STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PETER CRABTREE
The Story Begins
Sonny ’ s Blue Benn opens with a detailed account of the restaurant ’ s earliest years , as well as the events that led Sonny and Mary Lou Monroe to become the stewards of the treasured Bennington institution . The Blue Benn first opened its doors in 1948 , after its original owner , Marie York , shipped an iconic Silk City dining car from New Jersey to Vermont and had it reassembled in Bennington . 26 years later , a young and adventurous man by the name of Franklin “ Sonny ” Monroe purchased The Blue Benn from a subsequent owner , Betty Manning , and chartered a bold new course for the restaurant . Sonny didn ’ t just own The Blue Benn — he and his wife , Mary
Lou Monroe , worked behind the counter for dozens of years , pouring their heart and soul into the business .
Over the following four-and-a-half decades , The Blue Benn blossomed into an egalitarian community oasis under the ownership of Sonny , Mary Lou , their daughter , Lisa LaFlamme , and their dedicated cooks and waitstaff . Native Vermonters , visiting tourists , and vacationing celebrities mingled inside of its walls , sharing meals , exchanging stories , and enjoying each other ’ s company . At a time when Vermont ’ s cultural identity was rapidly evolving , The Blue Benn stood as a symbolic equalizer that helped to hold the town of
Bennington together . As The Blue Benn moves forward into its next chapter with a passionate new owner , John Getchell , Randall and Crabtree have perfectly captured the essence of its most storied era within the pages of Sonny ’ s Blue Benn .
A detailed history of classic American diners is gracefully woven into the opening section , providing added cultural context for the interviews with the Blue Benn ’ s past owners , staff members , and frequent customers , which make up the lion ’ s share of the rest of the book . The people interviewed for Sonny ’ s Blue Benn share cherished memories , speaking freely about The Blue Benn and the indelible mark that it made on their lives . Their
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