What We Lose When an Affordable, Ordinary Place with an Identity Closes

On a recent afternoon, my son and I drove by our local Friendly’s only to see that it was closed and surrounded by a fence. No notice. No farewell.

Just a place that had been an important part of our lives, suddenly sealed off. We were both devastated. My son didn’t hide it.

I tried to mask my feelings in front of him, but failed. For nearly 40 years in Riverhead, New York, Friendly’s was a place families returned to regularly; not because it was remarkable, but because it was reliable. It had a clear identity: diner-like, welcoming to all, friendly to families, and built around small pleasures and simple rituals that didn’t need explanation.

Friendly’s understood its role in this community. It was a place where families could sit together without feeling rushed or out of place. Where chil