'Retro 50's diner' approved

A 50's style diner has been approved at the location of the former Bickford's Restaurant on the Route 1 Bypass traffic circle in Portsmouth.

Seacoast Online

By Elizabeth Dinan

edinan@seacoastonline.com

December 16, 2009

PORTSMOUTH — The former Bickford’s Restaurant on the Route 1 Bypass traffic circle will reopen as a “retro 50’s diner,” tentatively named Roundabout restaurant.

On Tuesday night, Dec. 15, the city’s Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow the new restaurant to operate, by petition of Frederick Bailey III and Joyce Nelson, owners of the $10 million real estate. The couple was granted the variance to “reestablish a restaurant with a bar/tavern” within 200 feet of a residential district” in the former Bickford’s building, which first opened in 1937 as a Howard Johnson’s.

The only stipulation mandated by the BOA is that a gap in a fence along Centre Street be closed, according to city records.

Daniel Posternak of York, Maine, former owner of Muddy River Smokehouse and current owner of Muddy River Catering, will operate the new restaurant. According to Rockingham County Registry of Deeds records, Posternak signed a lease for the restaurant which was effective Dec. 1, 2009, and expires Dec. 31, 2020.

Posternak told the Herald he hopes to open a modern version of a 50’s diner by serving cage-free eggs, naturally raised chicken, a turkey bacon option and turkey meatloaf, in addition to the standards. He described it as “50’s with a twist.”

Before it closed last year, Bickford’s operated as a 24-hour restaurant, while Posternak said Roundabout will likely close at 11 p.m..

“We’ll be a restaurant serving cocktails, not a bar serving food,” he said.

Posternak’s plans also call for an 80-person function room and no live entertainment or amplified music during the evenings.