The iconic Diamond Grille steakhouse is changing hands.
Katie Stack, a waitress for more than seven years at the Akron restaurant, and her husband, John, have bought the restaurant. The price was not disclosed.
The Stacks, along with an unnamed partner, will be the first owners of the restaurant, now in its 76th year, from outside the founding Thomas family.
Don’t expect major changes in the menu or decor — Katie Stack knows customers love the old-school feel to the restaurant on West Market Street just west of the city’s downtown. The cash-only restaurant is known for its throwback vibe, including a neon sign and an interior decorated with vintage wallpaper and white tablecloths.
Stack, who is 32, said she plans to add fresh, seasonal vegetables to the menu. Among the few planned changes: The bathrooms will be redone, Stack said.
The formal sales announcement was made via social media in a posting Sunday on Facebook saying the changeover was effective Monday.
While Stack recently had been telling longtime customers of the pending ownership change, she declined to go public until the sale had formally closed.
The restaurant’s founding Thomas family said in its Facebook post:
“It is with mixed emotions as we, the Thomas family, announce our retirement from The Diamond Grille ... We have wonderful memories that we will always cherish ... Thanks again for your support and best wishes to everyone for making the past 75 years an experience of a lifetime.”
Nick Thomas Sr. established the restaurant at 77 W. Market St., where it stands today, in 1941. His sons Nick Jr. and Ted have run the place for years.
Stack said she knew that Ted had been thinking of retiring, and she began to consider buying the restaurant.
For decades, the place has attracted major sports celebrities in town to play a tournament at Firestone Country Club or who were attending the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony in Canton.
The Diamond Grille’s decor and menu haven’t changed much over the years. In addition to big steaks and fresh fish, the menu seems to come right out of the 1950s and ’60s. Items include marinated creamed herring, onion rings, iceberg salads and oysters Rockefeller.
The steaks don’t come cheap. A Royal Filet Mignon, the priciest cut on the menu, runs $40. Chopped sirloin steak with mushrooms and onions is the cheapest steak at $25. Entrees come with a salad and choice of potato.
Stack is a graduate of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron and Walsh University.
Her husband works as an executive with Cambridge Education Group, a company that operates charter schools in Ohio.