Over on Instagram, I saw that my friend modbetty_retroroadmap posted the photos above, saying “Broasted Chicken and fabulous 1973 decor- win-win! Speck’s in Collegeville is my go-to spot when RetroRoadhubs is away and I don’t feel like cooking (I rarely feel like cooking 😜).” Hey, we love a dinner out, too — but: Those tabletops! Are they original? Or are they the recent reproduction of Wilsonart Daisy in Apricot Glow? I called up Speck’s to find out, and owner Randy Landis confirmed: They are original! Well… sort of.
“Original. Sort of”?:
Randy said that Speck’s had a fire in 1972. After the fire, his father went to a restaurant auction, and there, he picked up all of that Daisy-topped seating. Writing this up, I realize I am confused whether it was a restaurant-supply auction or a restaurant-going-out-of-business auction. But, I think it was restaurant-going-out-of-business auction. If so, that means the orange Daisy laminate could be several years earlier than 1972. I don’t think that Wilsonart ever gave me an exact date of its marketplace launch.
Above: Wilsonart Daisy laminate in Apricot Glow — does not seem as orange to me at the Speck’s original.
Above: See >> Kristen’s kitchen in progress <<. She used Wilsonart Daisy in “Envy” for her countertops.
Link love:
- Mod Betty’s blog, Retro Roadmap
- Modbetty on Instagram
- Speck’s Broasted Chicken Restaurant, Collegeville, Pa.
- All our Kitchen Countertop research here.
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I love, love, love this laminate. I’ve been trying to convince my husband that we need it in our bathrooms since Wilsonart reintroduced it. I guess these bathroom redos need to get out of the planning stage. Anyway, seeing it used in a restaurant and a real person’s kitchen might convince him. He wants the same quartz we used in the kitchen. Our 70’s house originally had laminate in the kitchen. When we moved in, the bathrooms had cultured marble which I think was not original became the previous owner gave us the phone number of the people who installed the cultured marble.
Yes, the vintage laminate looks more orange to my eyes as well. Apricot Glow seems a bit more muted with yellow and brown mixed in, if that makes sense. The pattern also appears more dense with colour. Much prefer the vintage. Just more welcoming to my eyes. 😎
Laminate table tops in commercial use for 40+ years – that’s a real testimate to the durability of the product!
Love this! Here in the Pacific Northwest, Burgerville has boomerangs on their tables. It is not original, but I don’t care. It makes eating there that much more enjoyable!
Ha my whole kitchen is covered in that! we love it. i did however change the backsplash of Daisy.
Glad I could help share the love of laminate – and that the keen eyes here at Retro Renovation spyed it in my photo! It’s such a cheery pattern, and it now gives me another reason to re-visit Speck’s! 🙂
xo Mod Betty
This story is making me hungrier every time I approve a comment. 🙂
I live in Mod Betty’s neck of the woods and occasionally check her out (her site. I mean). I am amazed at some of the places that I did not know existed or just usually drove past without a second thought. I believe in supporting local business especially if they are quirky or original retro.
Mod Betty rocks!
Jay – thank you for “checking me out” – LOL 🙂
I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know that my scouting of places helps folks like you discover the cool vintage places around us – that makes it all worthwhile!
Oh my! Speck’s!!!! I grew up in this town and this was our go-to place on the far end of town cruising! They had the best shakes in town! I haven’t been there in probably 40 years…didn’t realize it was even still in operation. Glad it is…brings back LOTS of memories 🙂 I will have to re-visit when back in that part of Eastern PA. Thanks for sharing!
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Broasted! I’m testifyin’! Just up the way from us… taking my beloved for a broasted date.
Pam, just an fyi, our wilaonart rep came in today to remove discontinued laminates. Unfortunately Endora and Betty were removed from our board:/
boo hoo
This is so cool! The chairs look so good next to the laminate. My kitchen chairs are very similar to the chairs in the picture but they are standalone. I got them at the ReStore and I think they are former school chairs. I bought all 6 orange ones they had and wish I would have bought some of the avocado ones too. Of course they were gone when I went back. But these are the BEST chairs for messy kids who spill all the time and are so comfortable! I use them with my parents’ 1960 Formica table and they look great even though they are nothing like the original chairs to this set.
Those chairs are Herman Miller, designed by Charles and Ray Eames. I believe they were the first mass produced molded plastic chair. Truly revolutionary.
Sitting at the very table in the pic above waiting for my daughter to finish her third(!) drumstick , and I can confirm that the tables are the same color as the “orange glow” spec- I think there might be a filter applied to the Instagram post. There are also super cool orange and yellow globe pendant lites to match!
These — or ones similar — come up on ebay now and then. You need to set up a variety of searches… then wait it out…
Flowers were the power in the late ’60s and ’70s.