They helped pay for some of the improvements to his property.Ĭhuck bought the building and had to gut the whole place. These benefits included being able to apply for and receive Grants for Economic Development for Livingston County. The town actually changed the zoning to include his restaurant so that he could get the benefits of the “downtown” area. He liked the atmosphere of the small town, liked the fact that it was at the intersection of Route 5 and Route 36, and had its own parking area around back. At his present location in Caledonia, there was already a restaurant, but it had been vacant for 2-3 years. Constantino has lived in Rochester all his life, when it came time to look for a location for his own restaurant, he had to venture outside the city. His friends realized his passion about this era and his collections, and they encouraged him to open his own place.Įven though Mr. So, he finished off the attic with his 50’s theme collection including the red and white vinyl seats, plus a real soda fountain. At first, the group met in his dining room, lacking any other suitable place in his home. A group would meet in each other’s man-cave, garage or basement to play cards, talk or just get out for the evening. The idea of opening his own soda fountain came to him after many months of “guy night” with his friends. After 32 years at Kodak, he was too young to retire when, in 2014, they offered a lump sum retirement package, and he felt he had to take it. He never looked back and hasn’t regretted not getting a degree. But, instead, he got hired at Eastman Kodak and the rest, as they say is history. It so inspired him that he started collecting memorabilia from that time period, serving trays, Coke signs, a Coke wall clock, and a Coleman Ginger Ale (“Noted for its Flavor”) sign.Ĭhuck attended MCC after high school with every intention of transferring to the U of R. It was during a cross-country family vacation, when he was 14 years old, that he became aware of the 50’s culture, especially on parts of the classic Route 66 which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. They were out of many specials by the time we got there on our second trip, but the menu was big enough that it didn’t make a difference to us.Amazing Property in Lakeville! 5707 Big Tree RdĬharles Constantino, or Chuck as most people call him, wasn’t born yet so doesn’t remember the 1950’s, but he loves the era none the less. The only downside is that it’s a very small place with limited seating and staff. The wait staff was very friendly and greeted us right away. We ended up here twice this summer while in the Rochester area and had very similar experiences. They also have a good sized ice-cream sundae to finish the day or different kinds of homemade desserts. So if you are in the mood to splurge, the grease is just right! There are other comfort foods like a turkey meal, clam chowder, seafoods (mostly fried) and a special of the day. It’s got hamburgers, fried everything, and salads not meant. It’s got the whole 50/60s vibe with a large statue of Betty Boop greeting guests as they arrive. Reminisce is a very tiny restaurant in upstate NY with BIG personality. It says they do car cruises and other events (BBQ, Hawaiian Luau, etc) in the summer and I'd like to stop down then and try out a few more food options. While the food was decent, I enjoyed the atmosphere with the 50's music on the juke box and the display case with a lot of old time items to look at as well as various signage around the place and a life size Betty Boop outside. the french fries were excellent, very crispy as I like them. Overall, it was good though I would have liked more onions and maybe peppers. I went with the Big Will Special which is ground beef, NYS sirloin, sauteed onions, cheddar cheese and boss sause on a sub roll and french fries on the side. She did enjoy the sandwich but said it was average. My girlfriend went with Egg salad sandwich on rye with a pickle. a chocolate milk and I was going to get a fountain drink until told fountain was frozen so stuck with water. I started my meal with a French Onion soup that was pretty good for a small diner. Restaurants near Reminisce Soda Fountain DinerĪ bit out of sorts with Covid and cold which froze the soda fountain, but it is a nice diner with a lot of options.Hotels near (ROC) Greater Rochester International Airport.Hotels near (BUF) Buffalo Niagara Intl Airport.
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