Loop Net. Hajjar's was up for sale. Former site of Lakeview Gardens and the bowling alley as well.
Courtesy of The Patriot Ledger. Wow, this owner of the Weymouth Roller Skating Rink and Lakeview Gardens is something! As of December 22, 2020, she is still alive!
Weymouth Roller Skating Rink 969 Washington Street, East Weymouth, MA
Lakeview Gardens 969 Washington Street, East Weymouth, MA
Lakeview Gardens 969 Washington Street, East Weymouth, MA
Several businesses were at this location, the spot at 969 Washington Street in East Weymouth, Massachusetts starting with a bowling alley, then a roller rink, then a health club but the previous business was the Hajjer's Bar and Grille. The current business had a connection to the roller rink -- the Rink owner, Antoon J. Hajjar. The very same last name as the the previous venue-- Hajjar's. The current venue is now called Mad Hatter. The name sounded almost the same. Likely Hajjar's closed after the co-owner passed away. Tillie who is the widow of Antoon J. Hajjar. She was 96 years old in 2016 when the article was printed about her in Wicked Local Weymouth..
There were 14 bowling lanes when it first opened till they convered to the skating rink. Bowling opened in 1949. But the rink was operational in 1956 to 1983.
I believe the Hajjars owned and operated all of the businesses. Yes, including the bowling alley and the health club as well. I think the Hajjar's was the end of the line.
The location was good since the walking had a 70 point score as public transportation was 29. Smart but I do not know why they kept changing businesses. Must be to follow trends that bowling was in decline before 1956 then caught right time with roller skating till Disco died so they changed to fitness club which caught on in 1980s on. You remember that right? Now, its bars, small restaurants, etc. until 2020 thanks to shutdown globally.
Tillie Hajjar ran the bar and restaurant from 1996 to 2016. By the way, as of August 18, 2020 -- her birthday, Tillie is 100 years old! Oldest rink owner so far!
When a teenage Tillie arrived in Quincy in 1938, newly wed at age 17 after she married Antoon Hajjar who was also from born and raised in Quincy. Tillie, was homesick and speaking no English, she became friendly with her neighbors in a Quincy apartment building. "I don't know how I learned the English, I just catch it," she said. "I took no lessons." She and her late husband worked in the family ice business, started a series of enterprises, raised six sons, and nurtured a sense of optimism and hope. (quoted from The Patriot Ledger, August 18, 2020)
There was a bowling alley, then the roller skating rink she ran for 30 years, a health club for 11 years and finally the restaurant for another 20. When it opened in 1996, it was called Hajjar's Lebanese Cuisine, then Hajjar's Restaurant, and later Hajjar's Bar and Grille. Tillie, who was 75, was the cook, making kibbi, hummus, meat and spinach pies. She always dressed up and after her kitchen work was done, when she would emerge to socialize with the customers and she loved the Sunday jazz entertainment.
Originally the Hajjars and Antoon's family operated ice business so Tillie and Antoon took over in 1942. In 1949, Antoon and Tillie Hajjar open a 14 lanes bowling alley next door to his family’s ice business at 969 Washington St. (Route 53) in Weymouth. But in 1956, after a flood damages the bowling alley, so the Hajjars open the Weymouth Roller Skating Rink in the same location. The whole family works in the business. Then they changed the name to Lakeview Gardens Roller Skating Rink. When the rink closed in 1983, they renovated into a health fitness club called, New England Fitness Center until 1996. Then the Hajjar's.
She just celebrated her 100th birthday this year in 2020. As of December 22, 2020, she is still alive in the midst of COVID crisis.
The Interior.
Originally bowling alley with 14 lanes.
The Exterior.
It was a Gable roofed small building that had a few bowling lanes, then a roller rink then later, a health club then a bar/restaurant (twice), so renovations were quite a bit and is not the same. Hard to tell. But the frontage you can tell was a little odd. Looks like an old fashioned 1800s storefront above the 1950s to 1970s front extension that looked like a motel or even a gas station look. Yes, the Big Boys restaurant look. I mean the architecture if you bear with me. It does look like 2 parts. I think after the rink, they may have added that frontage. I am not sure. God knows. Maybe before. Looks that way.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 10,772 SF. Built: N/A. Demolished: Still standing, currently a restaurant.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 0.8200 Acre.
Operated: 1956 to 1983.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding actual dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Wicked Local Weymouth - Tillie Hajjar as host; Loop Net; Loop Net 2; The Patriot Ledger - Tillie Hijjar's 100th birthday;
Date of issue: 22 December 2020.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
There were 14 bowling lanes when it first opened till they convered to the skating rink. Bowling opened in 1949. But the rink was operational in 1956 to 1983.
I believe the Hajjars owned and operated all of the businesses. Yes, including the bowling alley and the health club as well. I think the Hajjar's was the end of the line.
The location was good since the walking had a 70 point score as public transportation was 29. Smart but I do not know why they kept changing businesses. Must be to follow trends that bowling was in decline before 1956 then caught right time with roller skating till Disco died so they changed to fitness club which caught on in 1980s on. You remember that right? Now, its bars, small restaurants, etc. until 2020 thanks to shutdown globally.
Tillie Hajjar ran the bar and restaurant from 1996 to 2016. By the way, as of August 18, 2020 -- her birthday, Tillie is 100 years old! Oldest rink owner so far!
When a teenage Tillie arrived in Quincy in 1938, newly wed at age 17 after she married Antoon Hajjar who was also from born and raised in Quincy. Tillie, was homesick and speaking no English, she became friendly with her neighbors in a Quincy apartment building. "I don't know how I learned the English, I just catch it," she said. "I took no lessons." She and her late husband worked in the family ice business, started a series of enterprises, raised six sons, and nurtured a sense of optimism and hope. (quoted from The Patriot Ledger, August 18, 2020)
There was a bowling alley, then the roller skating rink she ran for 30 years, a health club for 11 years and finally the restaurant for another 20. When it opened in 1996, it was called Hajjar's Lebanese Cuisine, then Hajjar's Restaurant, and later Hajjar's Bar and Grille. Tillie, who was 75, was the cook, making kibbi, hummus, meat and spinach pies. She always dressed up and after her kitchen work was done, when she would emerge to socialize with the customers and she loved the Sunday jazz entertainment.
Originally the Hajjars and Antoon's family operated ice business so Tillie and Antoon took over in 1942. In 1949, Antoon and Tillie Hajjar open a 14 lanes bowling alley next door to his family’s ice business at 969 Washington St. (Route 53) in Weymouth. But in 1956, after a flood damages the bowling alley, so the Hajjars open the Weymouth Roller Skating Rink in the same location. The whole family works in the business. Then they changed the name to Lakeview Gardens Roller Skating Rink. When the rink closed in 1983, they renovated into a health fitness club called, New England Fitness Center until 1996. Then the Hajjar's.
She just celebrated her 100th birthday this year in 2020. As of December 22, 2020, she is still alive in the midst of COVID crisis.
The Interior.
Originally bowling alley with 14 lanes.
The Exterior.
It was a Gable roofed small building that had a few bowling lanes, then a roller rink then later, a health club then a bar/restaurant (twice), so renovations were quite a bit and is not the same. Hard to tell. But the frontage you can tell was a little odd. Looks like an old fashioned 1800s storefront above the 1950s to 1970s front extension that looked like a motel or even a gas station look. Yes, the Big Boys restaurant look. I mean the architecture if you bear with me. It does look like 2 parts. I think after the rink, they may have added that frontage. I am not sure. God knows. Maybe before. Looks that way.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 10,772 SF. Built: N/A. Demolished: Still standing, currently a restaurant.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 0.8200 Acre.
Operated: 1956 to 1983.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding actual dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Wicked Local Weymouth - Tillie Hajjar as host; Loop Net; Loop Net 2; The Patriot Ledger - Tillie Hijjar's 100th birthday;
Date of issue: 22 December 2020.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.