There's a new diner in town that offers "good eats cheap." Five and Dime Diner, 321 Pine St., is a 1950s-style diner with soda fountains, vinyl booths, chrome and formica tables, and an old jukebox with '50s, '60s and '70s music.
It is co-owned by Dale Wagner of O&W Entertainment Inc. and Michael Orrico.
Wagner said he opened the diner because he felt there was a need for fresh, home-cooked, diner-style comfort food at a good price.
" 'Good eats cheap' is our slogan," Wagner said.
Wagner said that in the 1950s and '60s there were many restaurants in downtown Williamsport. But now there are no longer any 24-hour diners in downtown Williamsport for the after-bar crowd or that offer early breakfast for working people.
Wagner said the Five and Dime Diner uses all local vendors - Griggs Coffee, Country Store Meats, Helmrich's Seafood and New Lycoming Bakery - so all the food is fresh and homemade.
"I remember downtown Williamsport in the '50s and '60s as if it were yesterday; full of life and constant bustle," Wagner said. "Perhaps someday, with enough imagination, determination and energetic leadership, downtown can regain some of its old glory."
He hopes the Five and Dime Diner will "help encourage more shoppers and more stores to come back to a clean, safe and revitalized downtown."
When Orrico and Wagner bought the building two years ago, they then decided to open a diner in the same location as the old Kresge's Five and Dime, "which had just a diner-style lunch counter," Wagner said. It also was the location of the old Woolworth's Five and Dime, so it was an obvious location for them.
"Downtown is becoming revitalized rapidly now and Pine Street was always the center of activity," he said.
It took a while to develop the concept of the restaurant, find all the recipes and design the decor, but the two were ready to open last year. They hesitated to do so then because of the state of the economy.
But they quickly decided that if they would be selling good food at a good price, people will come - so they took the chance.
"And, we were right," Wagner said. "We have been packed since we opened."
The diner serves deep-fried Coney Island chili dogs, big burgers, chili, chicken and waffles, corn fritters, barbecue pulled pork and more.
Dinner is served after 4 p.m.
The diner also serves breakfast all day, and on the weekends, all night. Breakfast foods include pancakes, waffles, French toast, eggs, homefries, sausage, scrapple, steak, corned beef hash, omelettes, buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, and corn bread.
Beverages include sodas, floats, iced tea, bottled water, milk and juice.
The diner also features an array of desserts, such as Hershey's ice cream sundaes, ice cream in a cone or dish, banana splits, milkshakes, ice cream floats, dark chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, pecan pie and cheesecake.
"Our chefs have worked at the best restaurants in town with years of experience and all have degrees from Penn College," Wagner said.
According to Wagner, the Five and Dime Diner may need to expand, given the immediate success.
Orrico and Wagner also plan to open a sports bar and restaurant next door.
The Five and Dime Diner is open from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, open 24 hours Friday through Saturday, and until 3 p.m. Sunday.
