Hajjar's Matriarch Has Been Welcoming Patrons Since 1956

To anyone who has ever been to Hajjar's Bar and Grille, or one of the other businesses the family operated at 969 Washington Street, 92 year old Tillie Hajjar is likely a familiar and welcoming face.

In 1938, at age 17, Hajjar came to the United States from Lebanon. In 1956, she and her husband opened a roller skating rink in Weymouth. That roller skating rink, became a health club, a Lebanese restaurant and now Hajjar's Bar and Grille, and Tillie Hajjar, at age 92, has been greeting customers for over a half century.

The mother of six boys lives right next door to the property where her husband's family ran an ice house and oil company before she came to this country and eventually a bowling alley.

The large bar and grille now hosts bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Hajjar rarely misses a performance; there are people to meet and lots of dancing to be done.

"I like to see the people," Hajjar said. " I dance with them."

Hajjar can often be found on the dance floor with her hand-beaded fan that says "special lady." Her mother lived to be 103 and Hajjar's been told dancing is a better workout than going to a gym or walking.

"I'm healthy, I'm fine and I feel good," said Hajjar.

While the dancing keeps her body in shape, her social habits keep her mind working. Besides dancing with guests, Hajjar also likes to greet them and sit with new patrons. 

One guest, who was visiting from Africa sticks out to Hajjar. She sat with the man and his friends one evening and talked. A few weeks after he left the country, the man who she'd only met once, sent a letter to the restaurant about how meeting Tillie was the highlight of his cross-country visit. The letter is now framed in the lobby of Hajjar's.

Another framed item on the wall is Hajjar's "Woman of the Year" award from the Weymouth Rotary Club. The club, which holds it's meeting in the restaurant's large function room, once invited Hajjar to a dinner. Unbeknownst to her, the dinner was an event in her honor.

The staff at Hajjar's reads like a family reunion guest list. Hajjar's sons Daniel and David still work at the restaurant and some of her son's wives and children fill various roles at the restaurant.

"I survive with my family," said Hajjar.

To learn more about Hajjar's Bar and Grille, visit hajjars.net.