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The Silver Diner chain of Rockville, Maryland, founded in 1988 by Robert Giaimo made diner history by ordering a 200-seat, prefabricated retro-styled diner from Kullman Industries. I visited it not long after it opened, and I have to admit that it completely fooled me: I believed it was a vintage structure. Kullman reached deep into its past and designed, built, and transported one of the more amazing examples of the iconic American diner. 

And now it wants to tear it down. 

According to the chain's Facebook page, the company plans to distribute pieces of the diner to museums! On the page, they write:

Hi everyone! Thanks for weighing in on the new location. We are sorry the news was so disappointing and believe us after putting our blood sweat and tears into the Rockville location, we are sad to be leaving, however our lease has expired. And, unfortunately, it is not feasible to cut up the 8 different modular sections that make up the diner & reassemble them as an operating restaurant. So after 20 great years, we are headed down the road to create the Next Generation Diner incorporating all the best features we've built into Silver Diner for the last 20 years. But, don’t be so quick to say goodbye, if you miss the old diner you can visit it around the country. The old diner will be available at different museums to help preserve the Silver Diner history!

You heard it right: They plan to build (from scratch) a new restaurant just down the road. This despite the fact that demolition (and yes, they will demolish this thing) will cost them at least $30,000. Don't believe that "available to different museums" crap. It sounds all-too-similar to Frances Puleo's promise to relocate the Vale Rio Diner to a new "better" location in order to get his permits to sell the property to Walgreen's. (See below).

Despite the fact that the diner was built as an assembled diner in Avenel, New Jersey, separated into 8 sections, and trucked 300 miles to Rockville, Maryland, somehow they've determined it's "unfeasible" to do just this and move those sections a couple of miles (if that).

This all sounds like corporate blather to me. The diner is historic in its own right, and its construction quality is on par with almost anything Kullman ever built. Having visited the stores they've built since this unit, I can say with some confidence that the new building will pale by comparison. 

Damn shame, folks. Just another damn shame. 

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Diner historian and director of the Johnson & Wales Culinary Museum Richard Gutman just sent us this photo showing the stunning progress of the former Berlin Diner's restoration. Currently owned by Claire Bergeron, the diner has sat on this location since 2003 after Claire purchased the structure from Steve Gasior and moved it from East Hampton, Connecticut to the Otis Rotary in Pocasset, Massachusetts.

Longtime readers of this site remember poor Steve and his efforts to restore this diner using the services of Daniel Zilka. Amazingly enough, even after that debacle, Zilka was hired again by Claire to finish that work, which he didn't.

Happily, Claire finally found Steve Spencer, an associate of Richard's at the museum, who apparently possesses the ability to do this work. Steve was also assisted by his son and Richard.

No word yet on what Claire plans to call the diner, which replaces the former Tin Man Diner, a Sterling Streamliner was destroyed by arson and which currently rots away in storage in Westport, Massachusetts.

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Los Angeles, California -- Phil's Diner, closed for more than ten years and moved more than once, will reopen in 2010 according to a website run by its owner, Casey Hallenbeck. According to the site (found here) "Phil's Diner will offer a combination of your old diner favorites like burgers and milkshakes along with some healthier options for those who maybe eat out a little more often. We care about you, your health, and the health of our environment so we keep that in mind in everything we do."

Read Hallenbeck's blog here.

Read even more about Phil's Diner at the Museum of San Fernando Valley website here.

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Whenever we hear from Michael Perlman, it's not usually because he has good news.

Preservation Alert: Historic Jay Dee Bakery Endangered... Art Deco Features Available Free

Jay Dee Bakery (98-92 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills) closed its doors after nearly 60 years. It stood as a well-known NY Art Deco landmark since the early 1950s (with features of an earlier bakery dating back to the early 1940s), and has been dear to locals and preservationists. Citywide, there are very few such surviving Art Deco style commercial buildings. On Aug 10th, my colleague and I met with the owner, and tried to convince him to preserve and adaptively reuse the property, making him eligible for grants, positive media, & awards. It will be transformed into a Russian restaurant, and the owner decided that he is not interested in preserving its historic Art Deco features.

The news is unfortunate, but the owner said he will give away any salvagable Art Deco features for free, if an individual, organization, or museum is interested. Rego-Forest Preservation Council is hoping that several features will live on elsewhere and showcased or creatively and adaptively reused, which has been done countrywide. We would be saddened if these unique businesses' Art Deco attributes are demolished forever.
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World's Largest Catsup Bottle celebrates 60th birthday with a new paint job!

Work begins today to repaint the World's Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville, Illinois. The world-famous Brooks catsup bottle water tower last received a fresh coat of paint 14 years ago. A nation-wide "Paint It" campaign by the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group raised the necessary funds to save the landmark from possible demolition and have it restored it to its original appearance. Judy DeMoisy, known as the Catsup Bottle Lady, created the preservation group in 1993, and has again coordinated the effort to get the job done. "We've been working behind the scenes for a while now," she said. "All the pieces came together late last week and it's time to get it done." One of the pieces is painter Rod Reinneck. His company, Diversified Coatings of O'Fallon, Illinois, handled the restoration of the catsup bottle in 1995. He has been contracted to do it again.

"This is an exciting, once in a lifetime opportunity," Reinneck said. "And we get to do it twice."

Unlike with the previous restoration, this time there is no need for a massive volunteer fundraising effort.

"The catsup bottle is actually owned by Bethel-Eckert Enterprises, not the city as a lot of people think," DeMoisy said. "Thanks to the generosity of Bethel-Eckert, the project is under way. We can't thank them enough for taking care of this." Public Relations Director, Mike Gassmann, the Big Tomato, reminds everyone to follow the project online. "Our web site is www.catsupbottle.com," Gassmann said. "We have a complete archive of the history, all the festivals, the media appearances, everything ever having to do with the catsup bottle." Photos and reports will be posted to the blog so fans around the world can follow the progress.

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MARGATE, NEW JERSEY—Lucy the Elephant will celebrate her 127th birthday on Sunday, July 20th.  The festivities begin at 10AM and continue throughout the day until our extended closing time of 8PM. 
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