Brody’s Diner, located by the Dollar General store, is ready to serve the hungry people of Tyrone and the surrounding communities.
Founder Rich Homan from Centre Hall hopes to duplicate the success of the original Brody’s Diner that he and his family operate in his hometown. Partnering with his best friend, Mike Gardner of Syracuse, N.Y., the pair brings years of restaurant management and food service experience to this venture.
Mike started as a dishwasher at the age of fifteen. While in college, he worked as a shift supervisor in the dining halls and did catering, too. After graduating from SUNY-Pottsdam with a degree in Industrial Labor Relations, he worked his way from assistant manager to district manager with Arby’s. He has been a retail manager for the past eight years: first, with CVS Pharmacy; then, SAC Inc.
Rich helped run a ceramics business with his mother for years, then owned and operated RK Printing in Centre Hall before opening the first Brody’s Diner in 1999.
These best friends chose this location in Tyrone because of its similarity to the one in Centre Hall.
“We want to offer good food at a fair price. Tyrone is a hard-working community, and people don’t want to feel cheated,” said Mike. “We think they will be pleased with the size of the portions for the price.”
The atmosphere is casual and comfortable, focusing on a fun family experience.
Whether outfitted in a suit and tie or shorts and a tank top, the owners hope you feel “right at home” when you visit.
The menu contains a wide variety of choices from comfort food favorites like meatloaf and mashed potatoes to soups, sandwiches, and subs, as well as homemade desserts like Brody’s jumbo cinnamon rolls.
“We have a little bit of everything. Our menu is 8-pages long, and that doesn’t include the breakfast selections. We try to accommodate special requests and go the extra mile for our guests,” Mike remarked.
Brody’s also offers a banquet room for private parties, such as Christmas parties or small wedding receptions. The owners are willing to sit down and discuss personal needs to make each event memorable. Because open space is available in the building, they hope to expand their catering business and utilize the entire facility.
“We opened on September 8th, and we’ve already had repeat business,” Mike proudly commented. “We haven’t done any advertising other than running a help-wanted ad.”
Brody’s initial success has come strictly from word-of-mouth, and curious people stopping by as they saw the restaurant preparing to open its doors. The restaurant is open from 6 am to 9 pm Sunday through Wednesday, and 6 am to 10 pm Thursday through Saturday, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
“Give us a try. There’s nothing else like us in Tyrone,” Mike suggests.
