Help With Immediate Needs to Reopen Bill’s Luncheonette

If you’re reading this, hopefully you’ve sat on one of our red stools for a hot cup of coffee and a McMutt, or you’ve downed a milkshake made from the mint green mixer, or you’re truly an OG who rode your bike to Bill’s for penny candy after school—If you are reading this, we hope the memories of Bill’s are special ones. For 75 years, Bill’s Luncheonette on the border of Ironia and Chester, NJ, has been more than just a place to grab a quick bite to eat—it has been a cherished part of the community.

Serving a variety of functions throughout the decades (post office, vacuum repair outpost, general store, and restaurant, to name a few), Bill’s has always been a place where stories are shared, friendships are made, and generations have gathered around the same lunch-counter. From making breakfast sandwiches and coffees to-go by candlelight during the week post-Superstorm Sandy, to masking up and serving heat-and-eat meals after indoor dining was suspended during the early stages of Covid, we have always worked hard to be resourceful and to be open for our community—the Buttons have been honored to serve you and your families since 2012.

However, the decades have taken their toll on our beloved, fourth generation(!) family-owned luncheonette. Our equipment is old (some actual antiques); increasingly unreliable and constantly failing. A continued string of bad luck and unfortunate issues have interrupted our ability to open multiple times, and repairs are frequent and costly. The reality is, we are financially unable to continue without help. It’s incredibly difficult to ask for assistance in this way, but the support has been overwhelming for us to try to continue on.

We are reaching out to our communities and beyond, in a time of need. We are determined to get Bill’s Luncheonette back open and running with opportunity for sustainability and longevity of the business, but we need funds to replace our inoperable equipment and make some immediate, essential updates and repairs, to ensure that we can continue to serve you to the best of our abilities.

If you feel inclined and are willing to help, we are asking for your support to assist with some of the immediate needs—Please know there are multiple other factors that need to fall into place for our reopening to be successful, but those outlined below are some of the more immediate needs to even consider being able to restart service:

Every dollar counts, and no amount is too small. Your contribution will directly impact our ability to re-open our doors and continue serving the community that has supported us for so long.

We don’t expect anything, and we don’t expect to hit this goal, but please consider sharing our campaign with friends, family, and anyone who has enjoyed a meal at Bill’s. We are so grateful to all of you who have already reached out directly, offering various levels of industry expertise, suggestions, and services...this isn't the last you've heard from us!

Thank you for being part of our extended family, for your generosity, and for considering helping us to keep Bill’s Luncheonette alive for future generations.

With gratitude,

Bruce & Meaghan Button

Bill’s Luncheonette, 07930