“All I want to do is cook again,” Scotia Diner Manager and Chef Terry Kyratzis said Tuesday, July 10, as he stood inside the restaurant’s new location, which is beginning to take shape.
Kyratzis, son of Scotia Diner owner Anita, had hoped to open the restaurant months ago, but hurdles seemed to slow down a speedy reopening. The diner was forced to leave its former location just down the street on March 21 after being evicted to make way for an apartment complex. The diner’s new location is at 114 Mohawk Ave. at the former Kem Cleaners.
Developer Bruce Tanski gave the diner owner 30 days to pack up before demolishing the former building, which now has wood framing sprouting from the new foundation.
Stepping inside Scotia Diner’s new location reveals new booths wrapped up just waiting for customers to order breakfast and relax with a strong cup of coffee. Large black tubs for air conditioning hang from the partially completed ceiling and received a successful test run.
“Everything is going to be brand new,” Terry Kyratzis said. “It has got most of the decor from the old diner with the new coming in. We are just excited to get things moved around and just start locating and finally get everything in place.”
The new diner will feature and expanded menu, but Kyratzis said he would continue serving customer favorites. One new choice will be artisan pizzas, he said, but he isn’t looking to be “pizza shop.”
The new convection ovens used to quickly serve up pizzas will also be used for bakery items. All of the baked goods served in the diner, such as bread and pastries, are planned to be made in-house to serve the freshest products.
The kitchen area is also more than double the previous location, which excites Kyratzis and will allow for an expanded menu to more easily be achieved. Previously, he said cooks were cramped and almost had to work on top of each other to speedily serve up orders.
Kyratzis has had friends, diner employees and various contractors helping out with renovations, and he is shooting for an Aug. 1 opening.
“We got a lot of work to do until that time,” he said. “I need at least one week of cooking just to start up again.”
Carina Moran, a 16-year-old Scotia resident, had worked at the diner for five months before it vacated the former location. Moran has been helping out with renovations at the new site because she wants to get back to work.
“I got used to doing that, and I don’t want to change now,” Moran said. “Usually you hear people talking about how they hate their jobs, but I am one of the people that talks about how much I love my job.”
The floor contractor is set to start work this week, and Kyratzis hopes to begin painting this week. Many of the plans Anita Kyratzis said she wants to keep under wraps to surprise customers at the grand opening.
Renovations were on budget until state officials on April 25 ordered all work to stop since the property wasn’t surveyed for hazardous materials. Asbestos removal ended up totaling around $35,000.
“We never even thought of that and nobody told us about that survey,” Kyratzis said. “We learned it the hard way.”
Now the budget is around $120,000, but some concessions had to be made to stay on target.
“Some of the things we wanted done, we had to put on the back burner,” he said.
The diner will also have a bakery, but Anita Kyratzis said the bakery likely wouldn’t open until later. Terry Kyratzis plans to make more improvements to the new diner after opening and starting to generate revenue.
Anita Kyratzis said she has tried to keep everyone upbeat while working on the diner and she’s kept customers updated through its Facebook page. She said her motivation to continue is driven by her son.
“I want my son to have something,” she said, “I want a legacy for my son.”
