Mirror photo by Walt Frank/Mirror photo illustration by Lindsey Shinn Dawn Pellegrine, Belmar manager and longtime close friend of owner Alfred J. Mignogna III, serves up a last drink at the Belmar, which closed April 21.

An Altoona landmark has closed its doors.

The Hotel Belmar, 1501 Fourth Ave., ceased operations on April 21.

“I gave my family 11 years when I came back from Florida, it was time to move on,” said owner Alfred J. Mignogna III, who came back to help his mother, Barbara, with the business after his father, Alfred J. Mignogna Jr., was murdered Aug. 28, 2005, outside the United Veterans Association on Union Avenue.

“He was trying to help her out, while also, trying to keep the Belmar spirit alive,” Dawn Pellegrine, Belmar manager and longtime close friend of Al III, said.

“There was so much grief during this time,” Pellegrine said. “To sell the bar to anyone else would have added so much more sadness to those who loved Al Jr. and the Belmar. I respected him (Al III) for purchasing the bar and taking on this challenge, because it wasn’t his lifelong dream, or even his career choice. I think he bought it for the sake of others.”

Today, Mignogna serves as Pennsylvania territory manager for Books Are Fun, a national fundraising company based out of Louisville, Colo. His job requires frequent traveling.

The decision to close the family business was not simple, Pellegrine said.

“People say, ‘when one door closes, another opens,’ but when the door closed April 21, it was different,” she said. “It was a very emotional day, for so many. There were many tears and hugs. This was home away from home for some people. Visiting the Belmar was like visiting family. No matter how long you stayed away, once you walked through those doors, it was like family returning home after an extended trip.”

The Belmar has been in the Mignogna family since 1984, when Alfred Jr. and Barbara purchased the property from Francis Gehl and Carl Grieco.

“In the mid-to-late 1980s, the whole family was involved and made homemade pasta and meatballs,” Pellegrine said. “It was a place where everyone came. We have a lot of sad customers and employees.”

The building dates back to 1882 when Martin Asbury Green, a superintendent at the Altoona car works of the PRR, had the front portion of the current structure built as his residence.

The McGough family owned and ran the Belmar from 1903 until 1964 when Gehl and Grieco purchased it.

The Belmar, which was well known for its wings and “Teacher’s Pet” sandwich — roast beef with provolone cheese and dipped in au jus sauce — had many regular customers.

Al Jr. was a teacher and the proximity of the Belmar — practically next door to Altoona Area High School — made it a popular hangout among teachers and the sports community.

“Back when Al Jr. had it, it was one of the places to be, it really was,” Barry Wright, retired vice president of M&T Bank and a former Blair County commissioner, said. “We had crowds during the day, the weekends and evenings. They had great meals, a great restaurant crowd and a great bar crowd.

“The Belmar is an historic landmark, there is no doubt about it.”

“I haven’t gone there in quite awhile. It has been a long time since I was a regular. It was a good place to watch the big games, and the food was always good,” said Gary Craig, owner of Craig Fencing.

The Belmar had its share of celebrities over the years — including actor Erik Estrada, known for his co-starring lead role in the police drama television series “CHiPs,” which ran from 1977-83.

Estrada had been invited by the Altoona Curve to throw out a first pitch and sign autographs. Afterward, he visited the Belmar.

“I remember when Erik Estrada walked in, it was kind of surreal,” Todd Parnell, former general manager of the Curve, said. “It was like the parting of the seas. That was amazing,”

Parnell, now an executive with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, has many memories of the Belmar.

“It was my ‘Cheers’ when I lived and worked in Altoona,” he said. “It was not just the place to eat and drink, it was a place to spend time with people who became good friends, and I still maintain those relationships today,” Parnell said. “The Mignogna family has become part of my family. It was a great place to sit and listen to music, and the food was good.”

When Parnell was the Curve’s general manager, many of his players including Andrew McCutchen, Tom Gorzelanny, Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and others — frequented the Belmar.

Saturday mornings at the Belmar were also busy.

“It was a great meeting place on Saturday mornings for coffee and breakfast,” Wright said. “There was a group of five or six of us who would meet there, even on mornings during the week.”

Wright and Parnell are sad to see the Belmar close.

“I have known the Mignogna family so well, it is a shame, but in today’s world with so many restaurants and bars it is a tough business to be in,” Wright said. “The Belmar over the last five or six years hasn’t been what it was. It was one of the old historic establishments that started to fade away.”

Meanwhile, the building, inventory, name and equipment are for sale.

“We are looking for someone to keep the Belmar going,” Mignogna said.

“I love the Mignogna family,” Parnell said. “It is something I wish would be there forever, but it is a huge commitment. I want them to be happy, period.”

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.