Last month, Falls Township announced, plans to demolish Michael’s Restaurant, after 55 years in business, to make way for a new storage facility business.
The story based from a press release, Michael’s Restaurant to be Demolished, Open Until “March or April”, caused a great deal of confusion.
Plans of when Michael’s is expected to permanently close were not disclosed.
In response, restaurateur Michael Galasso, Jr. commented on the story and the story was updated with his clarification included.
Galasso Jr. had no input to the township’s release, saying it would have been nice if he had input. The release was a recap of their meeting where the zoning and land development were approved.
With a large loyal clientele dating back to their heyday in the ’70s, generations, have spent many meals at the favorited eatery.
Michael’s A Brief History
Michael’s, a Falls Township landmark at 935 Lincoln Highway, has been operating since the late ’60s. The family-owned restaurant has enjoyed immense success.
Back in 1968, Michael Galasso, Sr. opened the doors to the restaurant first known as Villa Sorrento. The restaurant went through some name changes before becoming known as Michael’s Restaurant and Lounge.
The next few years, his son, also named Michael, would have the restaurant as, in his words, ‘his playground’. In the ’70s, before Atlantic City, Michael’s was the place to go for dinner shows, dancing, and big-name entertainers. As a young boy, Galasso Jr. saw the likes of Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Jr. and others. During those years, he once walked Ray Charles to the stage, not realizing who Charles was at the time.
“Strictly a Business Decision”
Galasso Jr. probably never dreamed one day he would be running the day-to-day operations of the eatery many years later. After going to college, then working 13-14 some years in banking and part-time on the weekends at the restaurant, the time came for him to spend more time and energy with the restaurant. Even though he is all in with the business, his parents, Galasso Sr. and Maria, still remain involved. Since that first day back in 1968, Galasso Sr. has continued to be the one who opens and closes the doors daily.
Galasso Jr. never looked back and when you talk with him about Michael’s, the industry, the highs and lows, he will tell you very passionately, “For us, it’s all high. It’s what we do for a living. We love it.”
Now with area property values so high, 
it was the determining factor to closing, but also weighed was the development going on at the Fairless Works, logistics and the railroads.
This is strictly a property sale. The corporation will stay alive and with that remains the liquor license, said Galasso Jr. Although this is an emotional time for the family, having spent their whole lives here, he said, ” It’s strictly a business decision. Nothing personal, just business.”
When the time comes to close permanently, Galasso Jr. said, “I will be taking some time off and then after that, we’ll figure out what we’re going to do.” If the family decides to open another restaurant, Galasso Jr., wants to stay in the community and be there to serve the people they have been serving for years, and in his eyes, if it opens up to other people, that would be great.
Exactly when the doors finally close on Michael’s remains to be unseen, but for now the earliest date is March 30, but could be open longer. To the community, Galasso Jr. says, “We’re still here, we are open, and we are ‘Fired Up’.
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