Looking for a cool place to eat in downtown Mansfield? Step back in time—about 60 years or more—and the coolest place would be the Max Diner at 15 South Walnut Street. They had a state-of-the-art air conditioning unit installed in 1938, and boasted that they were cooler than anyone else.
Begun as a classic train-car-type diner in 1930, the restaurant expanded to a double-wide within a few years in order to fill the city lot they held across from the Leland Hotel. Eventually a sidewalk façade was constructed that gave the place the look of a regular downtown building, but once through the doors it was still that homey booth-and-counter atmosphere of a classic diner car.
Max Diner was the work of A.D. McNew, whose son and daughter went on to establish their own diners on Third Street and in Galion.
From 1930 to 1943, the cook behind he counter was Paul Skelton, whose brother was the famous radio and movie star Red Skelton; so it was not uncommon during those years to see Red walk through the door. Certainly didn’t hurt business at all.
These photos of the Max Diner were kindly provide by Kathy Ackerman. Thank you!
