For Shoemakersville residents Amanda Kohler and Michael Boyer, taking over ownership of the newly renovated Shoey Diner in Shoemakersville is a dream come true. They hope the family restaurant, now named Dee Dee’s Diner, serves the community well.
“We want people to know there are new owners and we are here to stay,” said Amanda. “They are our number one priority.”
A native to Shoemakersville, Amanda has been a server since age 15. “I’ve always worked with the public. It’s been my dream to own a restaurant,” said Amanda. “We begged the prior owners here for about two years… and they finally gave us the opportunity to be owners and we jumped for it.”
“It was my dream and Mike helped that come true,” said Amanda. “Every day is a new adventure for us.”
Amanda said they are very active in the community and have a good following of customers. They took over ownership in January 2017 from previous owners Reda and Melissa Hasanein.
“We’re local. I have a very built up customer base and they thought we’d be great for it,” said Amanda who was born and raised in Shoemakersville while Michael is from the Robesonia area. They have three children and one on the way,
“We’ll get to tell our grandchildren the stories we had and the things we did, the journeys we embarked on together,” said Michael.
Amanda had been an employee of Shoey Diner almost three years. Michael started working in the diner in December 2016 to get to know the business better prior to taking over ownership.
“With the support of everybody, the great relationship she has with the entire community, everybody accepted me with welcome arms so it was very nice to actually get in with everybody and start to learn and get to know everybody,” said Michael.
“We changed the name. That was inspired by my nephew,” said Amanda.
Her nephew was Donavin Yenser, 18, of Exeter, who had been fatally beaten near the Pagoda in Reading in December 2016.
“He called me Dee Dee. So Rocky, the prior owner, and Michael surprised me with the name Dee Dee’s. My nephew was very excited for us. He was supposed to come work for us,” said Amanda. “He is the inspiration, why we named it Dee Dee’s. It was my nickname since he could talk.”
Michael explained how he became involved in the restaurant business.
“I had been in the automotive field for many years,” explaining that his previous employer closed his business and everyone was let go in December 2016. In the process of looking for another job, the opportunity opened to take over ownership of the diner.
“That pretty much began the saga from there,” said Michael. “Amanda has the knowledge and experience on the floor and she was also managing. We together pretty much knew everything right from the start so it was just finally getting a chance at the reins.”
Michael is grateful to have retired from the automotive field and happy to be working in the restaurant business.
“It’s working pretty good for us,” said Michael, with a smile on his face. “It’s been amazing. I never thought I would enjoy this as much as I do. It’s what I strive for everyday. Wake up, come see my people and get into the community and do what we can do for everybody that we see and meet who come through our doors. That’s the biggest thing for both of us. It’s not really about the profits; it’s for the people, hands down. That’s the way we want it. That’s what we agreed to do for everybody. As much as everybody has done for us, it’s a pleasure to be able to give back to them.”
Their favorite part about owning Dee Dee’s Diner are the people, the interactions with the community.
“We meet new people everyday,” said Amanda. “We want them to know that we’re here for them. We come here for fun. We come here to meet the people and please them.”
Their motto is “Come as strangers and leave as friends.”
Since taking over ownership, Amanda and Michael have been making a few changes, such as painting the walls blue and getting blue Dee Dee’s Diner t-shirts. A new counter is scheduled to be built this summer.
A new menu due to hit their tables any day. Menu changes include new items like the Spam, egg and cheese for breakfast and more wraps and sandwiches for lunch such as the Monte Cristo and new dinner specials daily. Customer favorites have been the stir fry entrees and the new ribeye cheesesteak with Cheese Whiz.
Specials are posted daily on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/deedees.diner.77. Dee Dee’s Diner is located at 600 Shoemaker Ave, Shoemakersville. Call 610-562-0700.
