The Village Diner would not have been allowed to open if the inspector had found any real cause for concern

The following message was posted on the Village Diner Facebook site:

Hello everyone, This is Maria from the Village Diner. I am writing to respond to a recent situation at the diner that has been discussed in this group and other pages....some of you may be aware of the article.

On Nov 5th, a complaint was called in which prompted a ‘random’ inspection. The report on that date cited rodent droppings in the basement. Like ALL restaurants, when you are dealing with food, it is a must....we have always had extensive pest control. In particular by the river, as any other property owners on this strip can tell you, we must be especially vigilant. With the diner also being a vintage landmark building, these are things that come up and must be dealt with.

I would like to point out that if the inspector had found any real cause for concern, anything beyond standard maintenance for a building in this area, we would not even be allowed to be open for business. The problem has already been corrected, and we had the building inspected AGAIN, to check for all possible areas of entry, and confirmed safety at highest standards to avoid any future risk. The follow up inspection showed ZERO violations.

I completely understand everyone’s concerns, and promise that no one takes it more to heart than we do. The diner is not only how we earn our living and support our family; it is our parent’s legacy that my brother and I are carrying in second generation ownership.

What has been truly hurtful, were the deliberate attempts by a few select people who have gone out of their way to hurt us-specifically a few customers who were asked to leave due to lack of respect shown to some of our female waitresses, making racist and sexual remarks. We simply do not tolerate this. The other venomous statements were made by an ex-employee.

Situations like these happen in a lot of businesses. I am an adult an experienced business owner for many years. Anyone who know me and us at the diner, knows how much heart we put into this place and into our community. We are always happy to help and do whatever we can for others. We are not a corporate chain or franchise; we are a small family and treat our employees like family.

To close on a positive note, we have been a highly rated and a well-loved establishment in this area for many years, with regulars who know and love the diner for many reasons. I am excited to report that over the last month, we have partnered with a local bank and received a loan to start extensive restorations and repairs. The building is OLD, which requires constant maintenance and upgrades. All contractors are local, because we believe in supporting each other. We have a wonderful team, out front and in the kitchen, and are excited about new things we are planning for the future.

I won’t lie, this week has been rough, and I can’t thank our loyal customers and friends who have shown us support and backed us up. Please spread the positivity report and do not try to harm the Village Diner and my family. Our little restaurant has been part of this community since 1956, and we intend to continue for years to come. Thank you.