Mountain Lakes December 2025 by Wainscot Media

Mountain Lakes

&

BOONTON TOWNSHIP

A WORLDWIDE STORY

JOHN BARR’S DEBUT NOVEL FULL STEAM AHEAD AT THE TRAIN STATION STORE

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Mountain Lakes veteran John Barr talks writing his debut new novel, a successful military career, and finding a home in the Borough. 16 Not Your Average Grandmother

Long-time Laker Natalie Grabow takes us inside her Ironman World Championship feat.

20 What’s in a Name?

Step into Paul’s Diner, where family is as important as food.

24 Full Steam Ahead

The Train Station store is a Mountain Lakes staple. Look beyond the tracks at a storied history filled with humor, joy, and a deep community connection.

AROUND TOWN Holiday Happenings

@BOONTON Old Keys, New Doors

Photograph by Antonietta Henry

tTHAT’S A WRAP

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON, not only for the holidays, but for the New Year as well. Blink twice if you can’t believe it!

We’ve made our lists, checked them twice, and it’s a race to the finish.

As we get ready to close out the year, we wanted to call attention to the achievements of individuals right here in your community. Mountain Lakes is home to Natalie Grabow, the oldest female triathlete to compete in the Ironman World Championship. She lets us in on her world of training, races, and life as a Laker.

We also shared coffee with veteran, Realtor, and new author John Barr, who shared the backstory of his debut espionage thriller, “Summer of the Dragon.” The book draws from his military experiences in South Korea and is a fascinating read.

And finally, we had to include an eatery; who doesn’t love a good New Jersey diner story?

Turn the pages to read about Pauls Diner, a restaurant that is a self-proclaimed “home away from home” with an intriguing history.

So, no matter what you celebrate, or even if you opt out of the hooplah, the winter solstice makes for some sort of internal shift that inspires slipping on fleece-lined hoodies and flannel pajamas.

Stir up the cocoa, whip up some ‘nog and cue up the classics—movies, books or shows—until life tells you otherwise.

Happy holidays to all and “to all a good night,” at least until next year.

P.S. If between now and the New Year, you have any story ideas, please feel free to give me a shoutout: Ellen.Wilkowe@ Wainscotmedia.com or message me @mountainlakesmag.

Ellen S. Wilkowe Editor

Mountain Lakes

& BOONTON TOWNSHIP MAGAZINE

Publisher

Thomas Flannery

thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com (201) 571-2252

Sales Director

Maryam Taghipour

maryam.taghipour@wainscotmedia.com (212) 495-9918

Editor Ellen S. Wilkowe

Writer

Donna Del Moro

Photographers

Antonietta Henry Ranjan O. Bose

WAINSCOT MEDIA

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President and CEO

Mark Dowden

Regional Publisher Jodi Bruker

VP, Content Strategy

Maria Regan

Creative Director

Kijoo Kim

Art Director

Rosemary O’Connell

Executive Editor Elaine Paoloni Quilici

Associate Editor

Sophia Carlisle

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Catherine Rosario

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Print Production Manager Fern Meshulam

Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden

Mountain Lakes + Boonton Township magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2025 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS SHARKEY

Holiday Happenings

Enjoy the holiday season around the area with these fun and family-friendly events!

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

CUE UP THE CAROLS, march like a Nutcracker, and slip into the ugliest holiday sweater yet. Here’s what’s going on in Mountain Lakes this holiday season.

LIGHTS ON!

Mountain Lakes and nearby Boonton recently turned up the holiday spirit as evidenced by the recently lit tree at the intersection of Briarcliff Road and Boulevard. Santa came to town, assisted by the Mountain Lakes Fire Department, and the Mountain Lakes High School Chamber and brass ensembles added music to the merriment.

The tree will remain lit throughout the holiday season and will keep good company with the Borough’s public menorah lighting on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. Come for the lighting but stay for the latkes. Hanukkah begins Sunday at sundown and ends on Monday, Dec. 22.

SANTALAND

Santa Claus will make guest appearances at his weekend residence outside the North Pole in Boonton. A staple since 1963, Santaland debuted in town as a trailer in Grace Lord Park. Then, the fire department got to work and built him the brick building that stands today.

Santaland is located on North Main Street next to the Water Department and is open Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m.

Just in time for the winter solstice, Santa will be coming to town, the town of Boonton that is. Come Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Santa will be making his way to a street near you!

INDOOR ATTRACTION

Come in from the cold and take refuge in the Mountain Lakes Public Library, future home of the eco-friendly Critter Tree. A tradition forged between the Mountain Lakes Garden Club and the third-grade members of The Junior Nature Club, the tree is trimmed with hand-crafted animal-themed ornaments created from natural materials.

The intergenerational collaboration took root after the garden club visited the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania to learn how to make their ornaments using natural materials.

Inspired by the process, the garden club rolled out its first critter workshop, an annual tradition entering its 29th year, says Mountain Lakes Garden Club President Nancy Bigelson.“The delightful tree has been a fixture at the Mountain Lakes Library,” she says. The critter tree will be up mid-December after the kids decorate it.

THE ART OF A CRAFT

Stumped for a gift? Why not try your hand at woodburning, a.k.a. Pyrography? This two-hour crash course includes all materials and guided instruction. Learn how to use a woodburning tool, practice basic strokes, and learn how to incorporate stencils and graphite paper to create a masterpiece.

This event is on Dec. 10 at Borough Hall in Mountain Lakes. Participants can select the 4 to 6 p.m. or 7 to 9 p.m. session. Class size is limited to 15 and costs is $20.

To register go to: https://bit.ly/3XmWUt0

THE NEW YMCA

It’s the time of year when holiday lists transition into New Year’s resolutions and the Mountain Lakes Area Family YMCA is ready to get you to the finish line even as they cross one of their own. Since August, the Y has been leveling up to a space where families work out side-by-side, technology kicks it up a notch, and every corner invites inclusivity.

As ground broke, so did the barriers sectioning teens from adults. Now, members 12 and up can break a sweat right alongside family members. The redesign is equally focused on space as it is machines. To date, a new state-of-the-art cycle room is taking shape as are small group training zones and the EGYM Smart Circuit for those crunched for time. The express workout is tailored to individual fitness levels and goals.

The Y is located at 100 Fanny Rd. in Mountain Lakes.

Old Keys, NEW DOORS

Boonton’s Tyndale II revives a family’s legacy in art.

BY DONNA DEL MORO

“OLD KEYS CAN open new doors” welcomes shoppers into the Tyndale II Art Shoppe on Main Street, but the sign also captures a generational family story as told through the lens of current owner Beverly Tindall.

The different spelling is intentional as Tyndale II pays homage to the continuity of a beloved local business started by Beverly’s father-in-law, Hal Tindall Sr., who left the corporate world in 1985 to pursue his passion for art. Naming the shop Tyndale Collection—after the English spelling of his surname and the River Tyne region—Hal and his wife, Marjorie, ran the store for more than 35 years, becoming fixtures in Boonton’s downtown. Customers remember Hal’s deep knowledge of artists, techniques, and history, and his knack for pairing each visitor with just the right piece.

Opposite: Bev Tindall welcomes you to Tyndale II Art Shoppe in Boonton, New Jersey. This page, top left: Marjorie Tindall in the shop years ago. Right: Harold A. Tindall in his shop years ago.

A NEW CHAPTER

When the pandemic shuttered the original shop in 2020, Beverly Tindall, a retired West Orange teacher and Pequannock resident, decided to carry on the torch.

Drawing on her art-history background and research skills, she spent three years preparing to reopen the gallery as Tyndale II, officially welcoming guests in November 2024.

The reborn shop retains the warmth and scholarship of its founder while adding new community-minded touches. Tindall hosts First Friday Painting Stations, inviting passersby to create small works of art with supplies she provides. Seasonal displays, rotating artwork, and QR codes with artist stories encourage learning and connection—bridging Boonton’s past and present.

In fact, in time for the upcoming holiday season, Tindall will begin rotating in winter landscapes and Christmas specific pieces (nativity,

Rockwell, Santa…) She will also do a 25% off holiday sale.

“There’s nothing like giving the gift of artwork for the holidays,” Tindall says. “It’s both a lasting treasure and a valued investment.”

In addition to support from the Boonton community, the re-opening of the gallery was a true family affair. Thanks to Beverly, her husband, children and longtime patrons, Tyndale II has become more than a gallery: It’s a place that reflects Boonton’s artistic soul.

“Every time a visitor finds a piece that speaks to them,” Tindall adds, “I think of Hal and know we’re keeping his legacy alive.”

Tyndale II is located at 902A Main St. in Boonton. Visit in person or online at www.tyndale2.com.

Donna Del Moro is a freelance writer who has lived in Pequannock for 34 years.

A Worldwide STORY

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

JJOHN BARR’S COLDWELL Banker office illustrates a successful career in real estate as well as a decorated one in the military.

A sense of humor is also on display: A “complaints” sign is accompanied by a hand grenade. It’s inactive of course, but serves as a keepsake from the three tours he completed in Korea, where his collective experiences as a U.S. Army Intelligence officer helped shape the plot for his debut novel: “Summer of the Dragons.”

Love, loyalty, and betrayal are at the helm of this thriller, as are rich character development eclipsed by historical context: A U.S. army intelligence officer investigating anti-American sentiment and a biological attack.

The added complications of love in the form of a North Korean spy posing as a college professor adds a probable link to the attack. But don’t forget about

politics and corruption: Two nations in pursuit of a peace treaty, blinded by their pursuits of the Nobel peace prize.

In addition to a landscape of espionage, romance, and corruption, the novel brings attention to the political historical landscape of the often-overlooked nation of South Korea.

For example, Barr asks: “What is the purpose of the continued U.S. military presence on the peninsula? Is it protected from the nuclear-armed North?” 70 years have passed since the Armistice Agreement put an end to fighting in the Korean War; Barr challenges us to question the future of a peace treaty.

Steeped in symbolism, the title connects the significance of the dragon in Asian culture as an archetype of wisdom, power, and dominance. The dragon further connects the

two opposing characters and is the assigned nickname for Choi-Jae-ha, the North Korean assassin and special warfare infiltrator, who is known for his ability to survive impossible situations. “It’s what his peers called the luck of the dragon,” says Barr.

A mark of strength and resilience, the dragon also surfaces as a tattoo on the protagonist, the U.S. army intelligence officer Jesse Cullin.

“Though enemies, Jesse and Jae-ha share qualities that make them like opposite sides of the same coin— similar yet fundamentally different,” he says.

Truth in fiction aside, Barr has a biographical story of his own to tell. Namely, how did this native Long Islander and University of South Carolina graduate who called South Korea a home base, establish roots as a civilian in Mountain Lakes?

Mountain Lakes veteran pens Korean-based thriller.

FIRST STOP: THE NEWSROOM

The great-grandson of a newspaperman, Barr followed suit, picking a journalism major and then switching to social sciences and history. After graduating from Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina, he worked at the family newspaper, The Sikestown Standard, now The Standard Democrat. Here, Barr crafted human-interest stories and covered community events. He also put in time as an advertising representative, musing that being tasked with creating campaigns for John Deere tractor left him less than enthused. “Like Don Draper in Mad Men,” he quips.

But he wanted more.

“I just wasn’t quite sure what,” he says. “I thought joining the Army would be a great experience.”

At the recruiting office, Barr asked whether the Army had any opportunities for a journalist. The question roused immediate suspicion.

“The recruiter asked if I was planning to write a book about the Army,” he says. “He was wondering if that was my real motivation.”

Regardless, there were no openings in the journalism realm, not even for a somewhat related role of public affairs specialist.

After taking a practice vocational aptitude test, Barr was steered toward the Army Security Agency.

“I was told that it was one of the smartest and most selective branches in the Army,” he says. “You deploy overseas, receive bonuses for learning certain languages, get a top-secret

clearance, and enjoy a few other perks. I said, ‘I’m in.’”

Barr enlisted in the Army in 1976 and studied Korean at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. Having mastered Korean, he was assigned to the Army Security Agency and deployed to South Korea to a region near the demilitarized zone. Throughout his advancing career, he held multiple roles, such as liaison to South Korean intelligence agencies, and completed a tour with the National Security Agency. Barr was honorably discharged in 2001.

CREATING A FOUNDATION

In addition to his novel, his military career is also responsible for his marriage. He met his wife, Yong Suk during his time in the military, and the two married in South Korea.

20 years in the making, the novel took a nudge from Barr’s oldest daughter Keely for him to reunite with his pen and put it all to page. The book even includes a detailed glossary, which serves as a military, historical, and cultural guide for the reader.

“Summer of the Dragons” is available through Amazon as well as on loan at The Mountain Lakes Public Library.

In addition to captivating the reader, Barr is hoping that the book will shine a light on the often-overlooked nation of South Korea that lives in the shadow of its northern nuclear-powered tyrannical counterpart.

This page, clockwise from top left: A display of John Barr’s military history. Medals given to John Barr when in South Korea. Medals on display of Major John Barr’s service in the U.S. Army from 1976 to 2001.

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: John Barr with his wife Yong Suk Barr in South Korea in cultural wedding clothing. A special acknowledgement for Mountain Lakes residents, the Lakers Pride Award, presented to Yong Suk Barr. Barr poses next to a Coldwell Banker Realty sign.

LIFE IN MOUNTAIN LAKES

As for his day job as vice president of Coldwell Banker, he is very much at ease, and the market is good, an upward trend as indicated in his latest reports.

His children have long since left the nest, and Barr and his wife have found themselves to be the proud grandparents to a toddler named Oliver.

As if responding to her childhood on the move, his youngest daughter developed a case of wanderlust of her own. She up and moved to Spain for two years.

When Barr is not immersed in real estate matters or writing, he continues to indulge his passions for history and politics. In the meantime, be on the lookout for a sequel.

“This one won’t take me 20 years to write,” he adds.

Spoiler alert: It’s called “Rise of the Hwarang.”

Ellen S. Wilkowe is a freelance writer and former journalist living in neighboring Denville.

Not Your Average Grandmother

Long-time Laker Natalie Grabow takes us inside her Ironman World Championship feat.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

SSWIM. BIKE. RUN. REPEAT? It is a cycle, make that a bicycle, that Natalie Grabow, an 80-year-old grandmother of four, repeated often enough for her to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

A Guiness World Record’s certificate in her home authenticates her as the oldest woman to ever have achieved such a feat, and the Borough of Mountain Lakes awarded her a proclamation complete with a spot on their digital billboard outside of town hall. Grabow’s fireplace mantle boasts a score of wooden bowls,

Ironman’s version of achievements and a testament to her dedicated participation. “I’ve competed 11 times,” she says.

Scores of medals and multiple bulletin boards boasting her racing bibs furnish her workout room downstairs. As the races keep coming, she’s pressed for space for future bibs. “I’m going to need another board soon,” she says. Amid the medals and bibs, a simple racing bike, about 18 years old, is where the magic happens.

Her stats for the Kona race tell all: 16 hours, 45 minutes, and 26 seconds.

The last woman to secure the title of oldest female world champion was aged 78.

Following her win, she has been courted by the press, including prominent media outlets such as National Public Radio, The New York Times, nj.com, Business Insider, and she even carved out time for her newish hometown magazine.

Grabow was also preparing for an interview with NBC’s Tom Llamas, and welcomed the change of wardrobe from racing gear to more formal wear. “I’ll be dressing nice for that,” she jokes.

Opposite page: Natalie Grabow holds the Borough of Mountain Lakes proclamation in her honor. This page: Natalie Grabow with her Guinness World Records certificate.

TO THE RACES

So, how did this Mountain Lakes High School Class of 1963 graduate, mother of two and grandmother of four, find herself at the finish line of one of the world’s most coveted hardcore races that involves 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running?

There is no real backstory of high school athletic bragging rights, though she was a cheerleader, and there were societal constraints to contend with and on women in particular.

“There were no women’s sports back then in the ’60s,” she said. “We had to wear skirts to class. It was a long time ago, and it’s hard to believe that’s the way it was.”

Well, she showed them, even if it came later than sooner to make it to the present. Grabow’s competitive career took shape as a slow-build momentum, much like racing itself. Prior to entering the athletic realm and furnishing her home with medals, she attended

Bucknell College in Pennsylvania, hitting the books and majoring in math. As for fitness? “My only form of exercise was walking,” she quips.

After graduating, she landed a job as a software engineer at the former Bell Labs in Holmdel, where she met her husband of 56 years, Paul.

When her two daughters were in second and fifth grades, Grabow came full circle to Mountain Lakes to raise them. Her oldest, Jen Peifly, teaches at Briarcliff Middle School in town, while her youngest, Amy Rousseau, lives in California.

Grabow’s initial stab at sports came in the form of a ski club at work, and then she added tennis to the lineup, also later in life. After returning to work, she took up running. Next came the Stairmaster, an extra measure to remain active in her 40s and 50s. It built from there and soon she was tackling 5Ks, 10Ks, and eventually half marathons. This left the last checkbox, swimming, and she looked no farther than the Mountain

Lakes Family YMCA to test the waters. “I mostly watched people and would ask them questions, and I would watch videos,” she says, referring to how she is a self-taught swimmer.

Grabow is the first to admit that swimming remains the most challenging part of the race. She describes a crowded field where contestants are vying for space in addition to speed. More often than not, swimmers inadvertently bump into each other, especially when switching from freestyle to breaststroke, she says.

She entered her first triathlon in 2005, a half-triathlon, a 70.3 mile “shorter” feat that halves the distance of the Ironman.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Her later-in-life athletic career has connected her with neighboring competitive athletes, including Angie Dello of Boonton Township. A triathlete for four plus years, Dello regularly trains with Grabow at the YMCA and has

Left: Indoor bike training at home. Right: Some of Grabow’s many racing bibs.

joined her on many bike rides around town.

“Natalie’s constant dedication to her training—her miles of running, hours of biking and swimming, commitment to strength training, and knowing when to rest and recover—made this incredible accomplishment possible,” Dello says. “She truly inspires people of all ages to believe that anything is possible.”

Grabow was also accompanied in Kona by her Laker counterparts Katy Roberts and Christ Ghebhart, both of whom competed in the 55 to 59 age group. Katy crossed the finish line in 13 hours, 27 minutes, and 27 seconds.

To the tune of friends who run together have fun together, Roberts, Ghebhart, and Grabow have caravaned together in the name of personal bests. Their most recent excursions? Three back-to-back half Ironman races in a period of six months.

“It’s always fun to race with friends,” says Roberts, who was recently in

Marbella, Spain competing in a 70.3 half triathlon.

On the family front, Grabow’s two daughters stand proud by their mom and her supportive husband cheers her on as well. “He’s a sweetheart,” she says. “He’s very happy for me.”

Her youngest Amy accompanied her mom to Kona as did her coach Michelle Lake of Fiv3 Racing.

Across the finish line, Grabow was congratulated by Cherie Gruenfeld, who, at 78, held the running title of oldest female to finish the Ironman World Championship. That was in 2022.

When it comes to training, Grabow enlists the assistance of online coaches who set the agenda. “I am good at following directions,” she jokes.

Since stepping off the plane and amid a media frenzy, Grabow still keeps her training in regular rotation. A sample session may include 40 minutes of running, an hour-long bike ride, and taking on the pool.

Mind you, this is in the off season.

As triathlon day approaches, she ramps up the workouts to almost six hours of biking and two hours and change of running.

She also adheres to a standard diet, balanced but hardly restrictive, especially given her level of activity. “I do eat a lot,” she says, giving a mention to Cheerios and blueberries as a typical breakfast. The triathlon provides food on the ready, such as energy gels or quick snacks.

While she enjoys her elevated status, she takes none of it for granted, especially with her husband as well as high school friends challenged by mobility issues.

“It’s great to be able to move,” she says. “Everybody is different, and some people can’t move at my age. I consider myself lucky.”

In looking ahead to next year, she’s already got two half Ironmans in the works for June. Stay tuned, this woman is not stopping anytime soon.

From top: All of Natalie Grabow’s Ironman bowls. JMore displays of Natalie Grabow’s achievements.

What’s in a Name?

Step into Paul’s Diner, where family is as important as food.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

NNAME CHANGING CAN be game changing, and in a town that prides itself on historic preservation, Paul’s Family Diner on Route 46 is no exception. During the brief time when the namesake diner was switched out to City Lights, the community responded with backlash, and Paul’s reverted back to the original name.

Now, Paul’s, the legendary circa 1947 diner known for classic comfort food and big portions, lives on as a Borough institution. That’s just one memory of the younger Paul Zorlas, a lifelong Laker and grandson of the

late Paul Zorlas, the original owner, a Greek immigrant who built the diner from the ground up. Paul, who pretty much grew up in the diner, knows the history well. While not quite in the family picture yet, he spoke of a time when Route 46 was all but a dirt road and diners resembled traditional rail or “lunch” cars.

“There was actually a company that made the rail cars, and they would be delivered on a flat bed,” he says. “When the diner grew to capacity, another larger rail car would take its place.”

Customers would dine countertop-

style, the grill and cooks in plain view. This was post-World War II, and business in the area was booming. Factories gave rise to swing shifts as well as standard-issue late-night revelers in need of a bite.

“It was the ‘last food until Pennsylvania,’ stop before Route 80 came about,” Paul says. Paul’s Diner accommodated round-the-clock culture by remaining open 24 hours, 364 days of the year. “We were closed on Christmas and on Christmas Eve. My grandfather used to hand out free Manhattans,” he says.

A LONG HISTORY

The Zorlas family poured 50 years into the business and sold it following the death of its patriarch founder, the eldest Paul Zorlas.

The new owners, who were two brothers and responsible for the unpopular name change, took over only to pass the baton to current proprietor John Koletis, near the turn of the century. An established restauranteur, he understood the sanctity of the eatery’s namesake

history—he gives mention to it on the menu—complete with a vintage photo.

While Koletis returned to the flagship name, he renovated it to its present metallic exterior and made small updates to the inside as well. Passersby may notice “family” added to the signage, as well as the standard special of the day: “Souvlaki today is Chicken Marsala tomorrow.”

Inside, the layout remains the same as when Koletis took the reins. The countertop with swivel stools is still

intact, and there are plenty of booths to slide into with ease.

True to Jersey diner heritage, blackboard specials are handwritten in chalk, and a display of freshly baked pies, pastries, and cakes greets incoming customers, while mints at the register send them on their way.

Anna Zorlas, the late Paul’s daughter, was 10 years old when the diner opened and has a lifetime of memories. Like her nephew, she, too, grew up in the diner and eventually assumed ownership, along with her sisters, Maria, Roberta, and Maggie. This was after the passing of their father.

Anna can attest to the preparation of food from scratch, such as freshly ground meat patties. “He had his own meat grinder,” she says of the original Paul Zorlas. “And he made his own roast beef and turkeys.”

The daughter of a diner owner, Anna and her five siblings were treated to homemade sandwiches from the diner for school lunches. It was a time before schools provided hot meals. As the diner continued to make a name for itself, a loyal customer base followed suit.

John Koletis is the current owner of Paul’s Diner, which he took over in the late ’90s. He brought back and kept the flagship name, which pays homage to the founder, the late Paul Zorlas, a Greek immigrant who opened the eatery in 1947.

“People who worked in the area would call ahead and ask us to save them a meal,” she says. “They’d ask when Paul would be back from fishing. They knew the fish would be fresh.”

When Anna, who is nearing 90, and her sisters took over, they dialed back the all-hours service to just midnight. “We used to get a lot of truckers, but that was before Route 80,” she says. “There was no McDonald’s or Burger Kings in the area yet.”

Even with its abbreviated hours, the diner was still a source of joy for generations of the Zorlas family, and kinship has its privileges.

“I remember Paul coming in through the back with all his friends,” Anna reflects. “And many of my grandnieces and nephews would like coming in through the back. It was a big deal.”

A COMMUNITY ESTABLISHMENT

The family business was an all-handson-deck operation, and on-the-job training was just how it rolled. Anna has worn many hats, from line cook to waitress, dishwasher, and beyond.

Paul’s was also the employment destination for many Mountain Lakes High School students. Same goes for the former Black Bull Inn, which was owned by John Zorlas, son of the original Paul, and brother to Anna, and still living in Mountain Lakes. John Zorlas sold the original Black Bull Inn in 1984 to Art McGreevey, who owned several Morris County restaurants including Arthur’s Steakhouse in Morris Plains.

To date, Anna is still approached by former customers who wag a loving finger and an equally as loving dig, as in

“Why’d you go and sell that diner?”

Despite the change in hands—it’s been decades now—she and her nephew Paul both still frequent the eatery, and the food continues to deliver on point.

The menu stays true to traditional diner staples—think large breakfasts, burgers, and fries. “Who doesn’t like disco fries?” adds the current owner, Koletis. But it also accommodates the diverse appetites of today.

“Avocado wasn’t a thing like it is now,” Koletis says. Yes, there’s avocado toast and timeless popular breakfast classics such as eggs and pancakes. While the townscape and eating trends have changed, the convenience of dining out has not. “I have people come here three times a day, not wanting to cook,” he says.

Like the Zorlas family, he has his regulars, but the role of the diner as

the end-all, be-all destination for teenagers has somewhat diminished.

“We’ll still get them, but we trend toward families and retirees,” he says.

LOOKING BACK

When it comes to the inevitable cost of living increases, Anna and Paul wax nostalgic over menu pricing.

“I remember a plate of eggs, bacon, home fries, and toast costing 95 cents,” she says. “Now it’s almost $10.”

Anna has an old menu somewhere, “maybe in the attic,” she says. CBS was on location, too, for an expose on the diner. “I was the one interviewed,” she says. There’s a tape somewhere.

Paul, too, has a vintage menu, only this one was his father’s restaurant, The Black Bull Inn, which was situated also on Route 46, where Barka Steak

and Seafood now stands.

“Surf and turf was $5.50 and steak was $4.50,” he says. “It’s crazy to think about that.”

During the holidays, the extended Zorlas family still keeps the diner front and center in their lives. There were 20 of them recently, and they all came hungry.

“They wanted to try everything,” Anna says. “When the bill came, the check was $400.00.”

While Paul opted out of the family business, he still calls Mountain Lakes home. His three children went through the school district, with his youngest having graduated last year.

To the tune of the more things change, the more they stay the same, the name remains a fixture. As do the memories. Check please.

Opposite page: Paul’s Diner was renovated by its current owner John Koletis, right, who kept the interior layout pretty much in tact.

This page: Paul’s Diner stays true to Jersey diner tradition by offering freshly baked pies and cakes as well as the classic mints at the register.

Full Steam Ahead

The Train Station store is a Mountain Lakes staple. Look beyond the tracks at a storied history filled with humor, joy, and a deep community connection.

TTRAINS. Not just any trains, but Lionel trains, according to the signs posted out front of a 100-year-old stone-faced building on Romaine Road. A blinking light directs the passersby to a sort of secret side door, which opens into the rhythmic chug-a-lug of a running train and its accompanying bells and whistles. There are two trains actually, and the miniature displays are all decked out for the holidays.

Welcome to The Train Station, a half-century Mountain Lakes familyowned shop for all matters concerning Lionel model trains. And yes, they still produce catalogues.

There’s industry-specific language at play that makes perfect sense to the enthusiasts who are in the market for parts, models or sets to fuel their collections. Owner and Laker Sue Shaw

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

conducts a walk-through tending to all matters Lionel.

“This display here is prewar,” she says, gesturing to shelves organized by year and models. “These are Lionels from 1901, and then there’s postwar 1946 to 1969.”

Shaw is relatively new as the owner, about a year and change, she says. She and her late husband Dave ran the business together, but the origin story started when her late father-in-law Don Shaw opened the shop in 1974.

Dan White, director of procurement jumps in with the backstory: “The store came online in the old Mountain Lakes commuter station, home to what is now The Station Restaurant,” he says. “Laker Fred Mitchell operated an antiques store in the station’s waiting room, and Don would set up

model train displays in the window for passersby.”

When the station closed and relocated, Don and his trains followed suit. The shop was originally housed on the second story of what now serves as office space and a clearinghouse of sorts for collections.

According to Ranjan O. Bose, chairman of the historic preservation committee, the current building itself dates back to 1925 and has served the community in several incarnations including as a post office, police department, and a once-popular soda shop called The Whistle Stop. A pole remnant of a former barber shop remains on the front of the building.

The train store remains true to its historic roots; Lionel is named for Joshua Lionel Cowen, the inventor and

salesman who catapulted the toy train revolution in the early 1900s. But the store has also come on board with the technology of the times. Current starter sets come fully equipped with blue tooth technology and a universal remote that pairs with a downloadable app.

“The new trains have sound activated remotes with bells, horns, and conductor announcements,” Shaw says.

A collection of children’s favorites such as Thomas the Tank, Harry Potter, and The Polar Express are among the newer, interactive models.

“They’re designed for 14 and up,” Shaw says. But in the world of model train collectibles, the parents usually get just as involved—and excited—as the child, White adds.

Opposite page, from left: Dan White, Sue Shaw, Alan Schadt, Mike Franchini, LuLu Gascoigne, Joe Grabowiecki and Brian Jones.

Above: Owner Sue Shaw

EARLY BEGINNINGS

When Shaw’s father-in-law took up shop, he initially operated the business on the second story, but then relocated to the basement level, a purposeful decision made with the understanding that train enthusiasts tend to display their models on the lower levels in their homes.

It goes without saying that the son of a model train shop owner spent a good chunk of childhood by his father’s side in the store. A graduate of Mountain Lakes High School, the late Dave went to Norwich University in Vermont, where he met Shaw, who was attending the neighboring sister college Vermont College.

The pair eventually returned to Mountain Lakes to start a family with Dave assuming ownership of the business in 1986. The store was so successful that Shaw was able to stay at home and raise their four children.

Throughout his nearly 40 years in store, Dave acquired a cargo’s worth of

Lionel knowledge that he passed to his customers, who have retained it to this day. “Customers will often say ‘oh, Dave told me that’,” Shaw says.

Train enthusiasts tend to span the age spectrum, or, as Shaw puts it from “three to 93,” and the shop draws customers from across the country. Shipping is standard operating procedure that comes with the territory of running a niche business that boasts the largest selection of Lionel trains on the East Coast.

The business is well-known among the Lionel train community, and by default, so is the affiliation with Mountain Lakes, White adds.

The store’s reputation continues to create a buzz outside of the shop. Their model trains have reached A-list status and have been featured in Bloomingdale’s holiday window on Fifth Avenue, and most notably on the set of The Sopranos, specifically in the garage of the character Bobby

Baccalieri, aka Bobby Bacala, who was known for his model train obsession.

In the late ‘90s, Dave was actually on location with some of the cast inside the garage where Baccalieri minded his trains. He was on site to test the trains. “The scene was shot 12 to 13 times,” White says.

While production design for “The Sopranos” fell under the jurisdiction of Bob Shaw—no relation (but also a Mountain Lakes High School graduate)—it was Dave who made the suggestion that made the scene a success.

“The director (David Chase) looked at Dave and asked, ‘Who the heck are you?’” White says. This came as no surprise to Shaw. “Dave was very observant and always had an answer to any question or a solution to any situation.”

There is proof in pictures, which were magnified into poster-sized portraits: The late Dave standing next

to James Gandolfini and the train exhibit among a host of characters in Baccalieri’s garage.

A LEGACY CARRIED ON

Shaw speaks to Dave’s battle with cancer and how the business kept him going. His customers still impart the knowledge gained through him as in “Dave told me that.”

As of now, the store is full steam ahead for the holidays, and the trains are up and running. The busy season starts in October and powers through until February, Shaw says. “I didn’t think the store would survive without him,” Shaw says. “But the customers have been so supportive, and we’re still here.”

She also applauds her solid employee base who have stayed by her side.

“Many of them have real jobs,” she quips.

One such employee is Brian Jones, a train enthusiast who touts his childhood favorite Thomas the Tank for jumpstarting his hobby in model trains. Jones started frequenting the store in the late 2000s, and, under the tutelage of the late Dave, he worked his way up from model train operator to part of the Train Store family.

In addition to screen and window bragging rights, the store is also involved more close-to-home in events including The Sussex County Farm and Horse Show, Boonton Day, the United Railway Historical Society, and takeapart day in the school district.

As for the future? It’s here and on track.

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Mary Menard

973.315.8180

mary.menard@compass.com themenardgroup.com

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This tool enables agents to connect with other Compass agents whose clients are looking at comparable homes to yours.

Market Statistics

*GSMLS data as of 11/14/2025

Looking to sell your home in Mtn. Lakes? Now is the time! With less than 1 month supply of inventory and interest rates coming down...the market is HOT! The Median Sold Price is $1.215M and homes are selling at 105% of the list price.

If Boonton Twp is your home, there is only 3.5 months supply, along with the interest rate drop, this market is HOT too! The Median Sold Price is $692K and homes are selling at 103% of the list price. Both Mountain Lakes and Boonton Twp are sellers markets!

Boonton Twp is your home, there is only 3.5 months supply, along with the interest rate drop, market is HOT too! The Median Sold Price is $692K and homes are selling at 103% of the list Both Mountain Lakes and Boonton Twp are sellers markets!

BOOK NOOK

Season’s Readings

Snuggle in this wintry season with a good book!

BY THE MOUNTAIN LAKES PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF

WHILE SANTA’S making his list, the staff at Mountain Lakes Public Library has already made theirs, and checked it twice. So, gift yourself some good reads to help you through the holiday season. Maybe you close out the year with an edgeof-your-seat thriller or explore a new author. The list goes on, just like Santa’s.

FICTION

QUEEN ESTHER

By John Irving

Meet Queen Esther, John Irving’s sixteenth novel that follows the life of Esther Nachet, a Vietnamese Jewish woman and anti-Semitism survivor who is taken in by Dr. Wilbur Larch. An engaging read perfect for the season.

A LONG WINTER

By Colm Tóibín

The mountains of Catalonia, Spain set the locale for this emotionally packed portrait of a family in crisis while putting a lens on the bond between mother and son. This novel weaves together longing, grief, and healing.

THE BRIDESMAID

By Cate Quinn

A high society wedding takes a fatal turn when a celebrity bridesmaid is murdered weeks before the wedding. Enter forensic attorney Holly Stone, who takes on the role of undercover replacement. The author who brought you “The Clinic” unleashes a gripping thriller.

THE BIRDWATCHER

By Jacquelyn Mitchard

A grad student-turned-escort convicted of a double murder, Felicity Wild stands by her innocence as does her childhood bestie and journalist Reenie, who takes a deep dive into the past in a search for the truth. This novel touches on themes of female friendship and the intersection of money, power, sex, and the lengths taken to protect the ones we love.

PALAVER

By Bryan Washington

A young man feeling slighted by his mother’s favoritism to his homophobic troubled brother heads from Houston to Japan where he teaches English to make ends meet. He also lives openly as a gay man firing up an affair with a married man. When his estranged mother arrives unannounced to Tokyo bearing ghosts of her own, the pair develop the gift of understanding and forgiveness.

NONFICTION

MAMBA & MAMBACITA FOREVER

By Vanessa Bryant

A beautiful and moving testament to the enduring life of Kobe Bryant and the Mamba Mentality. Vanessa Bryant, surviving widow of Kobe Bryant and mother of Gianna Bryant, pieced together the images and stories of more than a hundred memorial murals to carry on their memories and shine a

light onto a man who became a figure of hope and transformation.

BOOK OF LIVES: A MEMOIR OF SORTS

By Margaret Atwood

Coming of age in the forest of northern Quebec, literary icon Margaret Atwood, the prolific force behind “The Handmaid’s Tale,” reveals her origin story of being raised by independent, scientificallyminded parents to a rather nomadic and unfettered upbringing. “A Memoir of Sorts” riffs on the connection between real life and art, and the shaping of one of the most coveted and thoughtprovoking authors.

THE LOOK

By Michelle Obama

As a cultural icon known for redefining traditional style, Michelle Obama makes another fashion statement with her new book, “The Look.” The highly anticipated illustrated volume features her most memorable looks and never–before–seen images. Bold yet relatable, strong yet feminine and formal yet playful, the former First Lady grants us an intimate lens into her personal style evolution.

ENTERTAINING

By Martha Stewart

Just in time for the holidays, Martha Stewart comes to the rescue in a classic all-occasions entertainment guide. The book offers up 300 recipes, 450 photographs, and a flood of inspiration designed to channel your inner host with the most.

CONVENTION

NOT QUITE FOUR turtle doves and three French hens, but these feathered friends have made Wildwood Lake their home for all seasons. Back on land, a bunny hops through Mountain Lakes and a chipmunk gathers nuts for the long winter.

PHOTO OP