If the Arslan family has their way, the 1950s landmark Hollywood Diner in Dover will be hustling and bustling again in the coming months. Closing on the purchase of the chromed diner on 123 N. Dupont Highway on October 9th, the family has already begun some renovations.
“We’re planning on keeping it mostly the same with the exception of a few cosmetic changes,” said Ensar Arslan, the diner’s new manager. “We’re definitely planning on keeping its great, 1950s-style charm. My father, Ekrem, will be bringing his 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry to the place as well. It’ll be a family-run business and we’re hoping to turn it into a comfortable place where all feel welcome to fill their bellies.”
The new owner, Ekrem Arslan, formerly owned and operated the Laurel Dutch Inn on 1012 South Central Ave in Laurel until he sold it in June of 2019.
The Arslan family says the new menu will consist of typical diner fare with a comfort food twist. Although they’ve yet to settle on a new name, the family is hoping to reopen the eatery by 2021.
“There’s still a fair amount of work to be done on the inside and we want to make sure everything is right before we open the doors,” added Ensar. Ekrem noted his primary goal is to provide top-quality food and service to make his customers feel at home.
“My family, my future staff and I can’t wait to get to know everyone in the community firsthand and to become a big family,” said Ekrem. The property’s listing agent, Carl Kaplan of R&R Commercial Realty, is pleased the historic property will remain a diner.
“It’s a great location on Rt. 13 so it wouldn’t have been surprising to see a developer come along and buy it as a teardown,” said Kaplan. “We were really happy to see that not happen because it’s such a unique building. I know the Arslan family is going to do a great job with it.”
Source: R&R Commercial Realty