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.

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!

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.

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.

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