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    • Cordaro’s Restaurant is closing in Honeysdale; AutoZone store is coming
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    Cordaro’s Restaurant is closing in Honeysdale; AutoZone store is coming

    Harry Posted on

    Cordaro’s Restaurant, a venerable locally owned establishment atop the hill at the east end of Honeysdale’s Route 6, has closed after 70 years of business. Long delayed, the Cordaro family was able to sell the vehicle to an auto parts company as planned after a settlement was reached through a civil lawsuit.

    The family restaurant at 186 Grandview Ave. had a dining area in the front, two dining/banquet rooms and a bar in the back. The restaurant part was built by the late Phil Cordaro Sr. It reminded him of when he and his wife, Charlmaine V. Cordaro, started the restaurant at 513 Main St. in 1954.

    A December 1961 ad lists two locations: Charlmaine’s Diner on Grandview Boulevard and Phil’s Diner at 501-503 Main. A December 1962 advertisement lists the location as Phil’s Diner on Grandview Boulevard. The business evolved into Cordaro’s Restaurant in the late 1970s.

    “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the Honeydale community and share so many memories with all of you,” said Rosina Cordaro, the founders’ daughter who ran the business for many years. The prepared statement is from both himself and his mother.

    “We opened our doors with the goal of serving delicious Italian/American cuisine in a warm and welcoming atmosphere,” the statement reads. “Over the years, we have had the pleasure of serving generations of families and couples on their first dates and countless celebrations and milestones.

    “We are so fortunate to have such loyal customers who are like family to us. You have made Cordaro’s Restaurant a true community gathering place where memories are made and friendships are forged,” he wrote. He expressed his gratitude to his past and present employees for their dedication and hard work that contributed to their success.

    “As we say goodbye, we do so with a mixture of sadness and gratitude,” he wrote. “While it is never easy to close the doors of a business that has been a part of our lives for so long, we are proud of what we have achieved and the legacy we leave behind.”

    AutoZone is coming to Honeysdale

    The last day of work was Saturday, November 9, 2024. An auction for all the furniture is scheduled for November 11 at the facility. The building was expected to be demolished within days to make room for automotive parts and accessories retailer AutoZone.

    Rosina Cordaro first held talks with AutoZone in 2022. Honeysdale Borough Council approved AutoZone’s conditional use application in March 2023 and the land development plan in June 2024.

    He prepared a statement expressing his gratitude to his customers and employees in May 2023, but the process did not progress as quickly as planned. The restaurant remained open for limited hours.

    Another delay occurred in April 2024, when Charlmaine’s son, Joseph Cordaro, persuaded his mother to sign over the restaurant and liquor license to him while he was at a local nursing home. Rosina Cordaro, his mother’s power of attorney, had placed him there temporarily while she was away. Joseph Cordaro was charged with a first-degree felony count of financial exploitation of an older adult or dependent.

    More: Charges filed against Honeysdale man accused of abusing elderly restaurant owner

    According to the county detective’s affidavit, Joseph Cordaro’s actions improperly caused the automotive supply company to fail to fulfill its contract. “Delays to this contract will result in the loss of the $50,000 deposit received under the contract and the loss of approximately $500,000 in expected profits under the sales contract,” the detective’s affidavit said. The statement was included.

    Prison sentence for Joseph Cordaro

    The defendant has undertaken not to contest a claim relating to securing the execution of documents by fraud. Joseph Cordaro appeared before Judge Janine Edwards in Wayne County Common Pleas Court on Nov. 7 and was sentenced to 12 months probation. Court records show he was also fined $500 and must pay restitution to victim Charlmaine Cordaro in the amount of $9,955.50, among other conditions.

    Court documents filed on Oct. 28 indicate the sale may go ahead due to a settlement reached in a civil lawsuit filed by Charlmaine Cordaro against Joseph Cordaro under power of attorney through Rosina Cordaro.

    The agreement provided for the title to be returned to the plaintiff, thus nullifying the defendant’s actions; Rosina Cordaro has the power of attorney to carry out the planned sale of real estate and liquor license; and the proceeds of the sale of both shall be divided equally between Joseph Cordaro and the Honeysdale National Bank, as trustees of a trust to be established to provide for the maintenance of his mother.

    Peter Becker has been with the Tri-County Independent or its previous publications since 1994. You can reach him at [email protected] or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

    Harry
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