The Pink Lion Diner, a long-standing institution in Southampton Township, New Jersey, has been bought, leaving prospects shocked and saddened. Paul Tsiknakis, the proprietor, mirrored on the bittersweet second as he cleaned and packed up the diner’s belongings. The diner, as soon as bustling with conversations, now sits empty and closed.

Tsiknakis took over the Pink Lion Diner 5 and a half years in the past, however its historical past spans again 5 a long time. Positioned on the circle at Routes 206 and 70, the diner was an area landmark and a preferred cease for vacationers heading down the shore. Tsiknakis expressed his appreciation for the loyal workers and buyer base, however finally, the diner fell sufferer to the affect of COVID-19.

In the course of the top of the pandemic, Tsiknakis entered right into a contractual settlement with a developer, intending to construct a brand new diner. Nonetheless, rising building prices and rates of interest disrupted his plans. Regardless of initially planning to maintain the diner open for 30 days to steadily empty it out, Tsiknakis was knowledgeable by attorneys that this was not possible, ensuing within the sudden closure.

Clients reminisced about their fond recollections on the Pink Lion Diner, expressing their disappointment at its closure. Tsiknakis revealed plans for a proposed Wawa to be constructed on the positioning, however he ensured that a number of the diner’s historical past could be preserved. One notable piece, a ten,000-pound marble lion referred to as Leo, which as soon as graced the diner’s entrance, has been bought to an area steel firm. The proceeds from the sale have been donated to the United Trooper’s Fund, permitting Leo’s legacy to stay on within the city.