In the 1930’s and ’40s, Walter J. “Bill” Moore operated Moore’s Restaurant chain in Reading, consisting of a restaurant at 4th Street and Penn Street and four diners, each of which were on South 6th Street (Called Moore’s #2), in West Reading (#3), and on 9th and Penn Street (#4), and next to the Colonial Hotel on North 5th Street, between Washington Street and Court Street. When a new post office was opened, this last diner supposedly moved to 421 Penn Street until the seventies. – Diners of Pennsylvania
Moore’s #2 on South 6th Street
Queen City Restaurant, located at Route 10 and Business Route 222 was built by Walter Moore in the mid 1950s. It was originally named Moore’s.
The original weather vane is still on top of QueenCity. In the early 1980s, Philip Row took over what they then called Dempsey’s. In 1990, the current owner Elsayed Elmarzouky purchased what he then called QueenCity. He named the diner QueenCity because he used to work at a diner called QueenCity in New York, where he met his wife. –Reading Eagle
Original Weather VaneVintage glassware from Moore’s Diner
Born and raised in Berks, I am fascinated by the design, architecture, culture & style of the 20th century. I started this website to research and build a collection of the places, things and stories I have heard about my entire life. Read more here.
Article in Reading Times on Oct 21, 1938 regarding Walter J Moore’s dining car, built in two sections, was rolled from 25 N Fifth St, site of proposed new Reading Post Office, to Barbey Real Estate Company lot on the north side of Penn Street, a short distance east of Fourth.
Article in Reading Times on Oct 21, 1938 regarding Walter J Moore’s dining car, built in two sections, was rolled from 25 N Fifth St, site of proposed new Reading Post Office, to Barbey Real Estate Company lot on the north side of Penn Street, a short distance east of Fourth.
thanks Bonnie, I’ll look that article up, sounds super interesting!
Can’t forget Fegley’s in Mt Penn