The Red Apple Rest was a cafeteria-style restaurant on New York State Route 17

New York State Route 17

New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...

, in the Southfields section of Tuxedo

Tuxedo, New York

Tuxedo is a town located in Orange County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,334. The town is in the southeastern part of the county. NY Route 17 and the New York State Thruway pass through the town...

, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. It was a noted way station for people travelling to the hotels of the Catskill Mountains

Catskill Mountains

The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...

 of upstate New York.

Before the New York State Thruway

New York State Thruway

The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...

 was built, the travel time from New York City to the Catskill Mountains was often four or five hours, especially during weekends. The Red Apple Rest, located almost halfway, became a major roadside stopping place. The restaurant was opened in May 1931 by Reuben Freed.

History

The Red Apple Rest had much business during the 1940s and 1950s. It was open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and was patronized by so-called "Borscht Belt

Borscht Belt

Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange and Ulster counties in upstate New York that were a popular vacation spot for New York City Jews from the 1920s through the 1960s.-Name:The name comes from...

" comedians and professional athletes as well as families travelling to campgrounds and resorts. Although the Thruway (which was built beginning 1953) bypassed the restaurant, and vacationing in the Catskill Mountains became less popular after the 1960s, the restaurant remained very busy until the 1970s. In 1965 the Red Apple Rest served one million customers.

In his book on Jewish comedians in America, The Haunted Smile, author Lawrence J. Epstein

Lawrence J. Epstein

Lawrence Jeffrey Epstein , is an American author who writes and lectures about American culture and society and Jewish life. He is best known for his book The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America.- Background :...

 said that comedians would stop at the Red Apple Rest late at night and "would go over the acts, describe the audience, and gather gossip about the other comedians and about routines ripe for buying or 'borrowing.'"

The Red Apple Rest went through several changes of management. It closed in September 2006 - purportedly for a "graduation and vacation," according to a sign posted on the door - and was condemned on January 23, 2007 because of roof damage.

The restaurant was featured in several movies, including Woody Allen

Woody Allen

Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...

's Deconstructing Harry

Deconstructing Harry

Deconstructing Harry is a black comedy film by Woody Allen released in 1997. This film tells the story of a successful writer called Harry Block, played by Allen himself, who draws inspiration from people he knows in real-life, and from events that happened to him, sometimes causing these people to...

, A Walk on the Moon

A Walk on the Moon

A Walk On The Moon is a 1999 drama film starring Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin. The movie, which was set against the backdrop of the Woodstock festival of 1969 and the moon landing of that year, was distributed by Miramax Films.- Plot summary :Pearl Kantrowitz and her...

, Tenderness (film)

Tenderness (film)

Tenderness is a 2009 American crime film directed by John Polson, which stars Jon Foster, Sophie Traub, Russell Crowe, and Laura Dern. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Robert Cormier.-Plot:...

, and Oliver's Story

Oliver's Story

Oliver's Story is the sequel to the novel Love Story by Erich Segal, turned into a movie of the same name in 1978. It was directed by John Korty and starred Ryan O'Neal and Candice Bergen. The original music score was composed by Lee Holdridge and Francis Lai. Unlike the original film, Oliver's...

.

Possible redevelopment

On August 25, 2011 the Times Herald-Record

Times Herald-Record

The Times Herald-Record, often referred to as The Record or Middletown Record in its coverage area, is a daily newspaper published in Middletown, New York, covering the northwest suburbs of New York City. It covers Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties in New York; Pike County in Pennsylvania; and...

 ran an article about the town of Tuxedo and a group of British entrepreneurs looking to find a location for a new Ace Eatery. The Red Apple Rest was nominated as a potential place to open a new-eatery meant for bikers. However, Tuxedo town supervisor Peter Dolan mentioned that about 17,000 bikes go through Tuxedo during the summer. However, the building also needs major renovation work and is up against many other possible locations. If the Red Apple Rest is chosen, speculation is the new restaurant will open in 2012.