How Knack’s Parkview Cafe Turned Things Around

New Update! Knack’s Restaurant has Door-Dash Delivery
Phone for Local Delivery: 716-284-6304

How do you turn things around when your small business burns to the ground?

You start again. At Knack’s Parkview Cafe, founders Doug and Rosie said, “We took our cues as to what to cook from those who came in.”

Doug and Rosie Knack faced this dilemma over twenty years ago when the small liquor store they operated burned, and they lost everything! Doug Knack, of American First Nations descent, and his wife Rosie, of German descent, looked at each other and their children, wondering how they could survive this catastrophe!

Now, Knacks is a thriving fifties-style diner that many people in the area call their second home. Although Doug has passed, he is most likely cooking breakfast for angels in heaven. The restaurant he and Rosie started is now a whole-family endeavor.

Rosie says it was not easy:” We looked at ourselves and realized that we loved cooking and good food. We both had a different background, though. I love all the German Oktoberfest-style recipes I grew up with, and Doug loves down-home American-style food with a few items thrown in with a Native American twist.”

“You turn things around by getting new ideas and getting creative with what you have.”

Rosie Knack

“Beginning Knack’s Parkview Cafe was a lean start-up right from the beginning because of the fire. Eventually, it grew and became a place where our whole family could work.”

What happened to Doug and Rosie’s restaurant adventure was a bit of a surprise. They started out just opening up the place as an extended lunch counter for friends to come and hang out. At first, it was just people in the neighborhood who came for a good home-cooked meal.

“We took our cues as to what to cook from those who came in,” says Doug, who continued, “People want Rosie’s Specials mostly; we let our regulars know which days Rosie is making her special chicken soup or spaghetti and meatballs. We even have regulars who like corned beef and cabbage, so we also try to include these as occasional daily specials. Our menu is what our customers grew up with…”

Daily Specials are served with a smile at Knack’s Cafe!

The Daily Specials are home-style lunches you remember your mom making… Meatloaf and gravy, real mashed potatoes that did not come from instant boxes, and assorted mixed vegetables.

Knack’s Parkview Cafe offers Regular Menu Items alongside Daily Specials.

• Breakfast Starts at 6:30 am Tuesdays to Saturdays and Sundays; Breakfast starts at 8:00 am.
  Some items on the menu are:
• American Breakfasts with eggs, bacon or sausage, and toast.
• Steak and Eggs
• Eggs Benedict
• Pancake Breakfast with Eggs, Bacon, or Sausage, and Home Fries
• Assorted Egg and Cheese Muffins
• Mixed Up Eggs With Everything and a variety of Omelets
• Texas Style French Toast
• J.B. French Toast – dipped in corn flakes and deep-fried.
• Belgian Waffles with Strawberries and Whipped Cream
• Oatmeal

Lunch starts after 11:00 am and goes until 2:00 pm when Knack’s closes. Some regulars order at lunch and take home extra for supper. If people are working and also caring for an elderly parent at home, they often order food to go. It gives them a break.

• The Lunch Menu, as well as the Daily Special, includes such things as:
• Homemade Hamburger or Cheeseburger with Fries
• American Hot Dog with Fries
• Pizza Logs
• Chicken Fingers with Fries
• Hot Sandwiches
• Grilled Ham with Swiss Cheese on Italian Bread
• American Grilled Cheese
• Tuna Melt Sandwich
• Rueben Sandwich
• Grilled Chicken on a Kaiser Roll
• Italian Sausage Sandwich on a Kaiser with onion and peppers.
• Cold turkey, ham, or tuna club sandwiches are served with crunchy chips and dill pickles.
• Steak with Cheese, Turkey with Cheese, and Submarine Sandwiches with all the trimmings.
• Soups of the Day
• Assorted Salads

Sunday is a family day at Knacks!

I know families that have a standing Sunday Breakfast date at Knacks. Most of the time, the whole family gathers there; sometimes, it is not possible, but most weeks, they do. In this day and age, when families live geographically all over the place, this phenomenon wows me. Knack’s is this sort of place!

Comments from Knack’s customers…

A local lawyer above, Jim, says he enjoys meeting friends here for lunch.

“I love this spot for breakfast. It’s a cute, local spot in Niagara Falls to grab breakfast or lunch. We always get the JB French toast for the table to share. It’s coated with cornflakes and deep-fried…. amazing. My sister and I split the full size of mixed eggs and ordered a side of home fries. The mixed eggs were great, and a huge portion; we even had leftovers. The mixed eggs tasted like they had fresh ingredients and still had a nice little crunch to the peppers.”

Jim

“I love this spot for breakfast. It’s a cute, local spot in Niagara Falls to grab breakfast or lunch. We always get the JB French toast to share at the table. It’s coated with cornflakes and deep-fried; it’s amazing. My sister and I split the full-size mixed eggs and ordered a side of home fries. The mixed eggs were great, and a huge portion; we even had leftovers. The mixed eggs tasted like they had fresh ingredients and still had a nice little crunch to the peppers.”

“I’ve driven by this place a million times but never thought to go in until it popped up one day on Yelp. It’s a breakfast/lunch place. It’s not easy to spot. We walked in at 11:00 am on a Saturday morning, and they had a few customers. There is a good number of booths and tables here. From the outside, it looks small, but once you get in there, you see it’s pretty big. The server greeted us with a smile, and we ordered coffee which tasted pretty good. Lots of breakfast options on the menu. I went with the breakfast, which contained 3 eggs, 3 toast, and 3 bacon. It came up very quickly. The waitress kept refilling our coffee mugs. She took care of us very well. I’ll have to try them for lunch one day.” –

Mark M.

“The best French toast around Niagara Falls! Their traditional French toast is great! But for something a little different, but I’m quite sure has double the calories, try their JB’s French toast.  It’s the traditional French toast but coated in cornflake cereal and fried. Yum!”

Valima K.

“This is one of the Best Hidden Gems in Niagara Falls. It only has Breakfast & Lunch, but what it has is Very Good and Consistent. The last 14 times I was there, I had the Ruben, which is “THE BEST RUBEN ” I have ever had!! And I’ve had a lot of Rubens in my life but not as good as the Knacks.”
-Jerry C.

“Yet another place that I have visited many times.  This mom-and-pop type of restaurant is a delight to visit.  I have been there for breakfast many times. As soon as you are seated, you are immediately awaited, and the coffee keeps flowing. I enjoy their food, and the prices are reasonable. I usually visit this restaurant with my golf buddies (between 4 and 6 of us), and we are always served with a smile.” Brian M.

Knacks feels like home…

“Beyond our regulars from the neighborhood,” says Doug, “We now welcome customers from as far away as Florida. We have limited parking, but somehow everyone manages. We keep thinking of changing the decor, but our customers say, “this is home, that is why we come,” so we try to keep the atmosphere homey, sort of like a fifties diner.”

I love looking at all the pictures on the walls of Knack’s Parkview Cafe. It reminds me of the history here in Niagara Falls, NY. There is a lot here that tourists look for; it is like turning the clock back and seeing life from an earlier time. Niagara Falls has everything. These days, when malls and franchise businesses are everywhere, you really hardly need to leave home to experience something different. Niagara Falls still has an old feel to it, with family-owned businesses with their own unique flair. Many people think that making Niagara Falls more modern is the way to go, but I beg to differ; capitalizing on the quaint is IN these days. Why else would moviemakers go to small towns and villages to film?

So next time you are looking for a down-home good meal, come on into Knack’s Parkview Cafe!

So the next time you need to turn something around, remember how the Knacks turned an unexpected fire into a new business. And be sure to visit, too.

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Please note: The author of this post has received no financial remuneration for mentions of creative people, books, products, places, or businesses mentioned in this post.

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