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Here's a unique and vanishing slice of roadside Americana. These tiny buildings with a distinctive boxy shape and red & white paint job are called Valentine Diners. Typically seating only 8 to 10 patrons, these pre-fabricated cafes were manufactured for several decades beginning in the 1940's by a company started by entrepreneur Arthur Valentine, and were eventually located across the country. Relatively few still exist; those that are still open for business are rarer still. Shown here are four of the six surviving Valentine diners in Arizona, and one in New Mexico.
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At the time of my visit, this diner was closed and appeared to be undergoing an extensive renovation.
Directions: 924 E. Roosevelt Street (at 10th Street).
Last Visited: January 2010.
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At the time of my visit, this diner was taking food orders at a window, with outdoor seating.
Directions: In Eastmark Great Park, 5149 S. Inspirian Pkwy (N side of Ray between Ellsworth and Signal Butte).
Last Visited: June 2021.
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This diner (aka Monday's Cafe, aka Irene's) is on Old Route 66. At the time of my visit, the diner was closed; it is reportedly for sale (the interior photos below were taken through the windows).
Directions: 300 Block of East Second Street (across from the La Posada Hotel).
Last Visited: April 2010.
Other views (click to enlage):
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This diner has been modified and expanded so extensively that it is difficult to even recognize as a Valentine, at least from the outside. At the time of my latest visit (April 2010), the diner was open but a sign in the window said "For Sale By Owner."
Directions: Arizona Parks Estates #26 (just east of the post office).
Last Visited: April 2010.
Other views (click to enlage):
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This diner on Old Route 66 and the adjacent trading post have been closed for years.
Directions: East of Flagstaff on the south side of Interstate 40 at exit 219, at the abandoned Twin Arrows truck stop.
Last Visited: April 2010.
Other views (click to enlage):
![[B500_DSCN1795_mod.jpg]](B500/B500_DSCN1795_mod.jpg) Update September 2022: This diner has been heavily vandalized and covered with spraypaint.
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This restored diner is on the grounds of the Shady Dell Trailer Park. Until recently, it was open and serving food, but the owner decided to close it rather than change the historic character of the building by making the renovations required to bring it up to the building code.
Directions: 1 Old Douglas Rd (accessible only to registered guests of the Shady Dell Trailer Park).
Last Visited: December 2018.
Other views (click to enlage):
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This diner was previously known as the Little House Diner and the Albuquerque Diner, and was located at 8th and Central Avenue; it was later moved to this location and converted to an Albuquerque Police substation.
Directions: Triangle Park, Girard Boulevard and Central Avenue.
Last Visited: April 2010.
Other views (click to enlage):
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This Valentine Diner, simply named "The Diner," had a large dining room added to its front. Now, the long-closed diner is falling into ruin.
Directions: West side of Highway 285, 200 feet north of junction with Highway 64.
Last Visited: May 2019.
Other views (click to enlage):
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This Valentine Diner, fallen into ruin and overgrown, had rooms added on to both sides of the original diner.
Directions: 17420 US-84 (northeast corner of Highways 84 & 531, north of Tierra Amarilla).
Last Visited: September 2022.
Other views (click to enlage):
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This Valentine diner, which was rescued from a junkyard near Santa Fe, is now the highlight of the Classical Gas Museum's collection of highway antiques. The proprieter has plans to restore the diner and open it as an ice cream shop.
Directions: NM-68 between Espaņola and Taos, near mile marker 18. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Last Visited: July 2017.
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This closed diner (the sign on the door says "OUT TO LUNCH") is located in the parking lot of Wildlife West Nature Park.
Directions: 87 N. Frontage Rd.
Last Visited: July 2017.
Other views (click to enlage):
Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.
