Melrose Diner in South Philadelphia to be demolished, zoning permit says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The future of South Philadelphia landmark Melrose Diner remains unclear, but a zoning permit says the building at Snyder and Passyunk Avenues will be demolished. The restaurant closed last July after a fire in the building.
The 24-hour establishment had been serving customers since the 1950s and we now know what will take over the spot at 15th and Passyunk. New plans show this diner likely hasn't seen its last days.
"I used to go in there every day," longtime customer Angela Minore said. "And all the waitresses and the managers, we had a lot of fun."
"That should not, no," Barbara Schriver of South Philly said. "It should stay right there where it's at and reopen."
Closed but certainly not forgotten, South Philly locals have fond memories of the landmark and everyone we talked with had their own favorite dish.
"I used to have scrambled eggs," Minore said. "And I used to have bacon and rye toast and coffee."
"The cookies, the sugar cookies," Schriver said "Oh, they're the best."
Plans approved by the city show a five-story building with dozens of apartments going up where the diner currently sits. But there were also two keywords on the blueprint for the ground floor of the building: future diner.
Owner Michael Petrogiannis confirms the Melrose will live on.
"Melrose is going to be back again," he said. "Hopefully in two years. We're going to keep the signs. We'll keep the signs we have inside. I'm saving all the stuff."
Petrogiannis says he loves old Melrose but the building is in rough shape. He hopes his vision can bring some new energy to the area.
"Hopefully something new for Passyunk Avenue, South Philly," Petrogiannis said. "I mean I'm sure there's a lot of buildings in South Philadelphia but I'm hoping our building will be one of the top of the line."
The locals we talked with are taking a wait-and-see approach to the new building and the new diner and looking forward to their favorite meal.
