Thanks guys for the input... I think it mostly satisfies my curiosity. So I take it that there have been several "Quails Inn" over the years. The fact that the Inns seem to move around (logically or physically) has kinda confused me.
What bothered me was the disappearance of something I should have remembered... I first visited Smithville in the early '90s looking for Leeds Point... I had been by there all the time for years during my time at Stockton... and yet after it disappeared, I couldn't remember what was there.
As for Smithville, it wasn't clear to me if the building was part of the complex or not... I always liked what Fred and Ethyl put together, I'm just a bit disappointed to see some of it languish in poor repair.
BKNJ
I attended Stockton from 1979 - 1983 & worked at the Quail Hill Inn.
Quail Hill Inn was a banquet house which catered private parties, such as weddings, & also housed an Italian restaurant, Prima's.
The main banquet room, Powhattan hall, (don't recall capacity), but I think it held 200 guests.
There was a cocktail lounge downstairs which served as a reception area for weddings.
Otherwise it stood idle most of the time.
There was a coatroom downstairs next to the lounge.
The Barn, on the main floor, was an actual barn which could hold smaller parties.
You felt like you were in a barn.
It was a very large structure, I am guessing that it was disassembled and reassembled.
It was a long walk from the kitchen, carrying trays of food, to the barn!
There was a commissary prep kitchen, located under the main floor, (basement), which was accessible near the loading dock, at the rear of the building.
There was an elevator on the loading dock which went down 1 floor to the commissary.
Most food was prepared here ahead of time in large mixing vats and stored in walk-in refrigerators.
The main kitchen was also located on the main floor, parking lot level, off the loading dock.
The kitchen was very large and capable of serving 3 parties at once.
There was a pantry area, 2 cooking lines with ovens & warmers, dish washing station, & walk-in refrigerator.
There was an a 2nd story office area which was used by Smithville back office folks, accountants, food buyers, sales people, & managers.
It was located on the Rt9 side of the building.
One of the banquet rooms was converted into an Italian restaurant, Primas.
Staff would great each table with "Buona Sera"& give them complementary fried eggplant with marinara sauce.
The walls were lined with wine racks and Italian wines.
The theme was Italian wines at liquor store prices.
Some of our best sellers were $6 a bottle.
There was a salad bar which lined 1 wall, complete with 2 soups, escarole/pasta fagioli, antipasta salad, marinated vegetables, & fresh breads.
A party of 2 could eat here with a bottle of wine and the check would be $25-30.
There was bar area on the main floor.
It was dual purpose, serving banquets & Primas.
I don't know why the complex was tore down.
I never went hungry or thirsty!
-Bill Fitzgerald
. Joe 's place had the tree growing in the middle of the restaurant . Are they related to the Noyes Museum ?
