The Goodfellas (Clinton) Diner at Rust Street and Maspeth Avenue experienced a horrible fire the afternoon of June 12th. The diner had closed for the day when around 4:30pm it was noticed by neighbors that smoke was rising from the building. The fire began in the kitchen area and responding firefighters opened up the roof and broke all the windows to let the heat escape and doused the kitchen and dining areas with water. The resulting widespread damage has forced its closure. We wish the Diamantis family all the best in rebuilding, which is the path they have indicated they would take. The diner's retro décor provided a popular setting for film shoots and it's sorely missed right now.

Sadly, on August 11th, another local eatery suffered the same fate. An “all hands” fire broke out at Steve’s Pizza on Eliot Avenue. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the business was destroyed. Damage also occurred to neighboring businesses. The cause was likely electrical. We wish Stefano Tarantola and everyone else affected the best as they recover from the damage.