NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
NEW TOM SAWYER DINER OPENS ON RESTAURANT ROW; VINTAGE DINER CAR TO FEATURE AMERICAN CUISINE, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT & OUTDOOR MOVIESMayor Stephen R. Reed today cut the ribbon to officially open the new Tom Sawyer Diner Entertainment Complex at 210 N. 2nd Street in the heart of downtown’s Restaurant Row. The 1950’s vintage eatery will feature American cuisine, live musical entertainment and outdoor “drive-in” movies during the warmer months. Reed said the unique new dining and entertainment attraction blends the “retro” ambience of a 1962 DeRaffele stainless steel dining car with contemporary dining and service. The new complex is jointly owned and operated by noted midstate entrepreneurs Rick Galiardo, who also owns the popular Max’s Restaurant, the NOMA nightclub and South Street Tavern, and Ron Kamionka, owner and operator of Kamionka Entertainment Group, which owns or operates 5 downtown nightlife attractions. The 11,000 sq. ft. complex will provide 70 new full and part time jobs. The Mayor said Galiardo and Kamionka found the authentic dining car in Allentown, where it sat vacant and long forgotten. They divided the distinctive eatery into three movable pieces and trucked it to its new city location, where it was reassembled and integrated into a larger entertainment complex that features indoor dining for 100, an outdoor “car hop” area for 50, and outdoor movie theater seating for 150, reminiscent of yesteryear’s “drive-in movie” theater, where feature length films will be shown on a large movie screen during the warmer months. It further has a rooftop deck with four California fireplaces. Reed said the new complex is geared to all ages, with an emphasis on family dining fare and entertainment, and special activities for children. Live entertainment will be featured on Friday nights, with the renowned Bill Haley and the Comets highlighting this weekend’s grand opening festivities. The complex will host activities as an event-driven attraction. “The Tom Sawyer Diner now becomes one of the most unique and distinctive attractions in downtown,” said the Mayor, “evoking a retro era feel and ambience that will appeal to patrons of all ages. It is a signature attraction for Restaurant Row that pays homage to the simplicity of yesteryear amidst a contemporary setting. With the owners’ many years of successful restaurant and nightclub experience, we expect it to achieve great success in the coming months.” Reed said the diner will be open for lunch, dinner and late night dining, and will feature traditional American cuisine of burgers, fries and similar “diner” fare. The Mayor said the Tom Sawyer Diner Entertainment Complex will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., with food service at the diner available until Midnight. |
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