Springdale Township diner for sale offers turn-key perks including recipes, staff
The owners of David’s Diner are looking for someone ready to sink their teeth into the restaurant business.
Shawn and Pam Morrow-Wolfe are co-owners of David’s and hail from Freeport and Tarentum, respectively.
The couple recently decided to sell the Springdale Township diner. It was listed last week by Coldwell Banker Realtor Joe Weltner for $399,000.
“I’m selling because I’m going back to work at my job full time in the mortgage industry, and real estate has gotten very busy and I need to dedicate my time to that,” Pam Morrow-Wolfe said.
The couple’s daughter is an incoming freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University.
“I want to be free to go visit and things just have changed in our lives, and I need that freedom to be able to do that,” Pam Morrow-Wolfe said.
Weltner of Harrison described the listing as a business opportunity that’s “exceptionally unique.” He often takes clients to the diner, Freeport Road along the Allegheny River.
“It’s been established for so long, it’s a fixture. This isn’t like a restaurant in a strip mall. It’s a diner destination,” Weltner said.
Diner to remain open during sale
Pam Morrow-Wolfe has operated the diner for almost two years with no previous restaurant experience.
The homey cafe opened in 2012 and has enjoyed a loyal following.
Pam Morrow-Wolfe said she’s committed to finding a buyer who will keep the David’s Diner experience status quo.
“I want them to keep the name, and I will help them have a smooth transition,” Pam Morrow-Wolfe said. “I want it to continue as David’s Diner. I would really like to keep it the way it is.”
For Pam Morrow-Wolfe, returning to the banking industry after learning the restaurant ropes is bittersweet.
“It’s already established, extremely profitable and the staff is here to help,” Pam Morrow-Wolfe said.
The diner is being sold as a turn-key business — including all the recipes, furnishings and equipment. The staff of almost a dozen employees plans to remain with the diner when a new owner emerges.
“I hope someone buys it who’s ready to do a diner,” said Christy Schulte, a waitress at David’s Diner. “We have a lot of regulars. People who come with the diner. It’s not just us. I know so many people by names — their order, their family — we have people who come in every single day.”
Schulte worked for the diner’s founding co-owners, David and Lisa Speer of East Deer, describing the diner atmosphere as family-oriented and veteran-friendly.
Veterans always receive a 10% discount.
“Every change is a little nerve-wracking and scary, but I am happy the diner is staying open,” Schulte said. “I just hope everything goes well for everyone involved.”
The made-from-scratch menu has three top-sellers: jalapeno cornbread, a corned beef hash meal and the saucer-sized specialty pancakes.
David’s Diner earned a national shoutout when it was named fifth-best diner in the nation by Travel + Leisure in 2018.
For Weltner, having a diner as a real estate listing is a fun departure from residential listings.
“I don’t know how it happens, but it’s like a magic kitchen,” Weltner said of the seven-minute-or-so wait time for customers once they place their order.
Weltner, who has sold real estate in the Alle-Kiski Valley for decades, said the diner is garnering interest but no offers have been made yet.
“There are other restaurants for sale but many of them have closed, so they sit there losing their reputation and the staff leaves and the recipes go. But this diner runs. Because it’s so well known, it will likely spark interest in someone who wants to be a part of this and keep it going,” Weltner said.
“It’s a well-oiled machine that Pam and her staff have made work more efficiently.”
Counter buddies
The U-shaped counter dining area is home base for the “counter buddies,” a group of regulars that gathers there almost daily.
William Whitcroft of Brackenridge, a proud “counter buddy,” is crazy about the corned beef hash meal.
“The hash is so good. I almost exclusively order that,” he said. “I’m really gonna miss Pam. We went to Highlands High School together. The old owners were very nice, then Pam bought it. I just hope the new owner keeps it the nice place it is with a friendly atmosphere.”
Said Pam Morrow-Wolfe: “I’m going to miss seeing those people. There’s a lot of loyal people in the Alle-Kiski Valley. They’re very supportive, very kind and friends. They’re sad we are selling, but they understand.”
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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