The End of an Era, Say Goodbye to the Effort Diner forever
We would have rather written about the better history of the diner instead of just it's downfall. If anyone has better information on the history of the Effort Diner please contact us.
CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP: The Effort Diner used to be a staple of the community and serving Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking until it was lost to the bank back in 2008 when Mark Borger of Effort was the owner. It is believed that Stanley Rader (he lived in the big house alongside the parking lot) was the original owner (Mr. Rader also owned the Effort Motel which is not owned by Morghan Rake and her Husband William Warnken how are currently restoring it and houses Morghan Rake Coffee Roasters) and sold it to Harold (1912 - 1983) and Elva I. (Muthard) (unknown - 1999) Everett owned the diner from 1945 to 1972 and sold the diner to G. Dale Feight in 1972 and Mark Borger purchased the Effort Diner from G. Dale Feight we believe in 1985 according to the filing of incorporation in July of 1985.
When Mark Borger's mother Grace Borger passed away in early 2005 things really started going downhill at the diner, Mark and Teri Borger also had a son who he had no insurance for when he got leukemia at a young age and spent all their savings and money on treatment with some help from the Ronald Mcdonald house as he no longer had the money to cover the mortgage and to buy the supplies need to run the diner and the bank foreclosed on the property around 2006.
We have also been told that other's had their hands in the till didn't help the financial stability of the diner.
Around 2008 Steve Kresge purchased the Diner with what we believe was the intention of re-opening it, but due to problems with the septic system and no land to build a new (turkey mound) one those plans were scrapped and Mr. Kresge started using the diner as storage and at one point was running several businesses out of the property without obtaining the proper permits and the township made him close them down.
We spoke to Dave Albright the Chestnuthill Township Manager and to Zoning Manager Matthew T. Neeb this morning and they confirmed that Last week Mr. Kresge applied for the permits to tear down the diner including the requirements for asbestos.
It is unknown what the plans are for the Effort Diner property, but we have been told that the owners of the Effort Garage that shared the parking lot with the Effort Diner are in negotiations to purchase it to use for customers vehicles.
On a personal note when I first moved here in 2002 I eat at the diner many times and in later years I noticed the quality of the food was going downhill and I stopped going there. It was a shame to lose such a staple of the community.
Just another part of our local history being made into a parking lot. Very sad!
If that place could talk there would be some stories coming out of it. I was in that place for ever, washed dish’s i think in 1965 ,but just spent most every Sat. and Sun morning chatting with all the old timers. Also a lot of late night or early breakfasts was eaten after a long night of partying or snowmobiling. Many many memories of this place.
it will be misses, but I will always remember it.Husband cooked on the grill some nights. Don cooked with Meral,around the 50’S
My oldest son ate his first real food at the diner in 1990. Used to go to the diner with my parents from 1966 until the mid 1970’s. Loved the food there and the nice people. Such a shame, but many changes to the area since the 60’s.