Retro 50 Diner, a venerable Coney Island eatery off the Cropsey Avenue exit of the Belt Parkway, was abruptly shuttered last weekend, leaving many in the community scratching their heads attempting to figure out what became of Coney Island’s only traditional stand-alone diner.

“Is there nothing on the door that says ‘Summer Vacation’ or anything?” asked a disbelieving Judy Orlando of Astella Development Corporation, a non-profit community-improvement organization.

Orlando said that because of its location just off the Belt Parkway, the diner drew many more motorists than pedestrians. Citing a nearby Pathmark, as well as a Home Depot and a Linens ‘n’ Things that have sprung up in recent years, Orlando was surprised the diner did not benefit from the increased vehicle traffic.

“There’s so much stuff around there now. If anything, I would think business would be better than ever before,” she said.

Chuck Reichenthal, District Manager of the local Community Board 13, was similarly mystified. “It’s hard to imagine that it couldn’t make it a go of it in that spot,” he said. “But obviously there are things beyond our understanding.”

Reichenthal said that the Community Board had not fielded any questions about the closing of the diner. Spokespeople for Coney Island’s local elected officials – Senator Diane Savino, Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny, and Councilmember Domenic Recchia – all said that their offices hadn’t received any calls about the matter either.

A diner has occupied the site of Retro 50 for 30 years, but was known as the Nebraska Diner before changing ownership and its name several years ago.

Kenny Jones, a Coney Island community leader, was not so surprised to hear of Retro 50’s closing, saying that the quality of the restaurant had dropped off in recent years.

“It wasn’t the way it used to be,” Jones said. “One person I talked to said it has been doing badly with clientele recently. It used to be packed, you used to have to wait on line, but now the place is completely empty sometimes.”

“From talking to people, it doesn’t seem like it’s that much of a mystery. It was just a matter of time,” he concluded.

A short but friendly note posted on Retro 50’s locked front door read: “Thank you for your patronage over the past thirty years! We have closed the diner and wish you all the best!”

The letter was signed off by “Johnny, Family, and the Retro 50 Diner,” but attempts to ascertain and contact the owners of Retro 50 have been unsuccessful as of press time.

The owner of the property on which the diner sits – listed on numerous City Finance and Buildings records as Kaloukas Management Corp. – could not be reached either.

Either way, it appears that Coney Island residents and the many motorists who pass by Retro 50 will have to make do. “It’s a real loss to the community,” Reichenthal summarized. “What a shame.”

Originally published online here: http://www.baynewsbrooklyn.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=18685070&BRD=2384&PAG=461&dept_id=552847&rfi=6