Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Vermont possibilities

Some Vermont possibilities for Ward & Dickinson diners need to be checked out.

Thomas Walsh of Albany was running a business in Rutland, VT in 1930 when he declared bankruptcy.  One of the companies who was listed as a creditor was Ward & Dickinson of Silver Creek, NY
Edit - was in town for three years

A While back, on EBAY was a matchbook for Pete's Diner in Middlebury, VT.  This had a drawing of a larger 40 foot Ward & Dickinson.  A Deluxe model, so to say.  The drawing of the Ward Diner, the 30 foot model is often a stock art option, but I am hoping that the larger 40 foot models used for drawings are good hits.
Edit - This has been confirmed!  Diner was demolished shortly after WW2

  One of the places using the 30 foot Ward diner was located in South Carolina.  I was able to verify that the diner looked to be a home made barrel roof diner, put into place in the mid 1930s.

  Finally. I had always found a mention of a Chunawaka Lunch Car, run by the Petty Bros in Granville, NY around 1930.  I recently found a June 1933 blurb that William Lorette was moving the diner to Rutland.  I always had a suspicion that this might be a Closson or a Ward.
Edit - Need address, but William Lorette did have a restaurant in Rutland.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

All you can eat Diner, part 2

Here is a photo of the aforementioned Jopil Bros Parlor Diner.  A poor photo which is typical of newspaper that has been turned to microfilm.  One thing I find fascinating is the roof.  It looks like a metal roof.   And hopefully it is just the photo, but the front of the diner looks like it is leaning.  
  From research, it seems there was a Fred's Diner at this location for some years, and just before this diner came here, Fred's was put into storage and would get badly charred in less than a month, while in storage.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

1931 - Yonkers - all you can eat

Fascinating article. Getting back into doing a little research that needs to be done before Christmas.  Ten Percent of the customers were women, and they ate salads.   This article is from the Yonkers Statesman, July 24, 1931. 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Quintessence, Albany. To Close

The Times Union of Albany, NY has reported that the Albany Medical Center has bought the 1948/9 Fodero, lastly known as Quintessence.  A friend of NY Diners has reported that an employee of Quintessence commented that the diner is going to be moved.  No other information is known.

The Chuck Wagon Diner is no longer run by the Ketchums.  They have leased the diner out to new operators. 

  The Miss Port Henry Diner is now Foote's Miss Port Henry Diner and is doing well so far with a veteran restauranteur in charge.

  Dewey's Diner has closed. A victim of roughly 3 years of essentially continuous road work on Fuller Road.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Phoenicia Diner reopens

The Watershed Post reports that the Phoenicia Diner has been reopened. 

Check here for the article.

http://www.watershedpost.com/2012/fresh-phoenicia-diner

Some remodeling was done to the interior. Check out the photos.  For historians, here is the skinny on ownership change.
"Last year, longtime owner Chris Raptis sold the diner to Michael Cioffi"

A few years back, the roof partially collapsed in the kitchen during a five foot plus snowfall.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Queensbury Diner delivered

DeRaffele has delivered a diner to Exit 19 of the Northway(I-87)
Dennis Pilarinos and his son Robert are the owners of this diner.  They also own and operate the Ambrosia Diner in Catskill and the Capital City Diner in Albany/Guilderland, by Crossgates Mall.  Dennis also owns the diner in Hudson, but leases this one out for the "Grazin" operation.
 The powers that be in Queensbury wanted the diner not to be completely retro, so the Pilarinos compromised with the stone exterior below the windows. Fortunately, DeRaffele pulled off the compromise beautifully! 
The diner will also have heated sidewalks, which will be a nice addition for winter months.  No word on when the diner will open.
  This diner has been in the works since 2010, but met with a multitude of roadblocks. Fortunately, things seem to be moving in the right direction!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Some history from PA

Recently going through my first Conditional Sales Docket book in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, I came across this entry!


Ward & Dickinson #126 to R.F. Shetler
$5700 in remaining payments
$150 1/1/1928, then 9 months thereafter
$175 11/1/1928, then 9 months thereafter
$200 9/1/1929, then 2 months thereafter
$1850 12/1/1929
Satisfaction on 1/7/1931

"Ward" Special Dining Car #126
28 feet of marble counter tops, 12 stools, 1 electric exhaust fan, 1 hood, 1 cook stove, 1 steam table, 1 back counter, 12 screens for ventilator windows including window locks, fasteners and hooks.
1 electric fridge(Kelvinator), 1 clock, 1 twenty one foot counter, 2 built in tables and 4 booth seats, 1 dish sink, cash register and coal heater.
2 screen doors, electrical fixtures and wiring, floor linoleum, awnings, dishes, silverware, glassware, 1 hot water heater, 1 cream dispenser, 1 coffee urn, fire extinguisher.

Notary - Helen M. Dickinson

on a side note, Shetler owned a Ward in Hagerstown, Maryland and later bought a Silk City Diner for the Carlisle vicinity.

Paterson Vehicle Company to R.F. Shetler(4/1/1941)
Pike Diner #40104 14'6" by 40'
$5370 in remaining payments
US Rt 11 south side, adjoining and east of Fred and Edith Rose.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Ward & Dickinson history

  Somehow, I did not copy down all of the information from Vince Martonis concerning all the Ward & Dickinson photos owned by the Hanover History Center.

  Some of the exciting find include a total of four diners in California!  This includes a diner in Los Angeles, Sacramento and two in Oakland!  

  There is also a photo of a Plymouth Diner with no location given.  I am thinking this is Rochester, NY as there was a Plymouth Diner in town from 1934 to the 1940s.  The timing makes perfect sense!  It is possibly one of the diners that failed at different locations.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

november 4, 1955


From the Rochester area. Unsure if this diner is still there, but someone did tell me a couple of years ago, he wouldn't be surprised if the diner was being used for storage