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Friday, September 20, 2024

Friday Funnies

This post was not meant to be humorous, but it is ironical in so many ways.

This downtown Nashua, NH, diner was never a drive-in during the 50 years it was open for business at the corner of Main and Lake Streets.
Poor Pierre's Restaurant, Nashua NH
But, it instantly became one last month after a large SUV crashed into the building.
Photo credit: Nashua, NH, police department
That's because the former restaurant, which closed several years ago, was for sale. Signage on the window (below arrow) showed it was Approved for Drive-Thru.
Poor Pierre's was a short-lived Mr Hot Dog
Just not in the sense of actually driving into the building. The crash caused damage to the front and side of the eatery, which was subsequently boarded up and remains as such.
Here's another irony, neither the original owner and later his son were named Pierre. An online search did not provide any information on how it got this name.

Poor Pierre's had been a Main Street fixture since 1968 when it was opened by the late Peter Scumniotales in what was formerly a “Mr. Hot Dog” franchise that had lasted less than three years. Scumniotales operated it until his 1964 retirement when it was sold to his son, Chris, before it closed permanently in 2020. 

The property has changed little since then and prospective buyers have come and gone. One proposal was to operate it as a smoke shop. There were rumors that a major pizza company was interested in converting it to a drive-through pizza shop.

While the crash caused damage to the building, there were no reported injuries. The  driver, a Nashua resident was later charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. In this case, the weapon was the SUV. According to a news story, other charges were possible.

Fall foliage is not yet peak in Nashua, NH, and our river walk this week shows it's not far off. New England leaf peeking season will reportedly be very colorful this year.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone
Weather here continues to be warm

24 comments:

Barbara Rogers said...

Sort of funny story about how it became a drive-in! Glad nobody was hurt, though he/she sure has interesting charges. Looking forward to your fall photos as you walk about.

Tom said...

...yes, POOR Pierre's!

Bijoux said...

Poor Pierre’s is right! We had someone here drive into a CVS that was part of a shopping plaza. From what I read, it was an elderly driver who was parked in front along the sidewalk and shifted into drive instead of reverse.

Marie Smith said...

Drive-in indeed. Poor Pierre!

gigi-hawaii said...

Terrible what happened to that restaurant.

Anvilcloud said...

Maybe we'll begin leaf-peeping next week although the following week should be better.

photowannabe said...

Sad play on words. Happy Weekend.
Sue

Sandra said...

Oh, yes. The irony. We don't have fall color yet.

Debbie said...

ooooh this happens so often, well more often than it should around here. always seems they hit the gas pedal instead of the break. that last image, with the reflection, is gorgeous!! i am really sorry i have not visited like i should, i have been so busy!!

Linda P said...

The diner has an interesting history and I'm glad no-one got hurt during the crash. The photo of your apartment block by the river looks glorious.

Jenny Woolf said...

How strange that it has not sold. It looks a perfect drive in, you can just tell from the look of it, and pleasantly retro too. But it is kind of creepy that the guy who crashed into it also had dangerous weapons. The clocktower building looks as if it was once a factory, but what an imposing place looking down at the river.

David said...

Hi Beatrice, We love old diners like this one and its too bad that its closed...and now half destroyed. The English Equivalent for Pierre is Peter... We aren't going to have much color here in East Tennessee this year. It's been much too dry and the leaves won't stay on the trees long either... There's With plenty of moisture west of the Cumberland Plateau and east of us, NC has been inundated. Will be 90 for a couple of days this week as well. Unusual for this time of the year. October is supposed to be our wettest months but only time will tell. We may have to venture north to see some real color... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Wow! What a drive-in! Your photos are lovely. Looking forward to fall that begins on Sunday.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Now we know the difference between drive-through and drive-in!

Red said...

Wow! What a huge apartment complex!

My name is Erika. said...

Our foliage is starting to really change too. And that's too bad about the restaurant. It seems like many buildings are getting hit all over in the last few years compared to what I remember it being before. I'm sure phones have to be involved. Have a great weekend. hugs-Erika

kathyinozarks said...

This is sad to have damaged a long time restaurant. we don't have that much color here-acorns are falling like crazy though and we have in the 90's with high humidity for most of the week. Happy weekend

tz_garden said...

Poor Pierre's, it's shocking when a building gets driven into. I'm glad no one was hurt.

Rita said...

Ironic, yes. Glad no one was hurt. :)

Jeanie said...

Poor Pierre. Irony indeed.

diane b said...

They literally drove in. Love the last photo of the Mill appartments.

baili said...

ironically yess, the driver misunderstood the term
the name of the restaurant make me wonder as well
happy fall and warm days dear Dorothy :)
the clocktower apartment photos below is beautifully captured
blessings to both of you my friend!

anonymous said...

Same thing happened to a pancake house we used to go to for years while visiting Vermont from New Jersey, the elderly owners decided to quit the business after severe damage was done to their little restaurant by a drunk driver. :(
-Rj in CA

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

That is kind of funny with the "possible drive through" sign, but sad, based on the charges it sounds like the driver did that on purpose. Good grief! (I wondered if the name Pierre was meant as a French form of the former owners name which you said was Peter.... not that it matters greatly any more sadly). ..... Autumn sure is beautiful in your neck of the woods!!