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A Piece Of Waldwick Lives In Amster’s Prospect Tavern By Kevin Czerwinski
I
t would be difficult to imagine Waldwick without Amster’s Prospect Tavern. It would be difficult to fathom Amster’s Prospect Tavern without owner Norman Levine or general manager Deb Fearon greeting customers and telling stories to the North Jersey patrons who frequent the popular eatery. It would be difficult to picture Levine and Fearon without Jessica Shinnick-Guerrieri standing alongside them, providing the glue as the restaurant’s figurative adopted daughter, helping to keep it running smoothly with her bright smile and charm. It would be, well, you get the idea. There are a lot of layers to Amster’s and we haven’t even gotten to the food. The warmth and inviting atmosphere of the nearly 100-year-old establishment has made Amster’s one of the most popular restaurants, not only in Waldwick, but in all of North Jersey. That dining there feels like you’re having a Sunday dinner with family isn’t a coincidence. It’s simply part of the experience created by Levine and his team. “This place gives people a sense of home,” said Shinnick-Guerrieri, who began working there as a waitress while she was in college some 15 years ago and has filled a variety of roles since. She currently works as a director of sales for Stew Leonard Wines but continues to contribute at Amster’s whenever possible. “A lot of the people in Waldwick don’t leave or if they do, they come back. We see a lot of patrons who were in here as kids come back now along with the people who never left Waldwick,” she continued. “This place always 84
