You are bidding on Diner 708 built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company of Worcester, Massachusetts in 1932. This diner is currently on wood blocks in Cranston, Rhode Island. The size of the diner is approximately 14 feet wide and 65 feet long. It shrink wrapped. The original interior includes counter, back bar w/ refrigerator & grill hood, stained glass leaded windows, beveled glass movable windows, tile floors and tile walls. The gumwood veneer ceiling needs to be replaced and there are no original oak tables or chairs. The counter has seating for 12 stools and the large dining room could accommodate 65 customers at tables with four chairs each.
Rich's Annex Diner was nominated and accepted to the "Save America's Treasure" program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Possible funding for restoration may be available to the buyer. www.saveamericastreasures.org
The design of Worcester Lunch Car #708 wass patterned on the style of railroad dining cars of the early 20th century, characterized by the long rectangular shape and consisting of oak wood stick construction reinforced by iron framework and platform. The upper area of two level roof arches down on both ends and project substantially beyond the walls of the left and right elevations to create protective overhangs. The front and rear roof areas have a band of monitor windows separating the upper and lower levels of the roof. The lower roof arches down from the monitor windows to the front and rear elevations.
Layout of the interior reflects a combination spatial arrangement of counter service and table service that was available in railroad dining cars of the period. The ceiling is vaulted to accommodate functional monitor windows for light and air circulation. The long and narrow windows mimic the fenestration also typical in railroad dining car design. The interior of Worcester Diner #708 retains much of its original layout with an 18' longitudinal center counter with stools and the right side reserved for table seating. The lower walls are constructed of cement / mortar over wire mesh finished with speckled oatmeal color subway tile. The base tiles, geometrical stencil patterns and edging are gloss black. The end walls on the right have a decorative black and white tile design. The ceiling was finished with gumwood veneer panels and varnished oak batten strips. All wood trim work including window and door surrounds is quarter sawn oak. Chrome plated brass crank handles in the lower portion of the ceiling allow opening of the 52 (twenty six per front and rear) individual yellow stained glass wood frame monitor windows. One crank operates a pair of windows.
The floor is a basket weave style mosaic tile floor with brown and black color accents.
The back bar retains most of it original design elements such as the white porcelain enamel reach in refrigerator, black ceramic tile rear wall, white oak framed cabinets with flat panel doors and drawers. Tennessee Marble countertop, the Monel / German Silver grill hood, stained leaded glass windows, chrome plated hat racks, counter stools and porcelain enamel clad refrigerator doors have been removed and placed in storage. The front counter is constructed with a wood frame covered with wire mesh, cement mortar and the same ceramic tile as on the lower exterior walls. There are two built in glass cabinets toward the right end.
Worcester Car #708 is one of the largest diners built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company and one of the last surviving diners of its design. The monitor roof style diner, resembling the design of railroad dining cars from the 1930s, retains a high degree of its original construction elements and finish details. Herman L. Rich, an entrepreneurial businessman in Newburyport, Massachusetts opened Rich's Diner in May 1932 on State Street. Billed as the World's Finest Dining Car, Worcester Lunch Car #696 was built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company of Worcester, Massachusetts. Located on the main road from Boston to Portland, the 24 hour diner was so busy that Rich returned to the lunch car company and ordered a second diner, making Rich's Diner over 120 feet long.
Rich's Annex Diner, Worcester Lunch Car #708 was custom built and delivered on May 11, 1932. Unfortunately, when the second diner was delivered, Rich had been sentenced to serve two years at the United States Federal Penitentiary for liquor conspiracies. When Route 1 was rerouted in 1936, business declined and Rich returned Diner #708 to the Worcester Lunch Car Company for remodeling before moving it to the Wunderland Dog Track on Route 1a in Revere, Massachusetts. The diner remained active until it was sold to Charles "Mac" Andrews of Rutland, Vermont and moved to Concord, New Hampshire. According to the Concord, New Hampshire City Directories, Worcester #708, renamed Mac's Diner No. 4, opened in 1937 at the intersection of Daniel Webster Highway and Airport Road in Concord. In 1941, Mac's Diner #4 was sold to Louis Kontos and renamed Louis' Diner, a name it retained by subsequent owners, who purchased the business in 1982 and closed it in May 1999. The diner was purchased at a foreclosure auction in 1999 by a car dealership of New Hampshire for vehicle display space. Instead of demolishing the 1932 Worcester Diner, it was re-located to Rhode Island and placed in storage.
The diner is currently on wood blocks in Cranston, Rhode Island. The size of the diner is approximately 14 feet wide and 65 feet long. It has been shrink wrapped and ready to be transported.
Buyer pays all shipping and handling charge. Please contact if you have any questions before the end of the auction.
Payment Methods:
- Paypal
Shipping:
Shipping to be paid by buyer. We can provide names of riggers and trucking companies that relocate diners
Print This Post
