The restaurant may just as well close for good since they are destroying the main reason folks went there. The food was average but the ambiance was everything. This is so misguided and the new develmont is looking like warehouse living.
As someone who grew up in Medford Massachusetts and a 25 year resident of Saugus, I have seen all the changes in the Saugus to Peabody stretch of U.S. Route 1 and documented some with my photos, I do lament the losses. My wife and myself are not much into Asian cuisine and I can personally say I have only eaten at the Kowloon 3 times. I would have liked to see them incorporate some of the actual details of the current restaurant into the design of the new version. But be that as it may, Route 1 will never be what it was again
I love your pictures and we are so lucky to have them — grateful you were documenting so beautifully when these places were taken for granted by so many. I agree with you Larry, this design is missing a gesture of some kind to the Kowloon and what it meant. Perhaps they are reading these comments. We can hope.
This is about Hilltop memories. Several times a year my whole family, grandparents and all, climbed into two cars and made the drive up Route 1 to the Hilltop Steakhouse. The world whizzed by us from the back seat of my grandfather’s big, black Chrysler Imperial. Large garish road signs of all colors and shapes sprung up from the ground reaching toward the sky. Someday, anthropologists will have a field day discussing this terrain, but for a 12-year-old in the late '60s, it all blended into one colorful mosaic of place. I don’t remember my family eating anyplace else but Hilltop, except perhaps Valle’s Steak House if Hilltop looked too crowded. (Sometimes Kowloon)
Hilltop was famous for what was planted on its lengthy strip of green grass; dozens of life-sized plastic cows and a 68-foot neon cactus sign that must have been uprooted straight out of Las Vegas. No matter how fast one’s car barreled down the highway, you couldn’t miss that sign, and I bet that many a child had pet names for the plastic cows.
Arriving at the event called Hilltop, we all piled out of our cars, received our handwritten number from the hostess, and waited with hundreds of other suburbanite families in a long-covered porch a stone’s throw from the highway. To relieve our boredom, my brother and I chased each other amongst the crowd, and the adults talked adult stuff. The wait seemed like forever before our number came up, but it eventually did.
We then were escorted to and seated in a cavernous western-motif-of-a-room named “Kansas City.” As we settled into our high back, vinyl-upholstered booth, a spunky middle-aged waitress would quickly approach our table to take our orders. Dad, the alpha-male, always made small-talk with the waitress-of-the-day. I felt so proud that he (and vicariously, we) made that connection, however momentary it was.
All around us, loud chatter echoed through the vast wood-paneled room. We witnessed dozens of waitresses scurrying about, gracefully balancing large silver trays covered with up to a dozen steak-plated meals. Hilltop was suburban theater at its best.
Noooooo, not Kowloon. I lived in Southie for several years and used to pass by there often. I haven't been on Route 1 since shortly before I moved to France but I imagine that it looks a lot different now.
As an aside, I loved seeing the Roger Grimsby clip. When I was in elementary school, we were given the assignment to interview someone. I wrote to John Johnson to ask if he would sit for an interview. He declined but sent me a lovely note with an autographed headshot, which I still have.
I wonder when Carvel decided they could call their product "ice cream". Dairy Queen maintains to this day that they cannot legally call their soft serve "ice cream". Of course, this question was not unique to Carvel and DQ, during the 1950s "frozen custard" explosion.
Kowloon has to be the biggest Chinese restaurant I have ever seen. Hard to maintain and justify that much space.
I knew the Cooper Piano piano was coming down. I did not know it was not going back up :-( . But at least it will be saved.
Looks like Macon's Nu-Way Weiners has Chris's beat by one year in terms of age, but not sure if the ownership of Nu-Way has ever changed.
It’s so depressing that Kowloon is going to become what looks like a modern upscale hotel (derogatory), and I’m grateful that one of my besties took me there years ago because it was a singular experience.
The Voodoo Doughnut news reminded me of my recent trip to New Orleans a few weeks ago. I hadn’t been there since 2018, and my husband and I made our way to Tujague’s for some drinks after we dropped our bags at the hotel. I didn’t realize that they had moved (and the wretched story explaining why they had to), but one of the most jaw-dropping details was that the current owner of the original Tujague’s building allegedly wanted to retrofit the original blade sign for Voodoo Doughnut. Fortunately, it has since been donated to the local cocktail museum, but the story is definitely one you’d find interesting.
Great writing about the demise of Kowloon as we know it. Too bad they couldn't keep some authenticity in the new structure. Kowloon along with Hilltop, the ORANGE dinosaur, the Blue Star Bar-technically on Lynn Fells Parkway. And dozens of other kitschy, iconic signs and stores that made Saugus special.
The restaurant may just as well close for good since they are destroying the main reason folks went there. The food was average but the ambiance was everything. This is so misguided and the new develmont is looking like warehouse living.
Well said Richard. It is beyond disappointing.
Wow, a post about two New England institutions, Kowloon and Wise Chips! Great stuff.
As someone who is from the Pretzel Belt in PA, that's so cool that Wise became so beloved in New England!
Agree!
Thank you Bob! This was a fun one!
As someone who grew up in Medford Massachusetts and a 25 year resident of Saugus, I have seen all the changes in the Saugus to Peabody stretch of U.S. Route 1 and documented some with my photos, I do lament the losses. My wife and myself are not much into Asian cuisine and I can personally say I have only eaten at the Kowloon 3 times. I would have liked to see them incorporate some of the actual details of the current restaurant into the design of the new version. But be that as it may, Route 1 will never be what it was again
I love your pictures and we are so lucky to have them — grateful you were documenting so beautifully when these places were taken for granted by so many. I agree with you Larry, this design is missing a gesture of some kind to the Kowloon and what it meant. Perhaps they are reading these comments. We can hope.
This is about Hilltop memories. Several times a year my whole family, grandparents and all, climbed into two cars and made the drive up Route 1 to the Hilltop Steakhouse. The world whizzed by us from the back seat of my grandfather’s big, black Chrysler Imperial. Large garish road signs of all colors and shapes sprung up from the ground reaching toward the sky. Someday, anthropologists will have a field day discussing this terrain, but for a 12-year-old in the late '60s, it all blended into one colorful mosaic of place. I don’t remember my family eating anyplace else but Hilltop, except perhaps Valle’s Steak House if Hilltop looked too crowded. (Sometimes Kowloon)
Hilltop was famous for what was planted on its lengthy strip of green grass; dozens of life-sized plastic cows and a 68-foot neon cactus sign that must have been uprooted straight out of Las Vegas. No matter how fast one’s car barreled down the highway, you couldn’t miss that sign, and I bet that many a child had pet names for the plastic cows.
Arriving at the event called Hilltop, we all piled out of our cars, received our handwritten number from the hostess, and waited with hundreds of other suburbanite families in a long-covered porch a stone’s throw from the highway. To relieve our boredom, my brother and I chased each other amongst the crowd, and the adults talked adult stuff. The wait seemed like forever before our number came up, but it eventually did.
We then were escorted to and seated in a cavernous western-motif-of-a-room named “Kansas City.” As we settled into our high back, vinyl-upholstered booth, a spunky middle-aged waitress would quickly approach our table to take our orders. Dad, the alpha-male, always made small-talk with the waitress-of-the-day. I felt so proud that he (and vicariously, we) made that connection, however momentary it was.
All around us, loud chatter echoed through the vast wood-paneled room. We witnessed dozens of waitresses scurrying about, gracefully balancing large silver trays covered with up to a dozen steak-plated meals. Hilltop was suburban theater at its best.
This is an extraordinary comment! Thank you Howard! I will share it with a wider audience in a future note.
Much appreciated. I am most grateful.
Noooooo, not Kowloon. I lived in Southie for several years and used to pass by there often. I haven't been on Route 1 since shortly before I moved to France but I imagine that it looks a lot different now.
As an aside, I loved seeing the Roger Grimsby clip. When I was in elementary school, we were given the assignment to interview someone. I wrote to John Johnson to ask if he would sit for an interview. He declined but sent me a lovely note with an autographed headshot, which I still have.
Amazing! What a treasure to have! I’m working with John on a documentary about his career!
I wonder when Carvel decided they could call their product "ice cream". Dairy Queen maintains to this day that they cannot legally call their soft serve "ice cream". Of course, this question was not unique to Carvel and DQ, during the 1950s "frozen custard" explosion.
Kowloon has to be the biggest Chinese restaurant I have ever seen. Hard to maintain and justify that much space.
I knew the Cooper Piano piano was coming down. I did not know it was not going back up :-( . But at least it will be saved.
Looks like Macon's Nu-Way Weiners has Chris's beat by one year in terms of age, but not sure if the ownership of Nu-Way has ever changed.
Great insights as always!
It’s so depressing that Kowloon is going to become what looks like a modern upscale hotel (derogatory), and I’m grateful that one of my besties took me there years ago because it was a singular experience.
The Voodoo Doughnut news reminded me of my recent trip to New Orleans a few weeks ago. I hadn’t been there since 2018, and my husband and I made our way to Tujague’s for some drinks after we dropped our bags at the hotel. I didn’t realize that they had moved (and the wretched story explaining why they had to), but one of the most jaw-dropping details was that the current owner of the original Tujague’s building allegedly wanted to retrofit the original blade sign for Voodoo Doughnut. Fortunately, it has since been donated to the local cocktail museum, but the story is definitely one you’d find interesting.
I did not know that! Thank you for that tidbit, Elizabeth, and this terrific comment!
https://boston.eater.com/2018/8/29/17777988/old-route-1-restaurants-disappearing-road-trip-photo-essay
❤️
Great writing about the demise of Kowloon as we know it. Too bad they couldn't keep some authenticity in the new structure. Kowloon along with Hilltop, the ORANGE dinosaur, the Blue Star Bar-technically on Lynn Fells Parkway. And dozens of other kitschy, iconic signs and stores that made Saugus special.
Well said and thanks for the kind words!
My pleasure!