By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — Hilltop Steak House employees got back in the saddle Wednesday night.
The 52-year-old landmark family restaurant that charmed its customers with thick steaks and a western-style motif closed in 2013. But former staff still consider themselves a “family” and reconnected at a reunion.
“It was like working in a circus — it felt like you had A1 sauce running in your veins,” said Kathy Duke, who worked at the restaurant for 18 years, first as a hostess, then number caller, and finally a waitress.
The gathering was held at Caryn’s Sports Bar & Restaurant in Wakefield, owned by Leanne Wheeler, who began her career at the Hilltop.
Caryn’s opened in May and is operated by eight former Hilltop staff members, including chefs, bartenders and waitresses. The staff takes on 100 seats, rather than the 1,300 they tackled at the Hilltop.
“It was like a family,” Wheeler said. “After that many years of working together, you know you can rely on each other.”
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Hilltop founder Frank Giuffrida sold the restaurant in 1988 and died in 2003. Ten years later, the restaurant served its last meal. Two months after closing, hundreds battled to get their hands on the memorabilia that filled the iconic eatery at a liquidation auction.
Signs that marked individual dining rooms named for train or stagecoach shops like Dodge City and Kansas City sold to the highest bidders for thousands. The Sioux City sign sold for $1,200, Virginia City for $1,300 and Carson City for $775. Hilltop’s famous fiberglass cows sold for upward of $1,600 each. The molds to create new ones sold for a whopping $17,500.
The building was demolished last year but the iconic neon-green cactus sign, which spotlights Giuffrida’s name, remains at the site. AvalonBay purchased the property and is planning a development that includes apartments at the rear of the site and retail space in front.
Former waitresses, chefs and number callers kicked up their boots to reminisce about everything from repeat customers to hot-headed managers.
As an old tradition, each person threw a dollar bill with their name written on it into a basket. Each week, the staff would enter a dollar pool. Whoever’s bill was pulled would win the basket.
Patti Nardone, a waitress, won 11 weeks in a row one year, winning between $300 and $350 each time.
“We used to travel together with the Hilltop,” said Paula Clark of Somerville, who worked as a waitress for 30 years. “We went to Spain, Italy, Hawaii. About 15 of us. It was like a family. We had a lot of good times.”
Rosemary Carrier, a 20-year waitress, said it was Giuffrida who kept her there so long.
“He always took care of his employees. He was the kind of boss you could work for,” she said. “It was the good drinks, good food and A1 that kept the customers coming back. We had a lot of regulars that would always ask for (us). It’s too bad the Hilltop went down. It was something that we lived for. We worked 12-15 hours a day.”
Maureen Bernier was a longtime staffer. She began after college and worked every Friday and Saturday night for 42 years.
“I got engaged there, was married while working there, had kids,” Bernier said. “It wasn’t the place that kept us all there. It was the people.”
Barbara Ash, a waitress for 35 years, traveled from her home in Seabrook to attend the event. “We’re all sisters,” Ash said. “Going to work was like going home.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.