NJ diner from 'Friday the 13th' up for sale. Ax throwing and more planned this week
Hockey mask season is officially upon us.
Sorry, New Jersey Devils fans, we're not talking to you.
It’s October, the scariest month of the calendar year, and this Friday ranks right up there on the fright scale: Friday the 13th.
While it is said to be unlucky in most places, it's actually been a great day for one New Jersey town. In fact, business is booming in Blairstown, Warren County, where the original "Friday the 13th" movie was filmed. But times are changing for the famous diner.
Blairstown Diner from 'Friday the 13th' for sale
The Blairstown Diner, 53 State Route 94 is for sale.
According to the listing on Re/Max’s website: “The sale of the 1,368-square-foot Blairstown Diner, established in 1949, includes the .65-acre State Highway 94 prime commercial property, and the recently renovated diner in the heart of Blairstown. This diner is famous worldwide ... as the diner featured in the original 'Friday the 13th' movie that was filmed in and around Blairstown and released in 1980. The movie's cult-following draws visitors from around the globe especially anytime a Friday falls on the 13th of the month!"
Listing agent Ravi Romano, of Re/Max Ridge, said the diner is a huge part of the community and, with the help of the Spirit of Halloween, they plan to celebrate in style on Friday.
“They're putting on a big shindig on Friday,” Romano said, a big promotion and activities. "There was one year, three or four weddings where Jason did the ceremony in town. No priest, no rabbi, just Jason with his mask and knife. A little ominous, but they're fans of the movie and that's how they celebrate."
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That year, people came from as far as Australia and Germany.
"It has a cult following," Romano said. "Once they get into town, they take bus rides to the camp where it was filmed. It's a lot of fun, the whole town is involved, and the movie theater has three or four showings of 'Friday the 13th.' Everyone gets into the spirit of the whole thing.”
The diner works great as a place to get breakfast, lunch or dinner, but when calendars show Friday the 13th, business picks up. Friday's schedule includes ax throwing from noon to 7 p.m., free horror caricatures and horror face painting from 1 to 5 p.m. and the bloody pie eating contest, open to the first 30 competitors to sign up, starts at 5 p.m.
The current owner Mike Wishnia is local to the town, but he’s moving on, according to Romano, who thinks the new owner will follow suit and make the diner a huge part of Blairstown.
“You just need to find the person interested in that marketing. We try to market it with that hook,” Romano said. “We have an absentee owner, but he's moving out of state. He's retiring. Next generation, someone will carry it forward. He did a lot of renovations, I think he bought it in 2019, and he upgraded a lot of things. He was a local guy who went there for 15 years."
The diner is a big part of the community, Romano said. "On Friday the 13th, you’ll see all the 'Friday the 13th' sweatshirts and hats, and it's crowded from early morning to late at night. People enjoy themselves. It's not a vicious crowd like the movie. We always have a good time.”
Much better than the campers in the movie.
What is 'Friday the 13th' about?
In case you’re one of the few people not familiar with the horror classic, the movie is about a hatchet-wielding, hockey-mask-wearing serial killer who stalks and tortures camp counselors at Crystal Lake. The killer, Jason, is fond of using a machete, but he’s resourceful and finds unique ways to get the job done.
If you’d like to catch up on the series, there are 11 movies from the franchise available on Max.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ diner from Friday the 13th for sale, plans celebration for big day
