What’s Cookin’? This Oregon Home Comes With an Amazing ’50s-Era Diner

Posted on July 12, 2016 | by Chhing Chhut in News | 1432 Views

There’s something comforting about diners. The milkshakes, the classic bar stools, the greasy burgers—diners exude a classic cool. But what would be really cool is to have your very own diner in your backyard.

That’s one of the main attractions of this property in Central Point, OR, now on the market for $600,000. The listing agent is Terry Rasmussen. The homeowner, George Rambo, built this private ’50s-style diner himself.

The diner—which used to be a back patio—features a milkshake machine, flat-top grill, pizza oven, soda machine (currently inoperable), and hundreds of old-fashioned restaurant memorabilia, from classic bar stools to vintage napkin holders, plus signs and tins collected from various restaurants and antiques shops over the years.

What was the inspiration behind this throwback? Simple: “It was there and it needed doing,” Rambo says. Now retired, Rambo worked as a DJ for KNDD Radio and his voice still has a deep, soothing bass tone.

Rambo “completely remodeled the house for modern living” after his wife’s parents died. An avid woodworker, Rambo built all of the cabinetry, including the oak wood built-ins in the main kitchen. He’s also responsible for most of the diner’s construction.

The diner is decorated with memorabilia from the 1950s and ’60s.

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The diner is stuffed with classic items from the 50s and 60s

The property—which includes a 19th-century three-bedroom farmhouse, a two-bedroom manufactured home, and a detached garage/workplace combo (which Rambo also built)—is on the market for the first time since 1913. His wife’s family kept the 10-acre property in their possession for over 100 years. So why sell now?

“We don’t know where we’re going yet, but we’re definitely going to downsize,” Rambo says. “It was my wife’s idea [to put it on the market]. She surprised me! It was also a matter of economics, and we’re taking advantage of that.”

A buyer will acquire the diner, but he or she will have to negotiate for some of the personal items and collectibles currently on display.

Parting with the property is going to be bittersweet.

“I rebuilt it myself, so I love the whole thing. Being able to have friends over and have them ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over the work I did, it feels good,” Rambo said. “You really have to see the house to get a feel for it, to see the amount of work that I did. That makes a guy feel good.”

The diner’s kitchen

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