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The Red Lion Diner, at 1753 Route 206 in Southampton Township, announced its closure on Sept. 9 in a Facebook post.
But the restaurant's iconic Red Lion statue will be preserved.
“Dear Beloved Customers," the post read. "With a heavy heart we must inform you that the Red Lion Diner has sold. We will not be opening again. We appreciate all the support and patronage throughout the years. It was a difficult decision however we chose what was best for our families.”
Efthimios “Paul” Tsiknakis and his family have owned the diner for nearly six years. It originally opened in 1973.
"Financially, the developer came up with a sum we couldn't refuse," Tsiknakis told Daily Voice. "I'd like to spend more time with my family. Restaurants are hard work."
A&B Development Group, the property’s new owners, plans to replace the diner with a Wawa, according to site plans and Tsiknakis.
Additional details on Wawa's plans were not immediately available.
The diner’s lion statue will be moved to Red Lion Metals, a nearby company that plans to preserve it. The $2,000 in related fundraising proceeds were donated to the Troopers United Fund.
The neighborhood was once known as Red Lion and the Metals shop plans to put the statue out in its front yard to keep the landmark alive, Tsiknakis said.
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