Dublin has undergone quite a rebirth over the past four years.

Change first arrived in 2019 with The Square, a thriving community hub of dining, retail, health and wellness and more in the old pants factory building on Route 313, which previously housed the Dublin Tech Center.

Then came The Lofts, a luxury apartment building, Grand View Health Dublin Outpatient Center and The Station, a conversion of the old Dublin Service Station and Garage into a food and drink market, which includes vendors like Neshaminy Creek Brewing and Taqueria Tlaxcali.

It all adds up to a remarkable revitalization effort, much of which was spearheaded by Nehemiah Development Company, the real estate developer behind the Dublin Town Center project.

But one building stands in the middle of it all — the old Dublin Diner on Main Street (Route 313)— a steady reminder that the work is not yet over.

When did the diner in Dublin originally open?

A photograph hangs in Kooker's Central Store Museum in Dublin showing Goldie's Diner in the 1930s, which had originally operated under the ownership of Harold "Goldie" Meyers.

The diner was first built in 1934, according to Dublin historian Rod Shultz, owner of Kooker’s Central Store Museum, where records of the town’s history are maintained and displayed.

It was originally named Goldie’s Diner and owned by Harold “Goldie” Meyers, Shultz said.

Early photographs of Goldie’s, show a classic streamlined dining car design popular in the 1930s. The diner would later undergo several renovations under different owners, slowly turning it into the building that stands there today.

Revitalization of Dublin: Could The Square in Dublin become Central Bucks' new hot business, retail, dining spot?

A photograph taken in the 1950s of Goldie's Diner, which has since undergone several renovations, ownership changes and later became known as the Dublin Diner before closing in 2020.

Goldie’s Diner operated under its original name up until Meyer’s death, when it was sold to Jack and Dorothy Evans, who renamed it the Dublin Diner. Under their ownership, the diner’s interior and exterior were renovated and a banquet area was added in the back, Shultz said.

A few more owners have since come along, with the diner carrying different variations of its name, like Dublin Star Diner and more recently Dublin Towne Diner, under the ownership of Steve and Helen Christonikos, who purchased it in 2012.

Story continues

Despite changing hands, it continuously operated as a diner until closing during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in 2020, said Corinna Garis, marketing director for Nehemiah Development Company.

In an excerpt from the Borough of Dublin 100th Anniversary Book, the diner is said to have changed its appearance since its early days, but remains “a landmark within our borough.”

“Goldie’s Diner was the social hub in town, where you could get a bite to eat, or just have a cup of coffee and talk over the latest local gossip,” it read.

More: Enjoy a taste of summer at the Bucks County Wine Trail's summer events

Are there plans to reopen the Dublin Diner?

The diner, which is currently owned by Dublin Town Center, LP, has remained vacant since closing its doors in 2020. Plans to continue the longtime landmark’s reign as a diner are in the works, but a reopening date has not been announced yet.

“We have an operator for the diner, and the lease is in their hands,” Garis said. “It will once again be a diner. When we have an executed lease, the demo/improvements will begin.”

Nehemiah Development Company is working on securing a new operator for the Dublin Diner, which has sat vacant since closing during the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns in 2020.

As of Aug. 2, the borough hasn’t received any applications pertaining to the diner property, said Colleen Pursell, Dublin Borough manager.

Revitalization efforts and preserving Dublin’s history

Shultz, whose family has been rooted in Dublin since the late 1800s when his great grandfather was a shoemaker in town, said he believes the recent revitalization efforts are positive overall.

A two-sided promotional card, displayed at Kooker's Central Store in Dublin, shows advertising for Goldie's Diner and its neighbor, the Dublin Service Station and Garage. The former garage is currently a modern food hall, called The Station, which is home to Neshaminy Brewing Company, Itri Wood-Fired Pizza, Taqueria Tlaxcali, Nina's Ice Cream & Waffles and Goldie's Grill.

“I feel if Nehemiah Development Company hadn’t taken the old pants factory building and gas station and done something with them, they’d still be empty now,” he said. “We’ve gained some more traffic, we’ve gained quite a few more people, but in the same token, we’ve gained more customers for the businesses that were already here.”

And while he welcomes new projects that help the town to flourish, Shultz said there is value in maintaining its historical character as well.

“The new growth is fine,” he said, “but the preservation of the old is also important.”

A Hilltown diner says goodbye: For 75 years, R&S Keystone Diner in Hilltown served up meals, memories. Now, it's closing.

Plans for old Perkasie church: Community center, fine arts academy proposed for former church in Perkasie

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Dublin Diner to reopen under new ownership