Mel’s Diner

Last April a fire destroyed several businesses in Campus Court Plaza across from The Grill. Tabu, Mr. Sushi, University Vision Care, and Sugar Mountain were all destroyed. The greatest loss to Waterloo students was probably Mel’s Diner. All that remains are the black and white checkered tiles that accentuated Mel’s Diner’s vintage atmosphere. Jerry Smith, owner of Mel’s Diner, wanted to rebuild. Smith was able to salvage stools, old photographs, and a jukebox. All will be return when Mel’s Diner reopens. Smith said he wanted the new restaurant to resemble the old Mel’s as closely as possible. He wants customers to return to Mel’s and say “Wow, it’s good to be home.” The iconic Mel’s Diner sign was also collected and is currently resting in Smith’s garage. The sign is too damaged to use but it will likely be hung inside as a reminder of its tragic past. Smith says he hopes to open on the one year anniversary of the fire. At peak hours, the diner would always reach its capacity. Keeping this in mind Smith is looking to expand from the old Mel’s. He is looking to increase the seating area by 30% and the kitchen space by 50%. This will help meet customer demand for services such as catering and take out.  Smith says that insurance will allow him to rebuild Mel’s to its original state but will need additional funds for the expansion.

This is when Groupvestor contacted Smith. Founded by University of Waterloo students, they knew how much Mel’s Diner meant to the community. What Groupvester does is help small businesses raise funds directly from the community for expansion and investments. Each fundraiser is set a fundraising goal and a timeline. If the project does not reach the goal by the end of the timeline all the money is given back to their respective investors and the business goes back to zero. Groupvester was selling floor tiles with personalized messages for $35, classic Mel’s Diner Godfather t-shirts for $25, gift cards ranging from $5 to $74 and a $100 gift card for $75, and $250 for catering services for up to 50 people. Despite appearances on CTV News and the group’s efforts to advertise their campaign, Mel’s Diner did not meet its $10,000 goal in the 20 day fundraiser. The return of Mel’s is uncertain. As construction has not yet begun on the new building, the one year goal is looking bleak. For more information on the fire please refer to the May 19^th, 2010 issue of Iron Warrior.