Albie's celebrates 20th anniversary

By: Lindsay Lorenz

Posted: 2/9/07

02/09/07 - Back in the days when Upper College Road was lined with fraternities, tuition was about $900 a semester, and the University of Rhode Island was ranked as the number one party school by Playboy Magazine, former URI students John Fogarty and Allen "Albie" Greer Jr. embarked upon an adventure that would turn into one of the Kingston Emporium's most successful eateries.

Wednesday will mark the 20-year anniversary of Albie's Place opening day. To celebrate, Albie's will be giving away t-shirts, sweatshirts, $100 gift cards and drinks starting on Wednesday for two weeks.

Fogarty said he expects business to double over the next two weeks. He plans to bring back the old school vibe with 80s music and retro-priced menu items. Just like they were in 1987, hot dogs will be 75 cents. A burger, fries and a coke will be $3.

After Fogarty graduated from Providence College in 1986, he and Greer opened Albie's the following year. The emporium was 1 year old and students were crazier than ever, he said.

"On the weekends it was a zoo," Fogarty added.

Students were doing donuts with their cars in the quad, he recalled. Frat pledges spent weekends in dumpsters and partygoers roamed campus streets in packs of 50. Music would be blaring well after midnight.

In 1987 the restaurant was half the size of what it is today.

"We cooked and we turned around and served food," Fogarty said.

Albie's was the late night hangout on weekends in the late 80s. On Friday and Saturday nights, the place was maxed.

"We actually used to have a bouncer who would unlock the door, " Fogarty said.

He added that students would hold $20 bills against the windows, he said. Customers would shout orders over those standing in front of them. Albie's was using two and a half tons of French fries every month.

Sometimes patrons were drunk, Fogarty said. To be funny, students would order food using fake names. By the time the food was ready, the students had forgotten what name they placed their orders under.

Fogarty said the drinking was out of hand. One inebriated student mistook a ketchup bottle for a bottle of tea. Dresses were stained by spilled food. There were fights over stolen french fries - food fights were routine. Customers left trash all over the floors and the tables, he said. At one point it was necessary to hire someone just to clean up trash.

"One night I caught someone going to the bathroom. And we didn't have a bathroom," Fogarty said.

For Fogarty, he said running Albie's was a 90-hour work week. When the store closed at 2 a.m., staff members were exhausted. One time, a ROTC employee hung his hammock in the back and climbed in after the store was cleaned up, Fogarty said. Sometimes Greer fell asleep on the countertop, once with a lit Camel in his hand.

Greer left to join his family's business in 1989; though he remained a partner, he no longer worked at the store. Greer renounced his partnership in 1995 and Jason Wichert, Fogarty's nephew, took his place. Fogarty says Wichert brought new life to the restaurant. Albie's expanded, doubling its size in 2003.

The Emporium has had many businesses come and go since the 1980s. Albie's, in addition to Sheer Madness, CVS and Cumberland Farms, has remained throughout the years despite other changes.

"The college mellowed out," Fogarty said.

Albie's now closes at 11 p.m., and Fogarty's 90-hour work week has been reduced to 60, he said.

"I no longer sleep here, which is nice," Fogarty said.

After 20 years and two Bush administrations, Albie's remains a campus favorite, he said.

"Albie's will always be here. I might not be here, but Albie's Place will be," Fogarty said.