In 1939 the nation’s leading diner manufacturer, the Jerry O’Mahony Co. of Elizabeth, New Jersey, rolled out of its factory diner number #1107 which it touted as its largest deluxe model complete with chrome glass showcased green Italian Marble countertops, Tiffany glass clerestory windows in a monitor style roof and hand laid quarry tiled flooring. The company showcased its creation in the 1939 New York World’s fair.

After the Fair, diner aficionado Al McDermott purchased the streamlined-styled Art-Deco diner and had it towed to Fall River, Mass. where it operated with great success for 14 years. His moniker was “Justly Famous since 1939”. Looking to serve more customers in Fall River, Al Mac purchased a larger Deraffle diner in 1953 where it still operates today.

The O’Mahony was sold that year to a Greek immigrant, Tommy Borodemus, who was looking to expand out of his 15 stool 1936 Worchester lunch wagon which he had purchased with the $600.00 New Deal bonus offered to WWI veterans by FDR to counteract the effects of the great depression. Borodemus had the diner moved to the nearby seaside town of Middletown, R.I and renamed it “Tommy’s Deluxe Diner”.

The Greek family opened the diner to much fanfare and passed down its operation for 4 generations. Countless memories for the family and its patrons were generated over the years. The diner was featured in many TV spots and on Charles Osgood’s CBS Sunday Morning. In 2006, with mounting competition from fast food outlets and restaurant chains, the family decided to sell the property to the Tim Horton doughnut chain. A search began for a deserving home for this rare piece of Americana. Although other cities were considered, Oakley, Utah was offered to preserve the diner’s history.

In May of 2007, the diner was transported across the country weaving its way through designated back roads complete with state police escorts and pilot cars. It arrived in Oakley in mid-July and began its complete restoration. Unlike the few remaining diners still operating on the east coast, thankfully little structural and cosmetic changes had occurred over the diner’s 73 year history. Those that did were replicated from old photos. What you see now is what you would have seen in 1939 as this depression era pre-war diner was wheeled out of the factory. The tabletop remote jukeboxes, flat TV’s and air conditioning are modern embellishments.

In honor of this icon’s legacy we have named it the “Road Island Diner” because of its origin and the fact that it was placed on the island in the road. We hope you enjoy your stay with us, marvel at the bygone craftsmanship and we hope you will come back often.