MacAlpine’s Diner and Soda Fountain, one of the Valley’s longest-running restaurants, is set to receive a $50,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation that will help improve the restaurant's exterior.
The $50,000 reward is a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Backing Historic Small Restaurants" grant and is fully dedicated towards exterior improvements and renovations, according to MacAlpine's owner Monica Heizenrader. Nearly 100 years after the restaurant opened in 1929, it is inching towards a full-scale reopening after temporarily closing in 2020 due to Covid-19.
MacAlpine's, at 2303 N 7th St, reopened in a limited fashion in the spring with an entirely new staff. After starting by serving lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday through Sunday, MacAlpine's has since opened during the same time on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Heizenrader says the restaurant is taking "baby steps" towards reopening, and that simply having an income is "phenomenal" for business.
