Back of Sam’s Diner in Holley collapses
Fate uncertain for beloved restaurant in Public Square
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The back wall of Sam’s Diner lies in a pile of rubble today. The wall gave out at about 9:30 a.m. The diner wasn’t open yet and no one was injured.
The situation has closed traffic in the Public Square while the building and the those near it are checked to make sure they are stable.
“It’s heart-breaking,” said Holley Mayor Mark Bower.
The Gitisis family has owned the diner for nearly 50 years. Sam Gitsis opened it in 1978. It is one of Holley’s most popular gathering places.
George Gitsis, the son of Sam Gitsis, is the current owner. He tried in recent months to get an engineer and masons to work on the back of the building but could not get people to commit to the job, Bower said.
“From day one, George and his father, mother and sister have done wonderful work in Holley,” Bower said. “I’m just wanting this business to survive. It’s such an asset to Holley.”
A special operations team from Monroe County is at the scene to check the stability of Sam’s. There are also many local firefighters, code enforcement and the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.
A drone was sent up to give officials a close view of the building to see if there was any additional movement in the walls, said Rick Cary, the Murray fire chief.
The local officials will continue to assess the stability of the building, and that will determine if it can be shored up and reopened eventually, Cary said. A construction company may need to come in and help with the evaluation.
“I expect the restaurant will be closed for a significant amount of time,” Cary said.
Dr. Dan Schiavone has his dental office next door to Sam’s. He is closed today and hopes he can see patients on Monday.
Schiavone, a former Holley mayor, worries about many of the Public Square buildings from the late 1800s.
“These are historic buildings and we do our darndest to save them,” Schiavone said. “But we’re losing the integrity of the Public Square.”
