Jump to content
American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Diner Days Subject Threatened


DennyG
 Share

Recommended Posts

According to an article in the Altoona Mirror, the subject of the most recent American Road Diner Days may be in trouble. The article, available here, says that a Rite Aid pharmacy wants to tear down Grubbs Diner in Huntingdon, PA. This is clearly not a done deal and quotes from the county planning director indicate that he's not exactly in favor of the move.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to an article in the Altoona Mirror, the subject of the most recent American Road Diner Days may be in trouble. The article, available here, says that a Rite Aid pharmacy wants to tear down Grubbs Diner in Huntingdon, PA. This is clearly not a done deal and quotes from the county planning director indicate that he's not exactly in favor of the move.

 

 

Denny,

 

It looks like the owner of Grubbs Diner would keep and move the diner elsewhere if the Rite Aid comes in . . . am I reading that correctly?

 

Do you think letters from American Road & American Road readers might help? If so, let's start writing!

 

Becky

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It looks like the owner of Grubbs Diner would keep and move the diner elsewhere if the Rite Aid comes in . . . am I reading that correctly?

I think that's right. Although they didn't talk with the owner directly, it does say he has requested to keep the structure which could be OK.

 

Any PA residents here wtth better information?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wrote to the reporter from the Mirror asking to clarify whether this was an issue of eminent domain or whether Jerry Grubb got an offer he couldn't refuse (I'm going to make the assumption that he owns the land, since the place has been there for 50-some years). Here's what I received:

 

Hello,

 

When I spoke with our county planning director, he was

going to contact owner Jerry Grubb, because the

questions you have about the diner are the same as the

planning commission's. There's a few history buffs on

the planning commission and they were concenred about

the community losing the diner. All I know at this

point is that Mr. Grubb wants to move the diner

building, but whether he intends to run it as a diner

or just preserve the structure, I'm just not sure. He

didn't return my call prior to my deadline. I will

keep an eye on this story and write follow-ups. I can

keep you posted.

 

Best wishes,

Rebecca Berdar, staff writer, Altoona Mirror

 

So I'd say based on that, eminent domain wasn't in play here. Hats off to the planning commission for apparently having an attitude of keeping something old instead of a cookie cutter business. If I was a betting man, I'd say Jerry got offered some $$$ for the land, but he still wants to keep his diner in business. I wouldn't think it's a matter of Jerry wanting to retire, since his son pretty much runs the place anyway. I'll keep you all posted if I hear anything new.

 

Cheers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Well, as you can see by the notes in this thread, it's been a while since anything's been posted on it. I made a bonsai 1700 mile round trip drive to Connecticut for my grandma-in-law's 100th birthday. Left Indy Friday night at 6 and just got back at 11:30 Monday night.

 

I stayed in Scranton, PA Sunday night and thought I'd take the long way back so I could check on the status of Grubb's. There was some bittersweet luck in that decision, as when I arrived in Huntingdon, the stainless steel diner was gone and had been cut out of the remaining portion of the diner. The adjacent Days Inn, which the Grubbs also own, was noticibly closed and was in the process of being gutted as well. There is a retail plaza behind the motel that I drove around to get a better look at the diner situation. Surprise!! Behind the motel in the plaza's parking lot was the diner, cut in half and sitting on two flatbed trailers. There was some activity going on on the grounds of the diner, as the neon Grubb's sign was being hooked up to be loaded onto a flatbed tow truck. I inquired at the gas station across the street as to the status of Grubb's, and the gal said they weren't going to reopen it anywhere. A little discouraged, I drove into a parking lot next to the motel, and walked over to where the Grubb's sign was being hooked up to a boom. I talked with a now-former employee of the motel about things and she said today was the last day they had to have everything they wanted off the property. In the midst of our conversation in the gutted lobby of the Days Inn, I noticed Darren Grubb was one of the folks working on the sign, along with his dad Jerry. So I made my way out and reintroduced myself to Darren. We talked for a while about the events of the past 9 months. His dad Jerry, who owns Grubb's, wanted to retire and Rite-Aid came along with what he was looking for. So now Jerry's retiring and Darren's not sure what he's doing yet. The last day was July 9th.

 

I asked about the status of the diner and the sign, and Darren couldn't really tell me what the plans were, as it sounded as if there was some sort of deal in the works that he couldn't share with me. However, he did say the diner won't be back as a working diner, but he did mention that they won't be destroyed and the sign and diner will be back together down the road. I don't know exactly what it will be, but after mentioning to him about the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, he kinda smiled and said something to the effect of Grubb's Diner future is not too far from what the sign museum does. So I get the feeling it'll be reconstructed somewhere (not in Huntingdon, as he said), but it won't be a business. Maybe a display of some sort? Hopefully we'll find out down the road. He's seemed really proud of that sign too, as I found out he designed it himself in 1991 when he was in his mid-20's.

 

I asked Darren about his future and he didn't know yet. But he did say he didn't want to get back into a business like this. In a nutshell, he wants a job that's easier on him. He sounded as if it was tough on him always being there, always having to fill in when someone called in, etc. So he seemed relieved to a degree.

 

There was a Family Dollar in the plaza behind the motel and diner. I picked up a $5 disposable Fuji camera and snapped several pics of the scene. Even got one of Darren & his daughter in front of their sign. I'll get those developed soon and scanned.

 

So that's the scoop on Grubb's. A sad day indeed, after 52 years in business. I planned on stopping there for lunch today, but after I drove up, I lost my appetite. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, that's definitely a sad bit of news but with just a touch of mystery. Where will it turn up? When will it turn up? What will it be? Hopefully some news will flow our way some day.

 

Good job checking it out and good job helping Grandma celebrate that first century.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, as you can see by the notes in this thread, it's been a while since anything's been posted on it. I made a bonsai 1700 mile round trip drive to Connecticut for my grandma-in-law's 100th birthday. Left Indy Friday night at 6 and just got back at 11:30 Monday night.

 

I stayed in Scranton, PA Sunday night and thought I'd take the long way back so I could check on the status of Grubb's. There was some bittersweet luck in that decision, as when I arrived in Huntingdon, the stainless steel diner was gone and had been cut out of the remaining portion of the diner. The adjacent Days Inn, which the Grubbs also own, was noticibly closed and was in the process of being gutted as well. There is a retail plaza behind the motel that I drove around to get a better look at the diner situation. Surprise!! Behind the motel in the plaza's parking lot was the diner, cut in half and sitting on two flatbed trailers. There was some activity going on on the grounds of the diner, as the neon Grubb's sign was being hooked up to be loaded onto a flatbed tow truck. I inquired at the gas station across the street as to the status of Grubb's, and the gal said they weren't going to reopen it anywhere. A little discouraged, I drove into a parking lot next to the motel, and walked over to where the Grubb's sign was being hooked up to a boom. I talked with a now-former employee of the motel about things and she said today was the last day they had to have everything they wanted off the property. In the midst of our conversation in the gutted lobby of the Days Inn, I noticed Darren Grubb was one of the folks working on the sign, along with his dad Jerry. So I made my way out and reintroduced myself to Darren. We talked for a while about the events of the past 9 months. His dad Jerry, who owns Grubb's, wanted to retire and Rite-Aid came along with what he was looking for. So now Jerry's retiring and Darren's not sure what he's doing yet. The last day was July 9th.

 

I asked about the status of the diner and the sign, and Darren couldn't really tell me what the plans were, as it sounded as if there was some sort of deal in the works that he couldn't share with me. However, he did say the diner won't be back as a working diner, but he did mention that they won't be destroyed and the sign and diner will be back together down the road. I don't know exactly what it will be, but after mentioning to him about the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, he kinda smiled and said something to the effect of Grubb's Diner future is not too far from what the sign museum does. So I get the feeling it'll be reconstructed somewhere (not in Huntingdon, as he said), but it won't be a business. Maybe a display of some sort? Hopefully we'll find out down the road. He's seemed really proud of that sign too, as I found out he designed it himself in 1991 when he was in his mid-20's.

 

I asked Darren about his future and he didn't know yet. But he did say he didn't want to get back into a business like this. In a nutshell, he wants a job that's easier on him. He sounded as if it was tough on him always being there, always having to fill in when someone called in, etc. So he seemed relieved to a degree.

 

There was a Family Dollar in the plaza behind the motel and diner. I picked up a $5 disposable Fuji camera and snapped several pics of the scene. Even got one of Darren & his daughter in front of their sign. I'll get those developed soon and scanned.

 

So that's the scoop on Grubb's. A sad day indeed, after 52 years in business. I planned on stopping there for lunch today, but after I drove up, I lost my appetite. :(

 

And another icon falls to the Great God of Corporate indifferenece - do we really need a Rite Aide or Wal Grens, or Wal Mart on EVERY corner.

Thank God I grew up in an era when a road trip meant finding something different around every corner, when people sat on their front porches and waved as you went by, when "good service" most everywhere you went was the rule, rather than the exception.

God, I miss those carefree days. Sure, we didn't have TV, we didn't have Mickey D's, we didn't have Ipods and computers (well, I guess I'll have to accept the computer - it has made me so many new friends, many of whom I've never met and a few that it was a pleasure to meet (like Denny), but we also weren't living life at 120 mph going nowhere either.

I'm glad I turned the radio off in 1965 - it's all gone to hell in a handbasket since then. :(

Such is life.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alex,

 

It is a loss, and I share a lot of your feelings. Been there, done that. Wish it was what I remember. But the good news is I'm on the road today in eastern Oregon along the old Oregon Trail, and you can still find America without a phone hung over the ear. As you well know, you just have to get on the two lane road!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are a few photos from Grubb's Diner from last Monday, July 23:

 

376629_R1_09_16A_010.jpg

Darren Grubb & daughter in front of the sign he designed in 1991.

 

 

376629_R1_04_21A_005.jpg

What a lonely image....

 

376629_R1_07_18A_008.jpg

Where the stainless steel diner used to sit.

 

376629_R1_03_22A_004.jpg

The end....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pat,

Thanks for posting the photos, no matter how painful. I think of diners that have vanished here in the Lehigh Valley. A number have been so remuddled, that the original diner cannot be seen behind faux stone facades. Yikes! There is one for sale at 19th and Tilghman in Allentown (Tilghman is the original orientation of US22 through the city) that has been for sale for over a year. I remember it as Hook's Diner, but it was Saylor's Restaurant for a long time as well. It almost became an Auto Parts store, but neighborhood rebellion kept that from happening. Currently Starbucks is considering the site, but then I doubt the original diner building would survive. I will try to get some photos this week...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have attached four photos of Saylor's Restaurant in Allentown. Nothing has been announced as to its future, but it is one of the few remaining vintage diners that has not been changed drastically in its design. It was expanded with the structure to the west of the building for expanding seating area and a larger kitchen was added in the rear.

post-104-1185905184_thumb.jpg

post-104-1185905214_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...