A New Jersey diner that was in operation for more than 50 years has closed for good.
The Collingswood Diner served its final meals this past Sunday, and the building will become a weed dispensary, owner Jimmy Papandreou told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Papandreou, 72, has owned the eatery since it opened in 1974 at the intersection of the White Horse Pike and Route 130 in Oaklyn.
“I’m happy,” Papandreou told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I want to enjoy what I have left.”
NJ Advance Media’s request for comment was not returned at publishing time Tuesday.
New Jersey is the diner capital of the world, with hundreds of the eateries around the Garden State — 24-hour establishments used to be plentiful. But the industry has seen a serious decline in the past several years. Many owners cite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing issues and rising food costs for the decline.
The Collingswood Diner joins the Americana Diner (West Orange) and Roadside Diner (Wall Township) as longtime New Jersey diners that have closed in 2025. Those followed closures from Diamond Diner in Hainesport and Starview Diner in Somerdale in 2024, as well as Red Lion Diner in Southampton, Empire Diner in Parsippany and Cherry Hill Diner in Cherry Hill 2023.
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