One Family Owned 7 Restaurants Within 7 Blocks In Atlantic City

Between the 1940’s and early 1950’s, one famous family owned 7 businesses within 7 blocks of one another … all in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

That just may be an unprecedented level of presence and dominance in one concentrated area of one city.

The featured photo above is the interior of the legendary Kornblau’s Restaurant, which was located on the Boardwalk at Virginia Avenue.

And, that’s The Family that I’m referring to. Various members of The Kornblau Family owned the following restaurants, liquor stores and produce market all at the same time:

Kornblau's Restaurant (Virginia Avenue) - Alex, Morris and Max Kornblau

Bienstock's Restaurant (South Carolina Avenue) - Rose Kornblau Bienstock

Liquor Store (South Carolina Avenue) - Millie Kornblau Green

Abe's Restaurant and Bar (Tennessee Avenue) - Anna Kornblau Helrich

Joe's Restaurant (New York Avenue) - Joe Kornblau

Burg's Liquor Store (Kentucky Avenue) - Charlotte Kornblau Burg

Dave's Produce Market (Kentucky Avenue) - Pepi Kornblau Rodman

FUN FACT: During the 1940’s in Atlantic City … Mayor Joseph Altman was the husband of Harry Kornblau's daughter, Lee Kornblau Altman.

Altman was a very popular Mayor and this provided more power and influence to an already very prominent and powerful family.

Kenneth McIntyre, an administrator from the I GREW UP OR LIVED IN ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Facebook Page posed an interesting question recently:

“Why do you think they (Kornblau’s Restaurant) had one at Virginia and Pacific and also Virginia and the Boardwalk? Kind of close together,” wrote McIntyre.

I have never heard of such a thing. Two expansive restaurants owned by the same person and located on the very same block.

However, Len Kornblau directly answered this question … saying:

The one on Pacific Ave was the original.

The property on the Boardwalk became available and was a long walk from Pacific Ave. It also enabled the owners to open up under the Boardwalk since bathing suits were not permitted on the Boardwalk and hence beachcombers could not enter the restaurant. And now you know!

Kornblau’s was a legendary restaurant that compares to any great restaurant or delicatessen that you can find in New York City or any other major city in America.

For those who were born and raised in the Atlantic City, New Jersey area … you no doubt well remember the iconic “Kornblau Special.”

This sandwich was so incredibly good that it was on the menu in the 1960’s at the Stage Door Deli in New York City.

It was literally on the menu by name, “The Kornblau Special.”

The Kornblau Special was also on the daily lunch menu at The Atlantic City Hospital cafeteria.

In case you have forgotten, or, don’t know …

The Kornblau Special is:

A combination of corn beef, coleslaw and Russian dressing on rye bread.

Bon appétit.

SOURCE: http://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org