Bens Deli, Montreal, 1908 – 2006: a lost icon

Closed for Good, Bens Deli, Montreal 2007

The barstools can still be seen through the union posters pasted to the windows. CTVNews/Canada/20061215/montreal_deli

Vacant Stool, Bens Deli, Montreral 2007

These two photographs were taken the month after Bens officially closed in December 2006. Today, nothing remains of the famous Montreal institution; the building was completely demolished in 2008.

Bens Delicatessen & Restaurant was in operation for almost a century. At 98 years of age, it was the oldest deli in Montreal when it closed. Originally founded by Ben and Fanny Kravitz in 1908, the restaurant was passed to their son, Irving. After he died, Bens was run by Irving’s widow, Jane Kravitz, and her son Elliott.

The building that housed Ben´s Delicatessen was constructed in 1950 at corner of Metcalfe and de Maisonneuve. This was the restaurant’s third location. Here the furnishings and the long deli counter were reminiscent of a classic postwar diner. For more information about this mid-century building please visit heritagemontreal.org/en/bens-delicatessen

Bens was famous for its smoked meat sandwiches and its celebrity cliental, including Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and poet/musician Leonard Cohen. However, in the final years of its operation, it was mainly die-hard regulars and nostalgic ex-pats who visited the 1950s-style diner.

In 2007, I photographed more than 30 diners, both vintage and contemporary. These include classics such as The Templeton in Vancouver and lost icons such as Bens in Montreal. This is a study of retro diners from Atlantic Canada to the Pacific Coast.

Public spaces and familiar items from previous generations fascinate me. I love the way the camera allows me to attribute elevated status to everyday objects and places, to portray the inclusive as exclusive – even diners.

bringing back good times and great food

Empty Booth, Rockin’ Johnny’s Diner, Ottawa 2007

Today’s post features my photograph of Rockin’ Johnny’s Diner in Ottawa. In 1991, the first Rockin’ Johnny’s Diner™ was opened by brothers Enzo and Jack Mastromattei who set out to recreate the days when jukeboxes were rockin’, the Big Bopper was bobbin’, Marilyn Monroe was stealing hearts, and Elvis was King. They wanted to return to the days when dining out was like eating at home. Their slogan fits right in: bringing back good times and great food. For more about Rockin’ Johnny’s in Ottawa, visit http://www.rockinjohnnysdiner.com

Yesterday on Haute Vitrine, I started this series with a photograph of La Binerie Mont-Royal. This restaurant was established in Montreal in 1940 by brothers Joachim and Léonide Lussier who decided that traditional Québec Cuisine served in a family ambiance would be the hallmark of their restaurant. The English translation of their slogan is: At the Beanery, you are visiting family. Welcome home! For more about the history of La Binerie Mont-Royal, see http://www.labineriemontroyal.com/index.php?pr=History

Public spaces and familiar items from previous generations fascinate me. I don’t live in the past, but I do feel a strong sense of time running through my photographs. I hear a narrative in every series and I see a story in every image.

In 2007, I photographed more than 30 diners, both vintage and contemporary. These include classics such as the Templeton in Vancouver, and lost icons such as the Canary in Toronto and Bens in Montreal. This is a study of retro diners from Atlantic Canada to Vancouver.

Throughout my life I’ve had a tendency to eschew conventional status symbols. Consequently, I love the way the camera allows me to attribute elevated status to everyday objects and places, to portray the inclusive as exclusive – even diners.

retro diners: from Atlantic Canada to Vancouver

Black Boots, La Binerie Mont-Royal, Montreal 2007

The photographs in this new series are from a body of work created over the course of an entire year. In 2007, I photographed more than 30 diners, both vintage and contemporary. These include classics such as the Templeton in Vancouver, and lost icons such as the Canary in Toronto and Bens in Montreal. This is a study of retro diners from Atlantic Canada to Vancouver.

Public spaces and familiar items from previous generations fascinate me. I don’t live in the past, but I do feel a strong sense of time running through my photographs; I hear a narrative in every series and I see a story in every image. I take great interest in researching the history of locations that I photograph.

There is an ongoing tension between the macro and the micro in my life and my art. No matter the situation, I recognize that I am instantly aware of the big picture and simultaneously obsessed with the smallest details. Whether I am photographing a massive construction site, an iconic landmark, or a fleeting window reflection, my work continues to revolve around two main themes: change and continuity, representation and reality. But underlying all of this is an insatiable search for meaning.