After arriving in America with $30 in his pocket, Greece native Alexander Loupessis would go on to build the successful and popular Latham 76 Diner on Loudon Road.
Through hard work and diligence, the diner, founded in 1973, has been a steadfast landmark for thousands of hungry travelers and locals. For 33 years, the 76 Diner has operated for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, only closing once due to an October snowstorm in 1987. Today is the 19th anniversary of the one day the diner closed its doors.
In partial retirement, Alex Loupessis instilled that same work ethic in his two children and made them vow that the Latham landmark stay open, even upon his death.
Tragically, the Loupessis children would have to stick to that promise sooner than they had hoped.
At 1:50 a.m., Friday, Sept. 29, Alex Loupessis, 74, was killed when his Toyota Land Cruiser rolled over while traveling south on the Northway in a rainstorm, said State Police.
According to police, Loupessis’ wife, Athena, was driving the vehicle when heavy road spray from a passing tractor-trailer limited visibility.
Unable to see out of the windshield, Athena Loupessis drifted onto the west shoulder of the highway near the Exit 8 overpass. The vehicle climbed a slight embankment and rolled over, ejecting Alex Loupessis, who was in the front seat, out of the vehicle’s sunroof. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Athena Loupessis was transported to Saratoga Hospital where she was treated and released for minor head injuries. Alcohol and speed were not factors, said police.
The morning after the accident, the lights over the 76 Diner still welcomed patrons. It was what Alex would have wanted, said Tony Loupessis, president of the diner, and Alex’s son.
Anyone who knows him knows that he wouldn’t have wanted the restaurant to close ever. He told me that, said Tony. `How do you honor him? The best way to do that is to keep it open.`
In the days following his father’s death, Tony mainly kept to the offices in the rear of the diner. The number of people who shared stories about his father, and had come to eat and offer condolences took him by surprise. However, it wasn’t long until the overwhelming community support and love for his father brought Tony back out front and to the support of a grieving and thankful community.
Tony and his sister, Diamantina, `Tina,` grew up in the popular diner.
`It was more like my daycare center back then,` said Tony. `At four, I can remember folding the cardboard boxes to put the pastries in. As I got older I would stand on a milk basket and roll dough with my father,` he said.
Alex was the baker, the bookkeeper, the manager and chef. Through the years he would relinquish some positions and their responsibility to others as the business became successful. Although Alex may have lacked the schooling of many successful businessmen, many would know him as an astute business leader.
Some diner patrons came to pay their respects and help out the family carry on Alex’s wish to stay open.
`On the day it happened I returned to see if I could help out,` said Frank Burns, 61.
Burns developed a friendship with Alex in 1975, two years after he opened shop on Loudon Road. The relationship was rooted in business but quickly became a close friendship, said Burns.
Burns helped Alex with the books of the successful diner, he said.
Alex was `big hearted, strong and a powerful man,` whose cheesecake kept many coming back for more, he said.
`He and Athena brought this up from nothing to a tremendous establishment. He did whatever had to be done,` said Burns.
The Loupessis children are the same way, Burns added.
The 280-seat establishment would remain open through memorial and funeral services held today, said Tony. Each of the diner’s 181 menu items will be available, including Alex’s favorite, Greek spaghetti.“