Monday, December 14, 2009
News / Restaurant openings Gibson Plans 1920s-Style Sweets Shop Downtown
Posted by Dana Kopp Franklin on Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Gibson Guitar Inc. has transported a 1926 candy store from Michigan to Nashville and will reopen it in January on Lower Broadway.
Diana's Sweet Shoppe operated in Port Huron, Mich., from 1926-2001. Gibson acquired the shop and is reassembling the interior at 315 Broadway, next to Hatch Show Print.
The shop is scheduled to open Jan. 14 and will sell sandwiches, old-fashioned fudge, ice cream and candies to downtown workers and tourists.
A "really cool" aspect of the shop is a working violano virtuoso from the 1920s, says Benjamin Goldberg. The restaurateur (Paradise Park Trailer Resort) and his brother Max are serving as consultants on the project.
The violano virtuoso is a remarkable invention from the era, a self-playing violin and piano working inside a glass-and-wood case. Diana's also has a working Model T pie wagon that will be on display.
Comments (19)
Showing 1-19 of 19
Good idea, but if Gibson is throwing around cash for downtown restaurant projects, I'd rather see the return of Cafe Milano.
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It's Hatch Show Print, drop the 's' from Prints. This should be cool, although I don't see how it ties to Gibson.
Gibson couldn't even keep an actual music venue open downtown, but now they think they can do cutesy "old tyme" food?! That company has enough problems and ought to stick to what it knows... pissing off its employees and importing illegal exotic woods.
DIANA'S SWEET SHOPPE THAT WAS HERE IN PORT HURON MI. FOR YEARS WAS THE GREATEST PLACE TO EAT. I ATE THERE FOR YEARS AND BOUGHT CANDY AND SWEETS WHEN LEAVING THE STORE. WISHED SO MUCH THEY WERE STILL HERE. HAD THE BEST HOT FUDGE SUNDAE GOING. BELIEVE ME IF I EVER GET TO NASHVILLE I WILL LOOK THE NEW PLACE UP TO EAT. NASHVILLE HOPE YOU ENJOY AS MUCH AS WE IN MI. DID
Sounds delicious, but don't most people diet in January? ;)
(Also I'd like to say, I never ever read comments that are written in all caps. My eyes can't take it.)
This is a first step toward world domination of the dessert dining and violano industries
Can't wait till they use this to sue all other dessert shops for patent infringement.
let's hope they don't use endangered nuts...
I live in Pt Huron. Dianas was part of our family tradition. My mother was taken there by her mother in the 1930's on ver special occasions, my mother took us there and I took my daughters there. We all had our favorites. I could still feel the warmth of the seats where my mother and grandmother once sat. We miss it and hope you feel the warmth and love that emanates from many good memories.
I also live in Port Huron. What a lifelong blessing "DIANA Sweet Shop" was to our downtown! It WAS a destination stop...best basketburgers..milkshakes..hot fudge sundaes around! The only thing that made the good "eats" better was the owners Bill & Leo. No better people on earth...and I was blessed to live across the street from them for years. They made their parents proud taking over the shop and running it well past their own retirement age. We MISS the shop and them like crazy...Port Huron has NEVER been the same and NEVER will be. Enjoy it Nashville...you are blessed to have "our" history.
Gibson should stick to just guitars. Seems like everything else they touch just crumbles.
Hey Nashville - enjoy Dianas - it was the coolest place. I went there as a child and lot of times when I went to college in Port Huron. The Swankie Frankie was the best. I always wanted to take my kids there, so I'll have to try to work out a trip to Nashville to re-visit it. Sad to see it leave Michigan, but very happy to see Dianas come back to life.
Diana's Sweet Shoppe was a big part of everyone lives, growing up in the Port Huron, MI. area. There are many fond memories of hanging out there with family and friends and ordering a basketburger and fries, with a chocolate shake or phosphate drink. I hope everyone who lives in or visits Nashville will stop in and visit this adorable restaurant. We miss it terribly. Our town hasn't been the same since it left.
Can't wait to get to Nashville to check this out. As just about everyone in Port Huron did, I loved that place. I had better be able to get a lemon coke when I get there though :)
Can't wait to get to Nashville to check this out. As just about everyone in Port Huron did, I loved that place. I had better be able to get a lemon coke when I get there though :)
I read some of the negative comments from those who never even have stepped foot in the place just because Gibson bought it.What Does gibson and Sweets have to do, they wanted the antique viola. This place has such History to those of us who grew up with Diana's when it was in Port Huron. Please support this place, you may find that you will be able to create memories that last a lifetime. Many of us can't wait to visit Nashville to relive those memories. It was a sad day when Diana's closed here. I hope it stays in Nashville for 100's of years. I truly think it is a perfect fit. Please don't judge when you don't understand history and the pricelessness of someone else's memories
