Building the Valley: Cindy's Hometown Restaurant finds new home in Brackenridge

Bob Hatajik has a good feeling about closing his Tarentum diner.

That’s because in less than two months, Cindy’s Hometown Restaurant will reopen in what Hatajik feels will be its forever home — the former Parkview bar along First Avenue in Brackenridge.

“God opened the door and we jumped in,” said Hatajik of Harrison, who runs the eatery with his wife, for whom it is named.

The couple plans to renovate the Parkview bar into an old-time diner, complete with vintage jukeboxes, Betty Boop and Volkswagen figurines, and 45s for wall décor.

The bar will remain — but it will be used to serve ice cream, slushies and sundaes.

There will be seating for up to 60, which is larger than the diner’s current location.

Cindy said they are seeking old yearbooks from Har-Brack or Tarentum High School to display so people can peruse them and “relive memories.”

“We want to make it that old-school look in colors of red, white and black,” Hatajik said, referring to the former Tarentum High School’s colors.

“The bar is kind of dark now. We want it bright, like something right off the boardwalk. We have to ‘Cindy-ize’ it.”

Brackenridge Councilman Dino Lopreiato said he is thrilled the diner is landing in the borough.

“I think that it’s a fantastic spot, especially now that the new walking trail goes through there,” he said.

“There’s plenty of traffic and parking, and it’s close to our beautiful park and riverfront.”

Lopreiato said he frequented the Parkview, as did many residents since it is in the middle of a walkable neighborhood.

“We miss having a little diner close by,” he said. “We welcome them and all they bring to our community.”

The Hatajiks plan to open by April.

They will serve similar fare such as the meatloaf, fried chicken and burgers that hungry customers demand. The most popular burger — the Red Cat — is named with a nod to local history. Served with fries and coleslaw, it’s named for the old Tarentum High School mascot.

The Hatajiks’ son, Cody, will retain his reign behind the grill. His specialties are French toast, pancakes and biscuits with sausage gravy.

“I’m excited about the move,” said Cody, 25. “It’s a lot of work, but we want it to be somewhere that people enjoy.”

The Hatajiks first launched their restaurant eight years ago with a walk-up ice cream shop along First Avenue in Tarentum. The move to East Fourth Avenue came in 2020, just as covid was shutting down the industry.

“Only we would open an ice cream parlor in November and a restaurant during the pandemic,” Bob Hatajik said, laughing.

He cited the changing landscape of Tarentum for the desire to make a fresh start in a new spot.

“The side streets don’t get much foot traffic anymore,” he said. “I used to work at PPG, and I remember everyone coming to this exact diner after the night shift. You don’t see that anymore since the mills started dying.”

The family has big plans for the new restaurant, hoping to draw kids for game nights and customers of all ages for karaoke or open-mic events. They plan to have electronic skills games and other special events to draw a varied crowd.

They also are hoping to erect their 25-foot movie screen for community events in the park across the street.

“We look forward to the opportunity,” Hatajik said. “We prayed, and God sent it.”

For a brief time, the family was unsure whether the restaurant would remain open. They considered moving to Hanes Tavern in Lower Burrell, the former Pizza Hut in Cheswick or one of many vacant storefronts at Heights Plaza in Harrison.

“We didn’t want to close, but we had been looking for so long,” Hatajik said. “There are a lot of places open, but we needed a kitchen. We kept the faith, and we got this place.”