borough and noticed a sign on its door: "Bring back the diner," it read.

Russo, who co-owned the restaurant with Rocky Coviello, died at the age of 78 this past February. His daughter, Amy Russo, who owns the popular Toast Asbury Park and Toast Montclair eateries that serve breakfast, brunch and lunch, will open a third such establishment in place of the Broadway Diner, according to Asbury Park Sun andRedBankGreen.

Coviello did not return a telephone call for comment. A spokesperson for Toast Asbury Park said through the restaurant's Facebook page that Russo is not yet commenting on the situation.

"The Broadway Diner had its iconic presence, especially at 3 o'clock in the morning with many people who became instant friends at that hour over a cup of coffee and a smile by the staff," Mayor Pasquale "Pat" Menna said. "Many seniors and many young people, who don't have much family in the area, have adopted the waitstaff, who had been there forever, and the employees ... as their family."

Lynda Rose, executive director of the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, expressed high hopes for new ownership. "The people who own Toast own the building...so hopefully they'll bring something of that quality here to Red Bank."

Toast Asbury Park and Toast Montclair both open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, but the planned hours and days of Toast Red Bank remain unclear. Menna said he would like to see it remain open 24 hours a day.

"Anyone who knows me knows that I've been drumming the beat of late-night presence operations, both retail entertainment and service-establishments for a long time, so I hope that they consider it, but ultimately they will have to make that business decision based on their model," Menna said.

Anthony Panissidi; 732-643-4284; apanissidi@app.com