CA - Santa Monica. A W.L.C.C.

1/26/10 Update: Currently on ebay $100,000.

Originally posted Jan 24, 2009.
We just found a Craigslist post about a diner for sale.

Summary

Located in Santa Monica, CA

Built in 1929 by Worcester Lunch Car Company.

Renovated in 1956 by Worcester Lunch Car Company.

36' x 12.5'.

Last operated in Cape Cod as Gibson's Diner (refer to the comments below).

Craigslist price: $95,000.

http://www.track16.com/diner_car.php

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/clt/995844483.html

Contact: Sean Meredith (310) 264-4678


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Comments

be tolman 2009/03/28 at 8:45am

although it appears to be a 1929, the sales description state it comes with the "original build tag 1936"? just curious about the discrepency. also i hear the palace in biddeford maine is for sale but is a little pricey. any info on either would be appreciated. brett
be tolman
brettwood98@msn.com

Sean Meredith 2009/02/26 at 5:16pm

Also, is it possible this was Gibson's Diner and then later was Breaker 19? When it closed in the 1980s it was Breaker 19? Any details appreciated! thanks! sean
Sean Meredith
seanm@track16.com
http://www.track16.com/diner_car.php

Sean Meredith 2009/02/26 at 4:37pm

I happy to read these posts to try to get the timeline correct. We've loved owning and enjoying this diner for the last 15 years and hope it will find a wonderful home we it can be appreciated by many more people than it does today.

I'm a dealer of art and vintage Americana and know nothing about the restaurant business, but I can't help imagining the diner operating when i pass by vacant lots around Los Angeles.
Sean Meredith
seanm@track16.com
http://www.track16.com/diner_car.php

admin 2009/01/29 at 10:01pm

Larry,
Thank you for posting the additional information. I'll update our database.
admin
info@buyadiner.com

Larry Cultrera 2009/01/29 at 11:29am

In fact the other "organization" that listed it has some wrong info. The diner remained operating and did not close until the end of the 1980's. That is when Larry Holmes bought it and it was moved into storage near the Boston area. When Larry Holmes did not secure a new operating location for it he sold it to the guy down in North Carolina who also never put it back into service. Then it went out to Track 16 Gallery in California.
Larry Cultrera
dinerhotline@verizon.net
http://dinerhotline.wordpress.com

admin 2009/01/28 at 1:41pm

Larry,
Thank you for the information about the diner's history and links to other diners. When we said it last operated as Gibson's Diner, we were going by what was in their Craigslist posting, which has since expired, their page http://www.track16.com/diner_car.php, and the description from another organization that had listed it for sale. We have updated the listing above for people to read these comments.
admin
info@buyadiner.com

Larry Cultrera 2009/01/28 at 10:22am

Actually, this diner's name when last operated in Buzzard's Bay was known as the "Breaker 19" Diner. It was bought by Larry Holmes who never got it operating, (He eventually started Betsy's Diner in Falmouth and more recently Kelly's DIner in Somerville). And if it was the diner that was replaced by Jimmie Evans' Flyer it would have been called "Jimmie Evans' Dina" according to an old post card image.
Larry Cultrera
dinerhotline@verizon.net
http://dinerhotline.wordpress.com

admin 2009/01/26 at 1:13pm

Gary,
Thank you for the excellent background on the diners. Gary's book is published by Arcadia Publishing, ISBN # 0738510718 and is currently available online at many book seller websites.
admin
info@buyadiner.com

Gary 2009/01/25 at 2:50pm

There are several great images of this diner in my book, "Diners of the North Shore", while it was in Peabody, MA 1941-1954 and known as the Suntaug Diner. I talked extensively with the man who owned it at that time.
Originally the Exchange Diner in Milford, MA it was repossessed by the Worcester Co. and ended up as property of the Judkins Co. later. This was where Ernie Stansfield, the owner when known as the Suntaug, came into possession as Judkins basically set him up with the diner in order to get rid of it as they were trying to clear their yard in order to close down operations.
I seem to remember something about this diner once being Jimmy Evans Flyer before being replaced by a Sterling Streamliner. This would make sense as trade-ins were typical with diners, just like cars.
Gary
thombrot@comcast.net

admin 2009/01/24 at 11:35am

Thank you for posting the link. With the added exposure it will get from being listed here, it just may find a new home.

Here's another picture: http://www.track16.com/diner_car.php. That page includes a bit of history and video of the diner moving.
admin
info@buyadiner.com