Which One Should Return to Route 9, Sizzler or Ground Round?
As you watch business after business have to close their doors in the Hudson Valley, one of the places that the empty buildings are really noticeable is Route 9 in the Poughkeepsie, Wappingers and Fishkill corridor.
If you could bring back a restaurant which one would you bring back to life?
Sizzler? Ground Round? Maybe a vote or two for Fresno's?
Sizzler was located on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie and, according to the DailyFreeman, closed its doors in the Spring of 1996. This year, 2020, Sizzler is marking 62 years in business. The closest location to the Hudson Valley? According to the location directory on the Sizzler website, is Florida. The state, not Florida, NY. Did you ever eat there? Was it the burgers or the steaks that you went for? Maybe it was just a place for you to hang out with your college buds, while you all chanted the "We're Going to Sizzler" song? If you could bring it back to Route 9, would you?
Ground Round had a few locations in the Hudson Valley, before they closed here.
The restaurant chain was started in 1969 by Howard Johnson's. If you find yourself craving some Ground Round, there is a location in Brookhaven that is currently closed because of Covid-19 and a Rutland, VT location that is currently closed because of a fire. There are two additional locations in Maine, then the next closest one is in Michigan. So, a little easier of a drive to get to a Ground Round than it would be to get to the nearest Sizzler. What did you order when you would go to Ground Round?
Should I mention Fresno's?
It was located in the downstairs restaurant space near what is now the Macy's anchor store area. The name of the restaurant has changed multiple times in the 20-plus years since Fresno's closed. What didn't change? Every time you would go into Fresno's, do you recall leaving there smelling like fried everything? I think I actually had to get rid of a few shirts because I just could not get the smell out of them.
What restaurant would you like to see come back to the Route 9 corridor? Let us know. Granted we probably can't do anything to make it happen? But there is a good chance it will bring back some great memories.