User:FrostFairBlade/sandbox/Starlite Diner

Description

 * A Los Angeles Times article from 1996 describes the food as "a tribute to American pop culture"
 * Open 24 hours a day
 * Neon lighting
 * Walls decorated with American memorabilia - framed covers of Life magazine, Elvis Presley memorabilia
 * Jukebox with many songs from the 1950s to 1970s
 * Vast menu - burgers, buffalo wings, nachos
 * As much of the ingredients are provided by American businesses, such as Barber Foods from Portland, Maine, which supplies the chicken
 * A soda fountain operated by soda jerks
 * Malts, milkshakes
 * In addition, they also serve alcohol

History

 * "Starlite Development Overseas Ltd. is the exclusive international distributor of modular diners manufactured by Starlite Diner Inc., Ormond Beach, Fla."
 * In 1995, a group of American and Russian businessmen wanted to open a restaurant serving American diner food in Russia
 * To do so, they shipped a prefabricated diner building from Ormond Beach made by Bill Starevic of Starlite Diners (now Valiant Diner)
 * The $300,000 unit (other sources state $500,000) had minor modifications made to it, such as heavier-insulated walls and a modified floor plan to include a bar
 * The model was shipped overseas in four pieces; seats 127 people
 * Owned by Flying Foods Inc.
 * Entrepreneur Shawn McKenna: "A diner means zero right now in Russia, but that won't last long. At this point, during this season of nationalism and confusion we have brought the old America, the right kind of America. It is the America of quality rather than the America of flash and Broadway. When people see it they are going to respond immediately."
 * McKenna, from Bath, Maine, also had previously started two other business ventures in Russia
 * Graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of Maine in 1977
 * Other co-founders include:
 * Bernie Sucher
 * Paul O'Brien
 * First location opened just before Christmas in Aquarium Park
 * Autumn 1996 - second location opens near the Oktyaberskya Square
 * September 2017 - the original Starlite Diner location burns down
 * 2018 - hepatitis outbreak amongst the three remaining locations