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Doc's Belittled Gem

Category: Preserve This

Published Date

Written by Curtis Dyson

Doc's Little Gem Diner in Syracuse, New York is up for sale. Once again, we have yet another diner case study on how not to run your diner. Another "I told you so". Despite all efforts from diner people for over a decade, Doc argued for too long that people should be able to smoke in his diner, and as a result he lost alot of customers. From my own experiences, and having spent considerable time in Syracuse, I never ate at Doc's because of the smoking. I spent my diner $ elsewhere.

Doc also disliked Syracuse, New York Fire Dept regulations too, so instead of finding a more eye-pleasing solution, he bludgeoned his diner to spite them all — cutting awful holes in the Formica ceiling and installing an unsightly sprinkler system — the cheapest type he could install — just to prove his point. Ugly, exposed bare, unpainted metal pipes running the length of the diner ceiling. The only thing he accomplished was making his diner feel even more depressing inside. Low rent.

Now, surprise surprise, it's going down. The great ship Doc's Little Gem has finally run aground, is listing badly and wil likely roll over soon like the Andrea Doria.

Dissecting this as a case study, first there is all of the above to consider. The result being, he ruins his diner business -- seeing as the majority of people DO NOT SMOKE. Then it becomes known that Doc's is in dire financial straits, has declared bankruptcy and may be foreclosed on. There's also a fire that no one can really explain, but that doesn't destroy it either. Now folks, this Gem of a business is up for sale. Huh?

Quite an appealing "opportunity", isn't it?

As to value, the diner sits in a depressed industrial wasteland in Syr, on a sidestreet in the shadow of the Carousel Mall. The diner alone off its foundation is worth $15-$20Gs, (maybe) minus the cost of restoring the Formica ceiling. Guess the land must be worth $380,000. One thing I'm sure about, and that's if Doc's has failed as a going concern as a diner, it's likely not worth much more now than the value of the land and the diner structure. What a shame.