Less than three months after its sister restaurant closed its doors, the New Tripoli Diner, 6837 Route 309, New Tripoli, is for sale.

Diner owner John Pittas also owned the Schnecksville Diner, 4257 Route 309, Schnecksville. The latter closed in November 2019 on short notice and with no information about whether the closing was temporary or permanent.

Pulling into the empty parking lot of the diner on Jan. 13 it was clear that, unlike the Schnecksville Diner situation, this closure was permanent as red “for sale” signs dotted the property and the building’s windows.

A collection of wooden shelves and cabinets, tagged as free furniture, sat in the parking lot in front of the restaurant’s locked front door. A handwritten closed sign was also taped to the entrance.

Looking through the darkened windows, tables and chairs were still set out in the dining room and stacks of cups, plates and bags sat on shelves near the service counter.

A whiteboard next to the soda station listed the diner’s specials.

Around the back, a large number of empty pallets labeled for bread and other foodstuffs were still stacked in a puddle by the rear employee exit.

No date or reason for the closing was posted on any of the restaurant’s signage. However, the diner’s shuttering has not gone unnoticed to area residents.

Steve Feinour, owner of Feinour’s Automotive next door, told The Press he believes the restaurant closed for the last time Dec. 31, 2019, as customers were still seen visiting the diner through the end of December.

“They were open all of 2019. It looks like they just didn’t open up again in 2020,” Feinour said, noting no business or customer activity has occurred since the start of the new year.

The listed phone number for the New Tripoli Diner is no longer operational and the restaurant’s Facebook page was removed by the afternoon of Jan. 13.

The diner’s website has not been updated to reflect the closing, and no mention was made on the site about any impending closure or sale.