But, he said, it's evident that portions of the wall may fall onto the structure. Mr. Hoover said Mr. Esper wasn't able to move the diner before the warehouse wall came down. Those who work at area diners expressed sorrow for the firefighters, and also said they were saddened to see the Kenmore demolished. John C. George, whose family owns the Boulevard Diner on Shrewsbury Street, said Kenmore customers have been eating at his establishment since the fire. His brother, Anthony J. George, said he was shocked the Kenmore was demolished.
Diners are a dying breed as it is.
That is the case in Worcester, according to Randolph J. Garbin of Worcester, publisher of Roadside, a magazine devoted to diners. Worcester was once home to about 30 diners. Of the 13 or 14 left, only nine or 10 are operating, Mr. Garbin said. The Kenmore was one of the first built with a stainless steel exterior, and there are few of those left, Mr. Garbin said. Previously, diners were clad in porcelain enamel, he said.