In the News - Former Jerry's Diner

As an update, our first post about this 1920's O'Mahony diner in Kent, Ohio was in our July 8th blog entry. A little over a month later we updated that post, noting a planned event for the diner prior to the auction. This post was updated again on the 12th of this month when a new Record-Courier article appeared online. Deborah Guziak's article shares memories of the diner from several people at the party. At the end of her article she noted Mike Zenone of North Olmsted is interested in acquiring and restoring the diner.

Matt Fredmonsky of the Record-Courier provides an update today on the diner. His article states Mike Zenone was the successful bidder. Ending price was fifty dollars. Over the years this O'Mahony diner has suffered from neglect and deteriorated. Mr. Zenone estimates only a small percentage of the original diner can be saved.

We'd recommend Mr. Zenone contact Richard J. S. Gutman, director and curator of the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. Not only has Mr. Gutman restored diners and consulted on the restoration of many others, he is recognized as the leading authority on the subject of diners and their history. We should note Mr. Gutman has another book in the works. The subject of this one? O'Mahony diners. Also, someone may want to put Mr. Zenone in touch with Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners. Steve Harwin is well versed in diner restoration. He's brought back many diners that some declared beyond restoration.

Mr. Zenone certainly has a challenge ahead of him. We wish him the best on his project. More information will be posted here about the restoration as it becomes available.


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Diners: Still Cookin' in the 21st Century
Culinary Archives & Museum at Johnson & Wales University
315 Harborside Blvd.
Providence, RI
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Diversified Diners
Cleveland, OH


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Sunrise Diner - Jim Thorpe, PA

Formerly operating as Steve's Diner, this 1950's O'Mahony diner arrived in 1954. The Sunrise Diner pictured here in mama4774's flickr photostream, was purchased a year ago by Noel and Bernadette Behan. They wanted to expand their existing business so the diner next door had to go. After being advertised as for sale nobody wanted it. It seemed Noel Behan couldn't even give it away.

Bob Reynolds of WNEP-TV wrote an article yesterday with an update on this diner. Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners will restore the diner in Cleveland, Ohio. After which it will then be ready to begin a new life in your town or city.

Steve's been in the news a number of times recently. We posted a blog entry yesterday about another diner he's recently worked on for the second time; the former Big Dig Diner. It was mentioned online that Steve may be working two other diners: Smyrna and Cheyenne.

In Bob Reynolds's article watch the video and you'll notice the green semi with the flatbed trailer. It looks like Mel Brandt will be moving this diner to Ohio. Mel has moved many diners over the years. Around this time last year, he moved the former Tommy's Deluxe, now Road Island Diner, to Oakley, Utah.


Diversified Diners
Cleveland, OH

M & M Leasing & Rigging Company
Lancaster, PA


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Former Big Dig Diner - Boston, MA

former Big Dig Diner

An article about this diner's future appeared online today. Though here's a little background on this Silk City Diner, built in 1946 by the Paterson Vehicle Company of Paterson, NJ. According to Mario Monti's book, A Directory of Diners - 3rd Edition, this diner has been known as the Windmill Diner in Ono, PA, Fern's Diner in Norristown, NJ, and the Exton Diner in Exton, PA.

In 1995 it left Diversified Diners after being restored and was installed at 4 Drydock Avenue, in Boston, MA. Once there it served as the culinary training center for the Log School Settlement House. The organization modeled their Big Dig Diner Project after the Chesapeake Center for Youth Development's culinary training at the Hollywood Diner in Baltimore, MD. It operated for a few years, though due to financial issues, the Big Dig Diner closed in 2003.

Former Big Dig Diner
courtesy of photosonflickr, (c) 2006

The photograph in the upper right shows the diner's exterior in June 2005. Since the diner sat upon city land, they were anxious to get rid of it. On Wednesday, October 11, 2006, the diner was put up for auction, yet failed to find a buyer. The picture to the left taken a few weeks after the auction, shows various interior items were sold. Here's an article about the diner written in October 2006.

Several months later, when updating our records, we were surprised to find a blank spot in the Google map where the diner once stood. Checking Google's StreetView confirmed this.

In 2007 the diner was moved back to Diversified Diners and began the restoration process one more time. On Monday it's expected the former Big Dig Diner will arrive in Grafton, OH. It will then be known as Nancy's Mainstreet Diner. Grafton is located about 15 miles from Lake Erie.

Though O'Mahony and Worcester manufactured diners are commonly found throughout Massachusetts, we wondered if there are any other Silk City diners remaining. Tim's, in Leominster is one we visited in July 2005.

When we have more information about Nancy's, we'll post it here.

For more pictures of diners, we invite you to visit our flickr photostream here.


Diversified Diners
Cleveland, OH

Nancy's Mainstreet Diner
426 North Main Street
Grafton, OH
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Tim's Diner
15 Water St.
Leominster, MA
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Smyrna Diner - Smyrna, DE

The Smyrna Diner is among those built during the early 1960s. One Internet site states, "The Smyrna Diner, located in Smyrna, Delaware, was installed in 1965. It replaced a smaller one which had been at the same site since 1954." (1) A picture of the previous diner may be seen here. An exterior picture of the current diner is available in martysdomain's flickr photostream.

Smyrna's rustic exterior, which may be the result of renovations, is a departure from the stainless steel and large plate glass windows as typically seen in diners. It also follows the movement away from exteriors of steel toward more environmental materials. The vestibule includes an overhang reminiscent of a folded plate roof line. Compare the diner with the former Deerhead Diner of the same era.

After thirty-six years, Sandy Margist will soon shut the lights off one last time. As is often the case, she owns the diner, but not the land upon which it sits. A new diner is being constructed a short distance down the road, near the intersection of U.S. 13, and Delaware 1. Several articles last year spoke of the diner's history, planned closing and restoration by Diversified Diners of Cleveland, Ohio. Today's article has pictures of the diner and its new location. About 9.3 miles further down the road on North Dupont Highway is the Hollywood Diner, a 1954 Fodero.

Melrose Diner
by Chris_In_Philly_'08
and appears here under
Creative Commons license

Compare the corner of the current Smyrna with another Paramount diner, the Melrose Diner of Philadelphia, PA pictured at right. The Melrose is an example of an older Paramount diner with its trademark "wedding cake" corner.

When more information about the new diner's opening becomes available we'll post it here.




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Diversified Diners
Cleveland, OH

Hollywood Diner
123 N. Dupont Hwy.
Dover, DE
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Melrose Diner
1501 Snyder Ave.
Philadelphia, PA
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Smyrna Diner
304 N. DuPont Blvd.
Smyrna, DE
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For more pictures of diners, we invite you to visit our flickr photostream here.

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