MUSKEGON, Mich. — Bust out the poodle skirts, leather jackets and pomade because a fully-restored, historic ‘50s diner will make its big debut in Muskegon Thursday.
13 ON YOUR SIDE got a sneak peek of the vintage space Wednesday morning.
We followed along last November as Pal’s Diner was moved from Grand Rapids to Muskegon and its new home at Hot Rod Harley Davidson.
A window frame was removed from the side of the building to attach the diner to the dealership.
Wednesday, inside and outside, the transformation was impossible to deny.
The building’s stainless steel skin had to be custom made.
Inside, from the cool mirrored ceiling, to the vintage 1950s linoleum, to the newly re-chromed tableside jukeboxes, restoring this iconic piece of atomic age Americana turned into quite the labor of love.
Pal's Diner
“They actually took everything out of the diner and refurbished it and brought it back in,” Jamie Gillard, the dealership’s marketing director related. “They reupholstered the seats, they redid the neon lighting and a lot of the smaller fixtures and things like that. They kept all of the memorabilia.”
The diner originally opened in 1954, where it served New Jersey residents for several decades prior to its move to the Grand Rapids area in the ‘90s and was renamed Dan's Diner.
The planned grand opening coincides with a Bike Night event at the dealership Thursday.
The program runs from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., complete with period outfits, drinks, prizes and plenty of golden oldies.
Without a functional kitchen, Hot Rod Harley Davidson said it intended to use the diner primarily as an events space.
The dealership plans to have food trucks and more on hand during the warmer months, curating an experience that promises to take guests back in time.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.