New owners giving iconic Olga’s Diner a new life in new location
EVESHAM — For many years people grew to love Olga's Diner, and its bakery that once made a cake for a Presidential inauguration. After the original location closed a decade ago a new Olga's Diner is set to open not far away.
Bill Dovas is one of the owners of the new Olga's and said he is excited to help bring back the iconic landmark to South Jersey.
"It's just one of those iconic diners that for years and years we've driven past and hasn't been there, but it should be there," he said. "It should be back. It should be in Marlton. People want to see it back."
Dovas is no stranger to the restaurant industry as he and his co-owner Chris Kolovos also run the Penrose Diner in Philadelphia and the Colonial Diner in Woodbury. When the new Olga's opens next Spring Dovas said customers will see a lot of similarities, but also some changes that he hopes they will appreciate and enjoy.
"The sign is obviously something that's iconic. We're going to keep that as close to similar if not exactly the same sign as possible," he said. We're going to have a lot of diner staples. What everybody's been clamoring for is that bakery. We're going to have a top-notch bakery because that's what Olga's was known for.
The bakery at Olga's was so well known that 30 years ago they were charged with making a cake for the inauguration of former President George H.W. Bush. Whether their baked goods reach the White House again remains to be seen, but Dovas said he is excited to bring the Olga name back to life.
"You drive down Route 70 all those times seeing that classic just sitting there dilapidated and it was begging for that face lift, begging to be redone, begging to be remade, and we feel like now it's the time," he said.
While they have not spoken to the original owners of Olga's Diner, Dovas said he hopes they would appreciate the tribute they are making to the iconic spot. He also said that they are well aware that carrying name of Olga's brings instant credibility and buzz, but also a high level of expectation for them to meet.
"Anytime you're trying to resurrect a classic or you're trying to resurrect a place that so many people have fond memories of, you have to make sure that you cross your 't's' and dot your 'I's,'" he said. "You want to make sure that you're bringing back not only what they remember, but also something better than that even. that's a tall task with Olga's Diner."
Barring any unforeseen difficulties the diner is expected to open in the Spring in the area of Route 73 and Baker Boulevard at what was once the site of Carollo's Family restaurant.