After being closed for five days, State College residents are again able to buy "world-famous" grilled stickies at Ye Olde College Diner since its re-opening Saturday morning.
At 9:15 a.m. Saturday, the Diner, 126 W. College Ave., opened its silver retro-style doors to customers -- this time in conjunction with all health and fire codes.
Between 11 a.m. and noon last Monday, health inspectors closed the Diner because the restaurant failed to meet a variety of health code regulations.
The Centre Region Code Administration posted a list on the restaurant's door of 20 violations that must be corrected by Sept. 6. These violations included electrical, plumbing and mechanical issues.
The Diner was slated to re-open on Friday, following structural repairs required by health inspectors.
Before it could re-open, it was necessary for the restaurant to pass another round of inspections.
On Friday, health inspectors found that the hoods used for ventilation were not properly cleaned, said Michael Clapper, a baker at the Diner.
The hoods were re-cleaned, and inspectors decided Saturday morning the restaurant was fit to open, Clapper said.
Though the restaurant had 30 days to complete repairs, everything was fixed within five.
"I'm glad they handled it in a timely manner," State College resident Cheryl Koltay said.
Despite news of the Diner's sudden closing, some say they won't
be deterred from going back.
"I'm sorry it closed," State College resident Dawn Archibald said, adding that she's happy everything is back up to par. "I'm glad there are regulations."
Though the facility has passed inspection, some patrons said the violations will make them think twice about eating at the Diner.
"It will affect whether or not I go there," Lauren Gelesh (junior-microbiology) said. "I will be less inclined to go there."
Despite what Dan Pivirotto, a partner in the business, called "enough bad publicity for a lifetime," he said everything is back in order.
"We got nailed for a lousy floor, not our food," he said.
Health inspectors from the State College Health Department filed a food establishment inspection report last week, listing several issues that were not in compliance with the health code. The department reported violations by employees regarding hand washing, food storage and placement of rags.
The report also stated that the floors must be replaced before re-opening because they were in "complete disrepair."
Since it closed, builders and remodelers worked to add new flooring, emergency lighting, smoke detectors and sprinkler systems. Builders also said they would paint and clean the restaurant before it reopened.
