In the News - Olga's Diner

Olga's, a 1960's Fodero Dining Car Company diner located in Marlton, NJ, is in the news again. Between financial difficulties and proposed construction plans, it seems its future in limbo.

10/21/2008 Update: Another article about the closure.

10/20/2008 Update: Another article about the closure.

10/18/2008 Update: Olga's is closed.

8/1/2008 Update: Olga's reopens.

7/29/2008 Update: Payment arrangements reached.

7/25/2008 Update: Olga's closed.

7/4/2008 Update: Olga's to reopen today.

7/3/2008 Update: Olga's closed its doors yesterday due to a reported gas leak. No word on when it will reopen.

Here's a Google SketchUp model of the diner.

Originally posted 6/26/2008
Olga's, a 1960's Fodero Dining Car Company diner located in Marlton, NJ, is in the news again. Between financial difficulties and proposed construction plans, it seems its future in limbo. The big question is when the proposed overpass from almost four years ago, will be constructed--or if. Many in the community are in opposition and have created this website.

A picture of Olga's exterior may be seen in startcoloring's flickr photostream. Olga's reminds us of a Fodero diner in Connecticut we photographed in 2007. The Blue Sky Diner, though smaller, retains the same style lines and exterior, with different color panels below the windows.

The Trolley Car diner, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is in a similar situation. The street in front of the diner has been torn up since January. We've seen several reports about the detrimental impact to businesses in the area and hope that situation is resolved soon.

A quote from the article in our post on the Mt. Pisgah diner seems appropriate.

"'Growth is inevitable. We learned (Friday) that it's desirable,' he said. 'The destruction of community character is not.'" -- PLAN NH President Michael J. Castagna

There was another Olga's Diner, though it was located in Camden, NJ. This one was a large early 1950's Mountain View diner. Here's a link with photos of the diner.


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Blue Sky Diner
273 Ferry Blvd.
Stratford, CT
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Olga’s Diner
Routes 70 and 73 at Marlton Circle
Marlton, NJ
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Trolley Car Diner
7619 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, PA
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A Look Back on October 16th

10/16/1996

Edgemere Diner,
© 2006 DinerHistory.com file photo

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette mentioned the Edgemere Diner in Shrewsbury, MA in their article, "Edgemere Offers Good Meals With A Slice Of Americana." After opening during that summer, the diner closed due to a fire. Edgemere reopened in September.


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Former Mack Diner - New Brunswick, NJ

Although this 1941 Fodero Dining Car Company diner hasn't served food for many years, that could change. A recent news article here speaks of a possible move. It last saw duty as All Ears' Records store until closing in 2005.

We found several pictures of the diner online:

Agilitynut's diners website here

flickr pro lawrence_smith_3's picture taken June 7, 2005 here

flickr member ah334's picture taken December 28, 2005 here

flickr pro Brooklyn Bridge Baby's picture taken July 26, 2008 here.

Edgemere Exterior

The Former Edgemere diner in Shrewsbury, MA is a similar diner. Though the colors are different, these pictures from 2006 will give you an idea of what the Mack may have looked like at one time.

Edgemere Interior

Closed
Mack Diner
150 French St.
New Brunswick, NJ

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A Road Trip Begins

During this road trip we plan to visit diners in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. In addition, we'll stop in at a few diners we've already visited in the past.

Our trip began just outside of Boston, MA, when we started driving on U.S. Route 1 and continued northeast. We navigated over to Route 128 and followed it to the traffic circle exiting onto Washington Street. From there it was over to Main Street for a few pictures of a circa mid-century O'Mahony diner.

Currently not a diner, the restaurant operates as the Supreme Roast Beef. On their sign it says "Since 1973." We aren't sure if that refers to their restaurant in business or the building physically being there since 1973. In the past it has been known as Chick's Roast Beef and Michel's Cape Ann Diner.

Supreme Roast Beef

At right is an example of the unique O'Mahony styling. Wrapping around the roof line is stainless steel sheets with a accordion fold. This is bordered by a piece of steel above and below. In the piece above we noticed there is one embossed horizontal line and below there are two. These elements give an almost streamlined appearance to the roof line. At the base of the diner, another piece is used, however this contains three lines. The Fodero Dining Car Company had a similar design. Though Fodero seems to have standardized on pieces with three lines. Reference the former Forbes Diner as an example. While not factory, notice the clock on the front of the vestibule near the roof line. Some O'Mahony diners would have the clock on top and centered near the front edge. Fodero placed their signature "winged" clock where you see Supreme's.

We spotted an easily overlooked feature. From this angle of the picture, you might not be able to see it. Notice the pattern in the steel below the corner window. In the vestibule a sheet of this is to the left of the entrance.

While some diner manufacturers boasted no two diners exactly alike, the picture shows another common O'Mahony exterior feature. The diner has five horizontal blue bands between the curved steel below the windows. Angelo's Orchid, Bishop's 4th Street, and Makris are examples of other O'Mahony diners with five red bands. A side note is Bishop's were painted blue within the last couple of years. There is something else to consider when identifying mid-century O'Mahony diners. Olympia in CT has four bands, and those are made of green flexglass. Vertical fluted panels are used in Zip's and the Shawmut diner.

Above the entrance door in O'Mahony diners, you'll find the diner's "tag." On it you may see the phrase, In our line we lead the world. O'Mahony diners were thought to be the best built diners. When looking at the interior, we've yet to see a pop rivet.

We invite you to tag along with us on our road trip. Next stop is the Fish Tale diner.



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Angelo's Orchid Diner
805 Rockdale Ave.
New Bedford, MA
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Bishop's Fourth Street Diner
184 Admiral Kalbfus Rd.
Newport, RI
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Closed and in storage
Forbes Diner

Makris Diner
1797 Berlin Tpke.
Wethersfield, CT
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Shawmut diner
943 Shawmut Ave.
New Bedford, MA
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Supreme Roast Beef
218 Main St.
Gloucester, MA
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Zip's Diner
Routes 101 & 12
Dayville, CT
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Former Quintessence Diner - Albany, NY

Former Quintessence Diner

This 1940's Fodero diner has been closed for several years. Today's article mentions the diner was purchased earlier this year by Joe Zappone, Patrick Fiore and Nick Riggione. Agilitynut has photographs of the exterior prior to renovations here. It's undergoing a renovation and it's expected to reopen late this fall. We'll post more information here as it becomes available.


Closed
Quintessence Diner
11 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY
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Edgemere Diner - Shrewsbury, MA

Edgemere Diner exterior,
© 2006 DinerHistory.com file photo

A reader alerted us to this recent article about the former Edgemere Diner. Just a couple weeks prior, this article was published. Both repeat parts of other articles we've seen in the past, detailing the background of the owner.

As the result of a tax issue, the town acquired the 1948 Fodero Dining Car Company diner in October 1995. Ever since its been a revolving door of two year leases.It wasn't until March 2005 when that process ended. Restrictions were changed yet it failed to attract serious offers. A few more changes and late last year the town found an acceptable buyer.

Edgemere Diner interior,
© 2006 DinerHistory.com file photo

The former diner reopened this past March as the Edge. Though in a diner, yet casting off traditional diner food, the Edge limits its menu to sausage and hot dog products. A video about the Edge is available here.

While a diner that only serves hot dogs isn't a new idea, we wonder just how viable it will be for the Edge. Tex Barry's Coney Island Hot Dogs on the other hand, has been around for generations doing just this. Recently Tex Barry's appeared in a segment for the Chronicle, Boston's ABC affiliate, WCVB TV Channel 5 nightly news program. Click to watch the video. Richard J. S. Gutman, diner expert and curator of the only known exhibition of collected diner history and a real Worcester Lunch Car Company diner, provides insightful commentary. More information on the diner exhibit is found here. Be sure to watch the entire video as the Lanna Thai and the Liberty Elm diners also make an appearance. A correction to the video is the Liberty Elm has switched to their expanded summer hours.

We made a visit to the diner this past January and was disappointed they had painted over the Art Deco lettering on the diner's exterior. The Edge is on our list to visit next time we are in the area.


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The Edge
51 Hartford Ave.
Shrewsbury, MA
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Lanna Thai Diner
901 Main St.
Woburn, MA
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Liberty Elm Diner
777 Elmwood Ave.
Providence, RI
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Tex Barry's Coney Island Hot Dogs
31 County St.
Attleboro, MA
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