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Most entrepreneurs would think twice before shutting the doors, slapping up a Closed for Renovations sign and cutting all revenue streams indefinitely. Peter Kanaras is no different.
But Kanaras, a co-owner of The Olympic Diner in Deer Park, did just that in October 2005 when he and his two partners poured $2 million into gutting and revamping the 25-year-old diner.
It was a financial drain, he said. It was very scary.
Even more daunting, he said, was the fact that the health department would not allow them to reopen unless all permits were in order.
Still, the diner's status quo was getting boring for us and the customer, some of whom visit four times a week, he said. It needed a shot in the arm.
The shutdown, which ultimately lasted five months, meant that not only were customers not spending money there, they were also eating elsewhere.
They also dispersed their...