If you have not visited the Dairy Queen on South Avenue recently, stop in and say hello to the Albanese family. Not only is the place remodeled and expanded, it now offers a lot more than ice cream treats. And if you want the "dish" on South Avenue, it's also info central as the home base of the Plainwood Square Merchants Association.
If this photo portrait doesn't make you smile, you are probably a certifiable curmudgeon. A cruise ship photographer cajoled Mr. Albanese into taking some dance steps for the camera, with this happy result. It was later used on invitations to Mr. Albanese's 80th birthday celebration and now hangs prominently in the expanded wing of the store.
The scrapbooks compiled by Donna Albanese on her family and its history as a business and force for good will in the community live on in custom-made showcases on the walls of the seating area. The Albanese family is legendary for its support of city causes and more recently for its advocacy of organ donation.
The showcases hold photos and also numerous news articles about the family and its many contributions to Plainfield, as merchants, mentors to youth and civic leaders. It is nourishing to one's spirit to see what this family has done. Even though I have reported on the Albanese family several times, I was impressed all over again!--Bernice
Oh please. The royal family? All you are doing is perpetuating the myth that Donna Albanese has been trying to shove down people's throats ever since I can remember. Yes, they are a hard working family, but royalty, I hardly think so. That business will not be nearly as affected by the construction on South Ave as will the other merchants because their business is seasonal. This project was due to begin during the summer months when all the business would have been impacted equally. What did it take to delay the project as not to hurt their own pockets. Huh, maybe they are royalty after all.
ReplyDelete@11:34AM: Gee whiz, it was only a little play on words (Dairy Queen ... royalty?)and a positive take on a local business. Where's the think-good-thoughts-about-Plainfield squad when a blogger needs them?
ReplyDeleteHonestly...our Dairy Queen in Plainfield is in the Top 5 Things I brag about regarding Plainfield.
ReplyDeleteAnd agree with you Bernice...anonymous couldn't get that??? Thank God you didn't mention the local owner of the Burger King in the same story!