Lost in the Maui fire: Hawaii’s oldest inn and its restaurant
The famous Pioneer Inn in Lahaina, Maui, in 2015. (iStock)
From The Washington Post: In the early part of the past century, whalers who docked their ships in Lahaina, in western Maui, would drink at the saloon in the Pioneer Inn. For decades, the Inn’s Grill and Bar was a spot for locals to gather and gossip over breakfast. And in recent years, diners could eat poke and sip cocktails at Papa‘aina, the restaurant that replaced the long-running grill.
The inn, the oldest continually operating hotel in Hawaii and a local landmark, was among the thousands of businesses and homes destroyed in the fires that on Tuesday engulfed Lahaina, killing at least 93 people, a tally that is expected to rise.
The 16 best diner scenes in movies, ranked
After Hours
From GQ: Diner scenes in movies are often weirdly appealing. This is probably because watching other people eat can be sort of fascinating (think: Solomon spooning spaghetti in the bathtub in Gummo, Tony Manero shoving double-stacked pizzas into his mouth in Saturday Night Fever). But, more than that, the classic diner setting comes with it all manner of cinematic opportunity. They’re usually 24-hour, meaning they attract shady characters. The booth aspect means that people can have a private conversation, with nobody listening in, except a waitress who usually asks “May I take your order?” halfway through an intensely serious exchange.
Over the years, the diner scene has also become somewhat of a movie staple. They’re a stylish plot point in which you learn something new and important about the characters at hand. How they function. What they like to order. Where they intend to go next. With that in mind, here are 16 of the best diner scenes in movies, ranked. I chose just 16 because, if I were to rank them all, we’d simply run out of website space.
Mike’s Diner Bar, a Midtown ‘neighborhood jewel,’ faces eviction
The new dining room at Mike’s Diner Bar, which reopened in 2019, used to be Peninsula Hardware and had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Photo by Elena Kadvany
From Palo Alto Online: Update: A petition has been launched by the supporters of Mike’s Diner Bar in the hopes of saving the restaurant from eviction.
After nearly three decades of serving customers in Midtown Palo Alto, CA, Mike’s Diner Bar has received a notice to vacate the premises after being one day late with a rent payment to the property owners.
Mike Wallau, who has owned and operated the business at 2680 Middlefield Road for 29 years, mortgaged his home and spent $2 million to completely renovate the neighborhood restaurant, which was in an old building that needed many upgrades. When he reopened on June 20, 2019, the building owners, the Schers and the Finebaums, the latter from Southern California, came to celebrate and spoke approvingly of the renovation, he said.
But on July 20, 2023, a letter by owners Scher Holdings LLC and Finebaum Surviving Spouse’s Trust stated they were returning his July rent check for $22,052.81 because he was one day late in his payment. The letter was sent by Ventana Property Service, Inc. as the owners’ agent.
McDonald’s teases new CosMc’s restaurant concept
A photo from McDonald’s Instagram ad campaign for “Grimace’s birthday.”
From CNN: New York — McDonald’s is planning to test out a new restaurant idea, called “CosMc’s.”
CosMc’s is named for a little-known McDonald’s character. He is an alien.
“CosMc’s is a small format concept with all the DNA of McDonald’s but its own unique personality,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said during an analyst call discussing the company’s second-quarter financial results, adding that there will be more details to share during the company’s investor day at the end of this year. McDonald’s is planning to start testing the concept in a handful of locations next year.
New business opening at original Arby’s location in Boardman
From WKBN: BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – One of Boardman’s most historic commercial buildings has a new owner and a new tenant.
It’s the building that housed the very first Arby’s restaurant. It’s on Route 224 near Market Street.
It was bought by Gary Ventling, who opened Artcraft Memorials, which sells gravestones. Ventling has been in the memorials business for over 50 years.
Historic Goodyear sign lights up again in Akron
Courtesy: GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
From Fox8.com: AKRON, Ohio (WJW) – Goodyear has partnered with a nonprofit to revive the iconic Goodyear sign in Akron.
The Well CDC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing Akron’s Middlebury neighborhood.
The historic sign illuminates the company’s former headquarters, now known as Goodyear Hall.