by Marc Hurwitz
A North Shore diner that is also an historic landmark is now facing what appears to be an uncertain future.
According to an article in The Salem News, the future of The Salem Diner is now unclear, as Salem State University--which purchased the Loring Avenue eatery in 2013--is in the middle of consolidating its on-campus food options in order to make things more efficient for its students, and because the diner is one of the options, it is not known what might happen to the place. The article says that because the nearby Marsh Hall has a food service area, and the university also wants to redevelop the diner's space, it is now facing a possible closure, with university President John Keenan saying that "One of the things [consultants] had suggested is we may not want to continue to deliver dining options in the diner."
The Salem News mentions that it is possible that The Salem Diner--which has been in business for nearly 80 years and which is on the National Register of Historic Places--could conceivably be moved to another space and possibly reopen under new ownership, though this is all speculation at this point.
The address for The Salem Diner is 70 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA, 01970.
[May 2 update: A Facebook post from the Salem Food Digest and a new article from The Salem News both indicate that The Salem Diner will be forced to close, with the latter saying that its last day will be May 31. The hope remains that the diner will be purchased and relocated to another space, according to both the Facebook post and the article.]
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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
