Tom Sawyer Diner- Harrisburg, PA, 2006

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Spencer Stewart

Photos we took in 2006, during the installation of the then newly restored Tom Sawyer Diner. In the two and a half years since these pictures were taken, the Tom Sawyer housed a diner, a party bar, a Asian/ Mediterranean fusion restaurant called Konnichiwa, and a Mexican cantina.

The Tom Sawyer, a 1962 DeRaffele was originally located in Allentown, PA.

There are plans to replace the diner with an 18 story business complex.
Business owners take high-rise-development plan in stride
Konnichiwa
Sawyers Cantina
Tom Sawyer Diner- RIP 2006-2008

Wolfe’s Diner – Dillsburg, PA

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Spencer Stewart

The outside of the diner. It appears as it did when new; a real time warp.

Bikers at the diner

The wonderful original neon sign. It still works. Hand painted signs advertise the $1.25 breakfast specials, Daily Specials and Lunch & Dinner.

The original neon sign over the entrance.

Jerry O’Mahony, Inc.
Dining Car Builders
Elizabeth, NJ

The incredibly clean and well preserved interior of the diner.

Sugar and Seeburg 200 Wall-o-matic. The 200 wall-matic was only made from 1955 to 1956, from what I’ve been able to find.

“P_ _ H”

Breakfast Specials (granted, this picture was taken three years ago or so, so prices have probably gone up) They were all ridiculously inexpensive, and what we had was excellent, and served in large portions.
#1 Two Extra large any style eggs, homefries, toast and jelly – $1.25
#2 Two Hotcakes and two strips of bacon – $1.95
#3 Cereal with milk and fruit juice – $1.25
#4 “Big Mess” – Three eggs, Homefries, onions, peppers and ham all mixed together, with toast – $3.95
Sausage Gravy and Biscuit – $2.50
Double order – $4.25
With Two eggs- $4.95

A row of stools, terrazzo and formica

Back-lit back painted Restrooms sign, inset into the stainless work

Ford pickup rusting out back in the parking lot of Wolfe’s

Abandoned Pizza World- Kenilworth, PA

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Spencer Stewart

Abandoned “modern” place in PA

edit: The owner of the Rosedale Diner opened Pizza World after the diner’s closing. The diner was moved to the woods across the street from Pizza World, and was featured on the cover of Hall and Oates’ Album, Abandoned Luncheonette. It no longer exists.
Thanks Larry!

American Dream Diner- Harrisburg, PA

Posted on January 22, 2009 by Spencer Stewart

I hit this one up on a Harrisburg area road trip a few years back. It was built in 1953 by DeRaffele, and was previouly named the By-pass Diner. It’s a truly beautiful old place, with broad turquoise striping and gleaming stainless. It’s still very original, as you can see from the pictures. As of a couple years ago, the food and service matched the quality of the architecture. If you’re ever in the Harrisburg area, this one’s a must see.

The American Dream Diner is located at:
1933 Herr St
Harrisburg, PA 17103

East Shore Diner- Harrisburg, PA

Posted on January 11, 2009 by Spencer Stewart

The East Shore Diner is a 1950s O’Mahony, a large L-shaped model. It is the West Shore’s cousin, and sits across the river in Harrisburg.

You can find the East Shore at:
711 S Cameron St
Harrisburg, PA 17104.

West Shore Diner- Lemoyne, PA

Posted on January 10, 2009 by Spencer Stewart

The West Shore Diner was built in the 1930s by the Patterson Vehicle Company of Patterson, New Jersey. It may be the only surviving Silk City diner with this narrow floor plan. It appears it may have originally been all stools, but that at some point, the back wall was bumped out. This moved the backbar out the back a bit, allowing the counter to be moved further back, freeing up space for some deuce booths on the outside wall. The ceiling is similar to other silk city diners, but as it is so much narrower, it is steeper on the sides, and does not have the elegant curve of later models. Dark woodwork, tile and formica make up most of the interior, while the exterior has been repainted time and time again. The West Shore shows its 70+ years of age, but is a unique example of early New Jersey diner manufacture. his is my go-to diner in the Harrisburg area, and one of the best I’ve been to. It is one of the friendliest around. The food is excellent, and comes in enormous portions at bargain prices. They have great t-shirts, too, which is always a plus. You can’t go wrong with a stop at the West Shore.

A more recent, more drab paint scheme.

Frazer Diner- Frazer, PA

Posted on November 23, 2008 by Spencer Stewart

I was sent these pictures by my old man, who visited on Friday.

The Frazer diner is a 1935 O’Mahony, originally located in and named the Paoli diner. (Paoli is also the home of the Philadelphia curling club, where I’ve spent a lot of time). It was moved in 1957 to its current location, just down the road, in Frazer. It was renovated/restored in 2002.
A photo of it before the work was done, showing the old awnings, can be found at:
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/frazer.jpg
A photo of the old neon sign can be found at: The American Roadside

The Charcoal Pit- original location – North Wilmington

The Charcoal Pit Tradition dates back to September 1956 when it first opened its doors. The “Pit” – referred to by loyal customers, became such an instant success that only after three months from the grand opening, it was decided to build more room for its long line of hungry customers. The “Pit” went from a small four table and a counter burger joint to a 115 customer-seating establishment.

http://charcoalpit.net/

Daddypop’s Diner – Hatboro, PA

Posted on November 1, 2008 by Spencer Stewart

Some shots from when I visted the diner in 2007.

My Art

Posted on October 7, 2008 by Spencer Stewart

I paint what I like.

Harold’s Furniture, Lebanon, PA.
Notice that the neon of the sign reads, “Furniture”, while the enamel reads Harolds. Photographed this one on a Lebanon diner trip. Unfortunately, most of the diners from that trip have now either been moved or are closed.

Abandoned Silk Mill, Columbia, PA.
Saw this while driving down the highway on the way to Lancaster. Pulled off at the exit and took some quick snaps in the early morning mist. The roof’s long since caved in, and the entire thing’s fenced off. That’s probably a good idea, it looks about ready to fall down, and I’m sure there are enough people like me out there who are just curious and stupid enough to go in.
This is a fairly massive painting, done on a big piece of plywood. I finished in less than a week, working day and night at the Maryland Summer Center for the Arts at Salisbury University, to get it ready for a show.

Abandoned Travel Trailer, Oatman, AZ
This is just outside tourist trap central, Oatman, Arizona, famous for its wild donkeys. The trailer’s an old model, filled with light wood and broken bottles.

Music Store, Kingman, AZ
Kingman Arizona was the first stop of our Arizona trip. We stayed at a restored hotel across from the railroad tracks, owned by a French gentleman. The town’s a hotbed of neon.

Nash, Cool Springs, AZ
A rusty old nash sitting outside the Cool Springs gas station, on the road from Kingman to Oatman, one of the most beautiful and winding stretches of road you’ll ever have the pleasure to drive.

Gas pump detail (work in progress) Cool Springs, AZ
A detail from a large painting of a mobilgas pump at the Cool Springs Gas Station.

Tiki

Owl Diner – Lowell, MA
The most diner-enthusiast accommodating establishment I’ve visited. Homefries to die for. A great worcester semi-streamliner.

Palace Diner – Maine
Hit the palace while it was closed, but took pictures, and did the drawing. The owner saw this drawing posted on Roadside, and got in touch with me about using it on their menu. Gave to go ahead, and never heard back after that.

Diner – Winslow, AZ
Across the street from LaPosada. Closed.

Diner – Winslow, AZ
It’s still for sale, all these years later.

Motel- Holbrook, AZ – Painting won 2nd place at a Johns Hopkins art competition.
American Owned. Broken windows.

Celebrating my win.

Venus Diner – Gibsonia, PA / Cleveland, OH

Posted on September 25, 2008 by Spencer Stewart

Here is a photo of mine, of the Venus Diner, shortly before it was moved from Gibsonia, PA to Cleveland, Ohio by Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners. It is for sale on their website.

Here’s how it appears, more recently, awaiting restoration in Ohio.

Some more pictures of it, taken when it was open, can be found here.

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Diner Hunter

Tag Archives: Pennsylvania

Tom Sawyer Diner- Harrisburg, PA, 2006