Purchased in 1991 by a Michigan artist, the diner was brought to Rockford and opened for business. Two additional diner cars eventually joined Rosie’s, and a new owner took over all of them in 2006. One car was converted into a sports bar, and later closed. The other car was turned into a seasonal ice cream shop in September 2010.
Last July, we had a fun lunch at the charming diner and enjoyed the 1950s decor, spicy cheeseburger soup, a sourdough melt, a cheeseburger, and well-prepared onion rings.
On October 2, a temporary closing for renovations turned permanent when the owner closed the doors. Employees were left without notice and without their last paychecks. The business is in a poor location, and with 30 full and part-time employees it was probably over-staffed but the new owner gave it a go. Before she bought it, the property was seconds away from the auction block after a default by an earlier buyer, so it’s a difficult proposition at best.
So cheers to Rosie’s Diner and its new life, somewhere down the road, maybe near you.
The quicker picker upper :)
4/27/12 Update: The diners were sold at auction yesterday.
5/7/12 Update: Here's a link to the latest news.
Has it opened back up?
ReplyDeleteNot to my knowledge.
ReplyDelete