It looks like after months of uncertainty the Sunrise Diner, a late 1940’s Jerry O’Mahony diner located in Jim Thorpe, PA will be saved after all. At one point a few months ago, I reported a news story I found on-line about the possibility that this diner was going to go to Montpelier, VT. But the story turned out to be premature and nothing came of it.
Well now it looks like Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners (Cleveland, OH) has come to the diner’s rescue and has transported the diner to his company yard in Cleveland. The following is a piece I saw this morning from WNEP.com’s website reporting the move.
Landmark Diner Leaving Jim Thorpe
Posted: July 17, 2008 04:24 PM EDT
Last Updated: July 17, 2008 05:18 PM EDT
A diner that has been a landmark in Carbon County for more than 50 years will soon be gone. Two years ago the Sunrise Diner in Jim Thorpe was in full operation. Thursday workers were jacking it up from its foundation. It’s going to rolled onto a truck and hauled away.
The reason they didn’t bring in a crane and lift it onto the truck is that diner is weak and lifting it could split it like an egg, according to the former owner. “It’s going to be saved. That’s what we wanted in the beginning,” said former owner Noel Behn. He had hoped to sell it to someone in the area but no one wanted it, even when it was free.
“We tried to give it away to the vo-tech or for kids to learn tin smithing or whatever they wanted to do with it but they had no use for it. We had people interested in it but transportation was always a problem,” Behn added. There are memories there. Ed Walck used to eat there when he returned from the service more than 50 years ago. “Steve had it. It was called Steve’s down there and then it changed hands I don’t know how many times after that,” Walck recalled.
Some said the landmark will be missed. “A real relaxed atmosphere where everybody knew everybody and you don’t find that down-to-earth restaurant,” said Leslie Solt of Mahoning Township. The diner will get new life. It will be taken to Ohio, refurbished, sold and grace another community.
Here is a link to the website where you can see some video… http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=8693475
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