A new diner is coming to Tucson's Sunshine Mile

Tucson diners will soon have another place for pancakes, burgers and late day comfort food at one of the city’s most recognizable restaurant buildings. Howdy Diner is taking over the former Welcome Diner at 902 E. Broadway, on the western end of the Sunshine Mile near Euclid Avenue. The restaurant closed in 2020, leaving the mid century structure without an operating diner for about six years. The new business will preserve the building’s familiar exterior while adding a patio, bar and walk up counter designed to serve families, students, workers and neighborhood regulars.

Sally Kane, the owner of Coronet Restaurant at 198 W. Cushing St., leased the 3,929 square foot property. Dave Hammack and Rob Tomlinson of Picor handled the lease. Kane has been searching for approximately two years for a location where she could open another restaurant. She said Coronet has a distinct identity as a destination restaurant, but its business is affected by seasonality. For the Broadway location, she wanted something more accessible and family oriented, with the kind of straightforward menu and relaxed setting associated with a traditional diner.

The opportunity came unexpectedly. Kane had been considering another diner property when she received an email about the former Welcome Diner space. The building was the kind of location she had been seeking, and its history also fit her connection to Tucson. Kane is a native Tucsonan and said classic diners are part of what draws her to the concept. The name Howdy Diner grew out of conversations with business partner Chris Hallverson and operations manager Guy Torey. It also connects to Kane’s childhood, since her father operated a guest ranch where she greeted visitors by saying “Howdy.”

Plans call for the existing façade to stay in place, while the interior receives updates to refresh the booths and bring an unused back room into service. That room will contain a walk up ordering counter and a bar, with an outdoor patio added nearby. The arrangement is intended to offer different ways to use the restaurant. Families can sit down for full table service, while friends can order a burger and a beer at the counter and take their food to the patio. Interior work is already underway, although no opening date was provided.

Howdy Diner is expected to seat as many as 130 people after the added space is completed. The property has approximately 36 parking spaces. Kane expects the restaurant to attract a wide range of customers, including people meeting for business lunches, families coming in for dinner and students looking for cocktails and a burger. Its location along Broadway gives it a central position between residential areas, businesses and nearby educational activity, while the building’s appearance keeps it connected to the visual character of the Sunshine Mile.

The menu will be offered at both Howdy Diner and Coronet, and the new diner is planned to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week. Kane described the food as a classic diner menu with choices for different ages and appetites. Planned offerings include silver dollar pancakes, pigs in a blanket for children, pastrami sandwiches, burgers and meatloaf. The expanded service model, combining conventional dining with counter ordering and a bar, is meant to make the restaurant suitable for a quick meal as well as a longer gathering.

The property has been part of Tucson’s restaurant history for more than 60 years. The building was constructed in 1964 and first operated as a Sambo’s Pancake House, which remained there until closing in the mid 1980s. Later businesses included the Country House and Chaffin’s Diner. In 2016, the mid century building was restored and reopened as Welcome Diner. That restaurant’s closure in 2020 ended the latest chapter, but the structure continued to stand as a preserved landmark within the Broadway historic and architectural landscape.

The diner’s next chapter is also unfolding beside land with its own unresolved development history. The surrounding parcel was once home to a Volvo dealership. It was later considered for an apartment project that would have included a courtyard for farmers markets and art fairs. Those plans were put on hold for economic reasons, although the property is expected to be developed at some point in the future. For now, the return of an active restaurant gives the corner a new use while retaining a building that has served Tucson diners under several names.

For residents who remember Welcome Diner, Chaffin’s or the earlier restaurants, Howdy Diner will bring back a familiar landmark with a new operator and a revised format. Kane’s goal is to combine the nostalgia of a classic diner with more flexibility, including outdoor seating, drinks and a counter service option. The project will restore activity to a building that has been quiet since 2020, while making room for the everyday mix Kane envisions, from family meals and business lunches to students and friends sharing burgers on the patio.