Frazer Diner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frazer Diner |
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General information | |
Type | Diner |
Location | 189 Lancaster Avenue, Frazer, Pennsylvania 19355 |
Town or city | East Whitland Township |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 40°02′31″N 75°32′15″W / 40.04190°N 75.53761°W |
Completed | 1929 or 1935 in Paoli, Pennsylvania |
The Frazer Diner is a really special old building. It was built by a famous company called the Jerry O'Mahony Diner Company. This diner is super unique because it's the only one left from the mid-1930s that still looks exactly like it did when it was new.
It has cool original features like a special roof called a monitor roof. It also has neat half-moon windows and a base made of porcelain enamel. This diner was actually built in two halves! It was first sent to Paoli, Pennsylvania, where it opened as the Paoli Diner.
Contents
The Frazer Diner: A Timeless Treasure
Built to Last: The Diner's Early Days
The Frazer Diner was made in 1935, though some people think it might have been built in 1929. It was designed by the Jerry O'Mahony company, known for making many classic diners. When it was first built, it was shipped to Paoli, Pennsylvania. There, it started its life serving customers as the Paoli Diner.
A New Home in Frazer
Years later, in 1957, a couple named Frances and Sylvester Cavalati bought the diner. They decided to move it to its current spot at 189 Lancaster Avenue in Frazer, Pennsylvania. Even though they owned it, they leased it out to other people to run starting in 1972. That's when its name changed to the Frazer Diner.
The Linh Diner Story
Around 1983, the diner got new operators, Tam Nguyen and his wife Hao. They had moved to the Main Line area in 1980. They decided to open a new kind of restaurant inside the diner called the Linh Diner. It became very popular for its Vietnamese-Chinese food. Many people from nearby tech companies would stop there for lunch.
After five successful years, the Nguyens needed more space. They were planning to move to a bigger location in a new shopping center. However, before they could move, the Cavalatis, who still owned the diner, told them they needed to leave. The owners mentioned that someone wanted to buy the diner and move it all the way to Hollywood!
Back to Its Roots
Even though the Nguyens did open their Linh Restaurant nearby, the diner never actually moved to California. Instead, it reopened once again in its original spot. It went back to being known as the Frazer Diner, continuing its long history of serving the community.