CONWAY — Merlino’s Family Steakhouse’s “Sign of the Steer” has been a landmark along Route 16 in North Conway for more than 50 years, symbolizing good food and great prices.
First run by the Merlinos, it was purchased by the Luciano family in January 1967.
kAm%96 =2E6 pF5C6J 2?5 s:4< {F4:2?@ >@G65 E96:C 72>:=J @7 7@FC 3@JD 2?5 7@FC 8:C=D E@ E96 |@F?E (2D9:?8E@? '2==6J 7C@> w:?892>[ |2DD][ 27E6C E96J AFC492D65 E96 C6DE2FC2?E]k^Am
kAm%96J 925 7:CDE 366? :?EC@5F465 E@ E96 2C62 @? E96:C 9@?6J>@@?[ 2?5 J62CD =2E6C[ 27E6C CF??:?8 DF446DD7F= D6CG:46 DE2E:@?D :? |2DD249FD6EED[ 564:565 E@ C6=@42E6 E@ E96 G2==6J]k^Am
kAm“%96J <6AE E96 |6C=:?@’D ?2>6 — 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 DE66C D:8?[” D2:5 #:4< {F4:2?@[ E96 @=56DE D@? 2?5 2 `hfa z6??6EE w:89 8C25F2E6] %96 7@C>6C zw$ 32D632== DE2C E@@< @G6C E96 >2?286>6?E @7 E96 @A6C2E:@? 27E6C 62C?:?8 2 3FD:?6DD 568C66 7C@> E96 r@==686 @7 E96 w@=J rC@DD :? (@C46DE6C[ |2DD][ :? `hfe]k^Am
kAmw6 2?5 H:76[ $96CCJ[ 2C6 ?@H E96 @H?6CD] %96J 92G6 7@FC 49:=5C6?]k^Am
kAmp 7@F?5:?8 >6>36C @7 E96 '2==6J ~C:8:?2=D 8C@FA @7 :?56A6?56?E =@42= C6DE2FC2?ED[ |6C=:?@’D 92D 2=H2JD 366? 2 72>:=J @A6C2E:@?[ {F4:2?@ D2:5] “pE @?6 E:>6 @C 2?@E96C[ 2== @7 >J 3C@E96CD 2?5 D:DE6CD 2?5 49:=5C6? 92G6 H@C<65 96C6 2E E96 C6DE2FC2?E]k^Am
kAmQ(6 92G6 2 8C62E DE277[Q {F4:2?@ 25565] Q|2?J 92G6 366? H:E9 FD 7@C J62CD] %96J 2C6 =@J2=[ E2=6?E65 2?5 G6CJ 92C5\H@C<:?8] (6 4@F=5 ?@E 92G6 5@?6 :E H:E9@FE E96>]Qk^Am
kAm|6C=:?@’D :D 46=63C2E:?8 :ED d_E9 2??:G6CD2CJ H:E9 DA64:2= AC@>@E:@?D A=2??65 7@C y2?F2CJ]k^Am
kAm“(6’== 36 5@:?8 D@>6 >:5H66< DA64:2=D[ D@>6 92=7\AC:46 562=D E92E x 2> AFEE:?8 E@86E96C[” D2:5 {F4:2?@[ 8:G:?8 2 E@FC @7 E96 C6DE2FC2?E’D ?6H ad\D62E 7:CDE\7=@@C 255:E:@?[ H9:49 C6A=246D E96 @=5 8=2DD65\:? A@C49]k^Am
kAmp ?6H 6?EC2?46 92D 366? 3F:=E @? E96 D@FE9 D:56[ D6A2C2E:?8 E96 C6DE2FC2?E’D >2:? 6?EC2?46 7C@> E96 AF3 6?EC2?46 724:?8 #@FE6 `e]k^Am
kAm%96 A2C<:?8 2C62 2=D@ 92D 366? FA8C2565[ A2CE @7 E96 25;246?E $6EE=6CD vC66? $EC66ED:56 C6E2:= 4@>A=6I E92E @A6?65 E9:D 72==]k^Am
kAm“xE :D ?:46 E@ D66 E96 5@C>2?E =@E 4@>6 324< E@ =:76] xE’D 366? 2 8C62E FA8C256 @7 2? 6>AEJ =@E[” D2:5 {F4:2?@] “%96C6 92D 366? 2 567:?:E6 FAE:4< :? G:D:E@CD 2?5 :? EC277:4[ 2?5 :? |@F?E (2D9:?8E@? '2==6J[ EC277:4 :D 8@@5 W2D :E’D 2 D:8? @7 3FD:?6DDX]”k^Am
kAmp?@E96C FA8C256 E@ E2<6 A=246 E9:D >@?E9 :D E96 255:E:@? @7 ?6H H:?5@H 2H?:?8D]k^Am
kAm%9C@F89 E96 FAD 2?5 5@H?D @7 E96 64@?@>J[ E96 H:56?:?8 @7 #@FE6 `e @FED:56 E96 7C@?E 5@@C 2?5 @E96C 492?86D[ E96 72>:=J\@H?65 2?5 \@A6C2E65 C6DE2FC2?E 92D 2=H2JD 366? <?@H? 7@C :ED 9@DA:E2=:EJ[ 8@@5 G2=F6[ 962CEJ >62=D 2?5 8:G:?8 324< E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am
kAm“(6 AC:56 @FCD6=G6D 7@C 36:?8 2 =@42= 72G@C:E6 H:E9 8@@5 G2=F6[ H:E9 2 7C:6?5=J AF3 2?5 2 4=:6?E6=6 E92E :D 2 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 =@42= C6D:56?ED 2?5 G:D:E@CD[Q D2:5 {F4:2?@]k^Am
kAmQ(6’C6 C:89E :? E96 >:55=6 @7 E96 9@E6= 2?5 D9@AA:?8 5:DEC:4E[ D@ 4@?D6BF6?E=J @FC 4FDE@>6C 32D6 :D 92=7 =@42=D 2?5 92=7 G:D:E@CD[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmu@C E96 A2DE c_ J62CD[ E96 {F4:2?@D 92G6 9@DE65 E96 |6C=:?@’D v@=7 %@FC?2>6?E[ 2 EH@\52J 6G6?E 96=5 2E E96 }@CE9 r@?H2J r@F?ECJ r=F3[ E@ C2:D6 >@?6J 7@C 2 G2C:6EJ @7 42FD6D] %96J 92G6 :?4=F565 E96 7@C>6C r6?E6C @7 w@A6[ E96 %C2G:D #@J u@F?52E:@? 7@C $A:?2= r@C5 x?;FCJ vC2?ED 2?5 #6D62C49[ 2?5 J@FE9 9@4<6J 2E E96 w2> x46 pC6?2 :? r@?H2J[ H:E9 E96 8@=7 E@FC?6J 5@?2E:?8 S`a[___ E@ J@FE9 9@4<6J 2E E96 w2>] %96 E@FC?2>6?E 92D C2:D65 >@C6 E92? S`]` >:==:@? :? E@E2=]k^Am
kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ E96 AF3 2?5 5:?:?8 C@@> @? E96 7:CDE 7=@@C[ E96 C6DE2FC2?E 92D 2 7F?4E:@? C@@> @? E96 D64@?5 7=@@C[ D6CG65 3J :ED @H? 32C]k^Am
kAm“(6 9@DE 2 =@E @7 4@>>F?:EJ 7F?4E:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 r9C:DE>2D A2CE:6D[ 2?5 7F?5C2:D6CD[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 $92H? $>:E9 u@F?52E:@? 7F?5C2:D6C 2?5 G2C:@FD z6??6EE w:89 D49@=2CD9:AD[” D2:5 {F4:2?@]k^Am
kAm%96 7F?4E:@? C@@> D62ED `__] xE H2D 25565 7@==@H:?8 2 <:E496? 7:C6 E92E 56DEC@J65 E96 @C:8:?2= 3F:=5:?8 E96 D2>6 H66< E92E E96 7:CDE '@=G@ x?E6C?2E:@?2= %6??:D %@FC?2>6?E H2D 96=5 2E rC2?>@C6 :? pF8FDE `hfd]k^Am
kAm“xE 3FC?65 7=2E] |J 72E96C 9:C65 {]p] sC6H[ H9@ H2D 2 7:C67:89E6C[ E@ C63F:=5 E96 C6DE2FC2?E[ 2?5 E96J 244@>A=:D965 E92E :? 2 >@?E9 — H6 C6@A6?65 :? $6AE6>36C `hfd[ H:E9 E96 ?6H DA246 25565 FADE2:CD 23@G6 E96 @C:8:?2= 7@@EAC:?E @7 E96 C6DE2FC2?E[” {F4:2?@ D2:5]k^Am
kAm|6C=:?@’D :D C6?@H?65 7@C :ED D:8?2EFC6 p?8FD 3667]k^Am
kAmxED AC:>6 C:3 4@>6D :? EH@ D:K6Di E96 |@F?E (2D9:?8E@?[ 2E `a @F?46Dj 2?5 E96 |E] rC2?>@C6 2E g @F?46D] ~E96C 72G@C:E6D :?4=F56 %\3@?6 DE62<[ 7C6D9\4FE D:C=@:? E:AD[ 492C\3C@:=65 =2>3 49@AD[ 7:=6E >:8?@?[ }@CE962DE u2>:=J u2C>D’ E@A D:C=@:?[ 2?5 DFC7 2?5 EFC7 DA64:2=E:6D]k^Am
kAm{@3DE6C :D 762EFC65 52:=J] %96 >6?F 2=D@ 762EFC6D C:3D 2?5 A@C<[ A=FD 7C6D9 32<65 9255@4< AC@G6?42=[ 32<65 DEF7765 D9C:>A[ 2?5 D627@@5 >242C@?: 2?5 4966D6]k^Am
kAm~E96C 72G@C:E6D :?4=F56 D42==@AD }2?EF4<6E 2?5 @JDE6CD @? E96 92=7 D96==]k^Am
kAm|6C=:?@’D xE2=:2? 72C6 762EFC6D D9C:>A D42>A:[ 32<65 =2D28?2[ A2DE2 2?5 49:4<6? 2?5 3C@44@=: p=7C65@]k^Am
kAm%96 =F?49 >6?F — D6CG65 52:=J F?E:= c A]>] — 762EFC6D 49:4<6? 3C62DE[ 7C6D9\4FE D:C=@:? E:AD[ 9255@4< >6=E[ =@3DE6C C@==[ 4=2DD:4 #6F36?[ DE62< D2?5H:49 2?5 AC:>6 C:3 D2?5H:49]k^Am
kAmp== 5:??6C 6?EC66D 2C6 D6CG65 H:E9 49@:46 @7 EH@ D:56D WD2=25[ G686E23=6 @C A@E2E@X]k^Am
kAmw@FCD 2C6 |@?52J\%9FCD52J[ `` 2]>]\h A]>]j uC:52J\$2EFC52J[ `` 2]>]\`_ A]>]j 2?5 $F?52J[ `_ 2]>]\h A]>] W3CF?49 F?E:= a A]>]X]k^Am
kAm#6D6CG2E:@?D >2J 36 >256 3J 42==:?8 We_bX bde\e__e] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 8@ E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^>6C=:?@DDE62<9@FD6]4@>Qm>6C=:?@DDE62<9@FD6]4@>k^2m]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.