PEACH BLOSSOM DINER
1 Congaree Battery Drive
Columbia, SC 34345
January 17, 1993
The Peach Blossom Diner is an authentically restored diner featuring period paraphernalia from the 1920s through the 1950s. This plan includes details on how to create an establishment with a nostalgic atmosphere and discusses issues relevant to the genesis of any new restaurant.
- BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
- MARKET DEFINITION
- MARKETING PLAN
- FINANCIAL
- CREATION OF JOBS
- FINANCIAL PLANNING
- SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
The Opening of America's Most Authentic Restored Diner on the Banks of the Congaree River at the Gervais Street Bridge
Presenting the restoration of America's largest and most authentic diner with a nostalgic overview of life from the 1930's into the future. The menu will offer contrasting health conscious foods with an international flavor. The Diner will be in a special setting on the Congaree River.
Contact: David Jones
Business Description
Overall Purpose
The Peach Blossom Diner, situated on the banks of the Congaree River, will become a South Carolina landmark. The Peach Blossom Diner will be the largest and most authentically restored diner in America.
Specific Purpose
To offer the authenticity of a true Diner as a backdrop to a nostalgic overview of life from the 1930s to the present.
Features
The Diner will feature paraphernalia of different time periods. There will be a collection of salt and pepper dispensers from the 1950s, miniature table "juke boxes" from the 1940s, and a private dining room from the 1920s. The contrasting menu is somewhat futuristic in that it offers a wide variety of health conscious foods with an international flavor. Jonathon Perry, co-owner of Shadows Tavern, will coordinate the international menu. This menu, combined with the ambiance of the Diner, the Congaree River, a public park, a boardwalk, and a view of Columbia's skyline will provide several advantages. The Diner will be the catalyst to the long awaited Congaree River development. It will be used to promote the revitalization of our inner Tri-Cities.
Peach Blossom Diner was the original name of the establishment. This name promotes the intrigue associated with Southern culture and hospitality. It typifies the deep south and clearly expresses authenticity and nostalgia.
Brief History
The Peach Blossom Diner was built in 1952 by the Mountain Ridge Company of Lowell, New Jersey. The style and grace of this Diner exemplifies the era of Diners. This is an authentic Mountain Ridge Streamliner. The Streamliner was an extremely popular design. It was called "America's fastest selling Diner" by the diner industry.
Diners became obsolete during the upsurge of the fast food era. Now, less than 50 of these rare diners are in existence. It is unusual to find one in the deep south due to high transportation costs. This particular diner was moved to Beacon, South Carolina in 1957 where it was operated for 26 years. Around 1983, the owners built a new restaurant on the site and the original diner was placed in a field.
The Diner was purchased by David Jones in 1989 and moved to Columbia, South Carolina. It was then fully restored and two matching sections were built at the Campton Department of Corrections on Willow Road. Photographs of the restoration process are available upon request.
Marketing Strategy
The partners, David Jones and Jonathon Perry, wanted to put the Diner in a place that would ensure a competitive advantage in the downtown market. The chosen site should make the Peach Blossom Diner an attraction that would draw both local residents and tourists. The combination of the Peach Blossom Diner and Columbia's strongest untapped amenity, the Congaree River, will be an attraction worth visiting.
The site of the Peach Blossom Diner is adjacent to the Gervais Street Bridge. It is part of a 16 acre tract between the Gervais and Blossom Street Bridge on the West Bank. David Jones has developed apian for the area and a model has been prepared to illustrate the development of this plan. A photograph of the model is available upon request.
This plan will include the owners of the land, Dr. Leslie Smith and Benjamin Taylor, deeding approximately 11/2 acres to the Bellshire County Parks and Recreation Department for a park, boardwalk, and public road along the Congaree River. This plan is in progress. West Chester City Council has passed a 100% vote of approval. The West Chester Planning Commission has approved the plan and validated the local zoning. The Metro Chamber Board has also passed a 100% vote of approval and is working with the SCDDA to assist in the JEDA financial package. Bellshire County engineers have designed the road and the administrator of Bellshire County Parks and Recreation is working on the funds for the park and boardwalk.
The new road along the river front will be given the name Congaree Battery Drive. The Peach Blossom Diner will be located at 1 Congaree Battery Drive at the Gervais Street Bridge. The many attractions being created along Congaree Battery Drive complement, and will be complemented by, the authenticity and ambiance of the diner.
This nostalgic diner, combined with a contrasting upscale international menu, will be a marketed as a VIP box seat for the enchanting view of the Columbia Skyline, the enticing park and boardwalk, and the captivating backdrop melody of cool water splashing over the rocks of the Congaree River.
Food Preparation and Strategy
The food preparation will be based on the philosophy that has made Shadows Tavern so successful. Our kitchen motto will be "Freshness, consistency, and abundance."
The Chowder Shop will supply fresh seafood and meats for our varied menu. Fresh vegetables and produce will arrive daily from the Farmer's Market. Fresh sourdough rolls will be baked daily at the diner. Jonathon Perry's seasoned talents as a food buyer will be utilized to assure proper control of the inventory and turnover.
Management and Owners
The ownership of the Diner is presently in the form of a partnership. The President and Treasurer of the partnership, Jonathon Perry, controls 50% of the stock. The Vice-President, David Jones, and the Secretary, Janice Hanner, each own a 25% share of the business. The partnership will be incorporated prior to opening with the same percentages of stock. It will be called Peach Blossom Diner, Inc.
Jonathon Perry will operate and oversee the Diner. The manager of the Diner will be Tracy Wade. For the past two years, Ms. Wade has been working and training under Jonathon Perry as his assistant at Shadows Tavern. She will share in a percentage of the profit and participate in a stock earning plan. The stock plan will provide a return of up to 20% of the stock and net profits over a 5 year period. After construction is complete, it is not foreseen that Jonathon Perry or David Jones will continue to have any day to day activities involving the operation of the Diner.
Objectives
It is the owners' objective that the menu represent an exciting international flavor with a wide variety, yet it should not intimidate anyone. To ensure this, the Diner will also offer basic favorites, such as hamburgers and apple pie.
The nostalgia and ambiance of the old Diner will be an attraction that no other restaurant can offer. The original front section with the original counters will serve as both a bar and a dining area. One of the two counters has been modified with a large stainless steel ice tray where the fresh entrees of the day will be displayed. This setting will bring new people and new monetary gain to the city.
The Diner has wiring and plumbing to accommodate a bar on the large patio overlooking the river. This patio will be open on pleasant days to serve customers. Bar sales are expected to be excellent from both the inside and outside bar area, though the outside bar should produce higher sales in the Spring. Alfresco dining on the patio will allow 40 more people to be seated. The patio will be open about one-half the amount of days the Diner is opened, approximately 105 days per year.
The seasonability at Shadows Tavern illustrates that the low profit months are July and August. The best months are in the Spring and Fall.
The owners will have a viable option to test the market with an exciting breakfast menu similar to the one that has been so successful at the Seashore Cafe in Shellfish Isle. The price point will be about $1 more than a typical Columbia breakfast. However, the menu would offer some special touches, such as small slices of different fruits on the plate and beach water grits, with an optional sprinkle of New York cheddar cheese. A choice of low-fat, regular and honey butters will be available. There would also be homemade preserves (with no added fat) and a choice of three coffees. The private dining room, called the Hospitality Room, would also be available for breakfast meetings for up to 16 people.
The attendants will wear custom diner uniforms. Please contact David Jones for a photograph.
The Diner will house part of the World's largest known salt and pepper shaker collection. The parents of David Jones started the collection at their truck stop diner in Fay ville, South Carolina. It was popular for the truckers to bring his parents salt and pepper shakers from their travels around America. The collection has been in storage since 1961.
Music from the 1930s and 1940s will be selected and played through miniature "juke boxes" on the tables. The decor and setting of the middle section dining area will be modeled after the 1930s and 1940s. The private dining room will have the flair of the 1930s.
