By Mark Schiele

It was worth the wait.

The Pottstown Metro 101 Diner is back in business, and it’s better than ever.

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It had been closed for nearly two years. Today stands the future, an updated exterior and a sleek, modern and a totally refurbished interior.

The opening follows two years and nearly $1.7 million in renovations by owner Mark Klein, who bought the diner in May 2017.

So, who is Mark Klein? Anyone ever been to the iconic Limerick Diner? That’s his place. And has a fantastic reputation.

The Pottstown Metro 101 Diner, at the corner of King Street and Route 100 North, opened for business recently in what was the former Pottstown Diner, a legendary and popular stop for locals.

“We worked so hard to make this beautiful and to wake it up. This has been a labor of love,” Andriana Kapetanakis, front of the house manager at the new Pottstown Metro 100 Diner, told Donna Rovins of the Pottstown Mercury, adding she had watched the old Pottstown she knew “blossom” over the last couple of years.

It was not an easy journey, but the trip was enjoyable. With a purpose. A goal. A dream.

Klein called the diner a “sleeper that needs to be woken up again.”

It’d back!

He said Pottstown is a great area, with shopping, recreation and efforts to revitalize the borough.

“We worked so hard to make this beautiful and to wake it up. This has been a labor of love,” said Kapetanakis, who has worked for Klein since 2012 and lives in Pottstown. She added that she has watched Pottstown “blossom” over the last couple of years.

It’s all about the rebirth of Pottstown. A new beginning.

“We are so excited about being here and doing this and being an active part of the reboot of Pottstown,” she said.

The Pottstown Metro 100 Diner has a staff of about 50, according to Kapetanakis, the majority of which live in Pottstown and the surrounding areas.

The restaurant seats about 200 and is open 7 days a week from 5 a.m. to midnight.

Think you know the old place? Think again.

Just about everything about the diner has been redone.

As customers drive onto the property at 99 W. King St., they see the look of the exterior.

Not the same.

The building has been painted and features a colorful trim, larger windows, as well as a newly designed and constructed entry façade.

Inside, they are greeted with a color scheme that features a warm mixture of reds, blues, yellows and browns.

The main dining room, according to Kapetanakis, was taken “pretty much down to the studs” before being rebuilt. New windows, flooring, tile, paint, lighting and seating were added, as well as a server’s station and a counter with seating for dining.

The green room — a previous addition to the restaurant — was also completely changed. Etched glass windows that separate the two rooms remain — original to the previous diner.

The menu features traditional Americana fare, including classics like croquettes, turkey, chicken, meatloaf and freshly made sauces. Breakfast is served all day and the bread is fresh baked, just like the Limerick Diner.

The old diner closed in September 2017 as renovations got underway. It took longer than expected.

Klein initially planned to invest about $1 million in renovations, only to see that number increase as the work continued.

But the end result is stunning. A masterpiece. Another hotspot for locals to gather and enjoy.

To read the full story in the Pottstown Mercury click here.

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