Rising costs, competitive business, and rough economic times led to the closing a popular Springfield eatery.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20110714/NEWS02/707149921
Published July 14, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield’s Royal Diner closes doors
By Christian Avard
Rising costs, competitive business, and rough economic times led to the closing a popular Springfield eatery.
The Springfield Royal Diner on River Street informed customers it was closed for business last week with hand-written notes posted inside the diner’s entrances. They thanked them for their patronage and apologized for the inconvenience.
According to owner Sylvestre Gallegos, food and energy costs skyrocketed as the diner struggled to keep up with costs. The opening of two new River Street restaurants also impacted their business. Gallegos said the Black Rock Steakhouse and Riverside Restaurant cut into their business “by 15 to 20 percent” and they were losing regular customers. Gallegos said it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision to close the Springfield Royal Diner but it was something he contemplated for months.
“Sales were not increasing but our expenses were. When you see that combination, you need to make a decision to stay on it or change gears. I wanted to see if things would change during the summer but nothing did,” Gallegos said. “I’m going to miss the customers. You can always work somewhere else but I will miss them all.”
Gallegos is a cofounder of another new restaurant in downtown Springfield called the Hole in The Hill Bar and Grill. He is optimistic about the restaurant’s potential because it is located next to the Springfield Theater. Once the theater’s renovations are complete, Gallegos believes the restaurant will do well.
“(I’m) going to focus on the Hole In the Hill now. In the long run (I) think it will be profitable to do that,” Gallegos said.
The Springfield Royal Diner was started by three Springfield businessmen who sought to spur economic development. In 2002, Matthew Alldredge, Laurentiu Traineanu, and Roger Cawvey established the Springfield Dining Co. and purchased a 1955 Mahoney Diner from Kingston, N.Y. The new owners transported the 17-by-48-foot diner to Springfield in March 2002 and construction began shortly afterward. The diner opened its doors for business in February 2003. Gallegos owned the Springfield Royal Diner business but paid rent to the Springfield Dining Co.. Alldredge confirmed the restaurant’s closing and said the Springfield Dining Co. is now looking for a new business owner.
“We’re sorry for the inconvenience. But when the economy went south, we had to do what we had to do,” Gallegos said.
The Springfield Royal Diner in Springfield was closed on Wednesday.
Photo: Vyto Starinskas / Staff Photo
Another casualty at the dying town of Springfield. Like rats on a sinking ship. If you cannot keep the local country store and Diner open, sounds like poverty/crime will be ruling the area soon. I still laugh when I heard that my family members were moving there in 04', who the heck moves to Springfield thinking things are going to be better? Maybe 50 years from now...
ReplyDeleteWith the establishment of, The Turning Point, HCRS, Parent Child Ctr, Lincoln Street, and a dozen other such facilities, Springfield has become a magnet for unemployed freaks and parasites. The entire emphasis of the school system is special needs and social services. Prospective employers, successful families and retirees with the means, avoid Springfield like a plague. No business that operates for a profit can thrive here. Town mgmt has absolutely no leadership or vision for prosperity. No ahead, talk to Forguites, Emmons, or Martin. None of these people have any sense of what the root problem is much less a solution. Leave Springfield now. The future is not here.
ReplyDeleteSarcasm and negativity will get you nowhere.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe "Anonymous" was being sarcastic or negative. Truthful? Yes. Sadly Springfield is not getting any better. I wish I could say it were. The first chance I get to sell my house for what I owe on it, I'll be gone. Which is sad because I am one of the few higher earning taxpayers in this God-Awful town. Good Luck Spring-Ding!
ReplyDeleteYou may be here for awhile then. I have a sneaky feeling that what you owe on your house is probably higher then the market value of the house in todays housing market. So you may have to take a hit if you really want to get out of this little town you call home.
ReplyDeletePoint well taken El Barto...
ReplyDeleteI don't believe their was an ounce of sarcasm in anonymous' comment. What I see is nothing but truth. Pull your head out of the sand Springfielder. The town IS a dump, the school system is a mess, and did you know there is a huge lawsuit for abuse at the school? HELLO wake up...that doesnt happen in a properly functioning system. Maybe you should sit on the school steps as the investigators roll into town from the fed and state to look into the State and Federal violations of law. Drug busts, welfare and parasites just about covers it.
ReplyDeleteAre there good people that live here? Absolutely, but they will not remain here once they can get out from under their under valued homes.
It is the low income housing attracting those losers stop making it easier for them to live off our tax dollars and we may be able to turn it around yet! Drug testing for Wellfare and low income housing!!!
ReplyDeleteCan you please expand/detail about the lawsuit? It has not been in any local paper as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything people are saying about the parasites that live in this town. I also think the diner closed because they were never open normal hours of a diner! Something like that place should be open 24 hours. You'd be surprised at the business you'd get!
ReplyDeleteI have said this before in similar posts, this town needs small business! There are WAY to many buildings that are just sitting that have potential. The issue is that the owners would rather see them sit instead of renting them to businesses to make a little money versus none.
What is the plywood palace doing? That place has never been anything that I recall except a bill board for the community players and the occasional school function.
What about the building that is empty next to the USMC recruiting center? It used to thrive as the bakery! All because the taxes are too high those businesses had to close!
This town has lost its appeal, the reason? HCRS, Lincoln St, Turning point, SSCF and every other government run company! The gov't sends money out to these "businesses" based on the population of the community it serves. The "business" attracts welfare recipients because of the "service" they provide to them. More people+more gov't money= more taxes and less real business because they have to pay those taxes that the gov't run businesses dont! It is a vicious circle! This is why I dont like big government! Vote them ALL out next time and cut the number of politicians in office in half!
I have to agree that the Diner was not open during regular "diner hours"....Black Rock is open until 10 (serving until 9)...why was the not open until at least Midnight?? They could've BANKED on people coming from KJ's as they close instead of directing them to McD's!! Most diners are open 22 hours/day...why not this one?? I've heard guests at the hotel inquiring on where to eat past 10pm as they arrive, there is NOWHERE in this town, except for again...McD's!!
ReplyDeleteWhat I'd love to see, is for everyone complaining about the state of our town actually be proactive instead of sitting behind a computer whining...
Don't like what the Town officials do?? VOTE THEM OUT!! Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
**typo** It should read, "why was the diner not open at least until midnight"
ReplyDeletere: "Don't like what the Town officials do?? VOTE THEM OUT!! Be part of the solution, not part of the problem."
ReplyDeleteNot so easy. The parasites now have a critical mass in Springfield, and anyone running for office knows pandering to their voting block will assure election. Those of us that financially fuel this rat hole of a town are screwed. The best we can do is publically challenge and chastise our board members and state representatives at every opportunity. Make their time in office a living hell for what they've done to this community. What say you Emmons and Martin, proud of what you've accomplished so far?
Learn your History. The Gilman building (called the cardboard pallace by facist swine only) is a functioning hydro electric generator, it is REALLY NEAT INSIDE, and it is VERY INSPIRING to those who want a healthy inependent future for Springfield.
ReplyDeleteLearn your History. "The Bakery" was to the left of the usmc. The former Springfield Bakery Building a.k.a. "The Brown Block" is and has been fully occupied for quite some time now. Let's not scare the "Bakery Building's" locally owned business owners or their customers away please.
ReplyDelete