Mel’s Diner Coming Soon
Posted Mar 12, 2012 04:00:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Just ahead of the 2 year anniversary of the Campus Court fire, one of the businesses that was destroyed is about to re-launch in a new location.
Mel’s Diner will open it’s doors in mid-April on Westmount and Ottawa, where Blockbuster Video once was.
Owner and Operator Jerry Smith is excited, “more and more everyday. It’s becoming a house-hold name in town, which is great. To hear people talking about it is fantastic.”
Much of the interior decor of the original Mel’s was able to be preserved, and will be prominently featured in the new location. “the front of the bar will be the original glass-blocks with the back lighting, all-chrome tables and chairs up the middle with the original big red vinyl booths with the ‘V’ in the back, like the back seat of a Chevy in the 50’s, we have the juke-box coming, (it will go) at the back of the restaurant. As true to what we were as possible is what we’re doing here.”
Smith says he’s shooting to launch April 15th, “give or take a few days, be patient, but you’ll know for sure when we’re open, ’cause we’ll let you know in every way possible.”
Not only is a new location of Mel’s Diner opening, Smith continues to plan a re-opening at 140 University Avenue West, once the plaza is re-constructed.” Smith isn’t sure when that will happen, “I stopped guessing, but when they do build that building, as soon as you see them building that building, you’ll know when we’ll be building there, because we are going back in there for sure.”
Smith has a message for the community who have cheered him on in his quest to re-launch the University Avenue location, “I just want to thank the community for holding out, and keeping the candle lit for Mel’s Diner. It has been a long battle with the insurance companies for two years to re-build that building, and the light is at the end of the tunnel, it’s coming up quick, but still I wont hazard a guess as to when. Someday.”
