CLEARFIELD, PA. – A 1950’s “sock hop” themed dance is planned to benefit the restoration of the Dimeling Coffee Shop, located at 4 North Second Street in Clearfield. Poodle skirts, Chuck Taylors, and all ‘50’s inspired fashions are encouraged at the dance, scheduled for Saturday, June 3, at the Clearfield VFW, 1145 Industrial Park Road, Clearfield.
The cost of $20 per ticket includes a ‘50’s diner-style meal provided by Down River Concessions from 5:30-7:00 p.m., the dance, planned from 7:00 until 10:00 p.m. with DJ LeRoy, featuring oldies from the early days of Rock ‘n Roll, games of chance, and the opportunity to win awards for winners of a hula hoop contest, hand jive dance-off, and best 1950’s costumes. There will be a cash bar, and ice cream will be available from the Ice Cream Man Dave Duke. Tickets are available by advanced sale only at https://www.mraaa.life/events-1/dimeling-sock-hop or by calling 814-765-2696, or 814-765-2714.
All proceeds will directly benefit the Dimeling Coffee Shop restoration project. Once a hub of Downtown Clearfield and Clearfield’s social scene, the effort to restore this treasured space is already gaining favor. The Clearfield County Historical Society, the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority, and Clearfield County Commissioners have lent support the project.
The coffee shop has been empty since the Dimeling Hotel was shuttered in 1977. Murals and ornate plaster work has suffered from water damage in recent decades, but Mature Resources Foundation, who took ownership of the building in June of 2022, hopes to raise the funds necessary to restore the space to its former glory. The project will rely solely on donations and grant funding, and will not be supported by state funds that provide valuable senior services. Mature Resources plans to open the coffee shop to the public, as it was in the past, providing a place for members of the community to gather. The current estimated cost of the renovation is approximately $250,000.
Mature Resources has already taken stewardship over the rest of the Dimeling Structure. Originally designed and built in 1904 as a 120-room hotel by Pittsburgh-based Beezer Brothers, the Dimeling ceased operation as a hotel in 1977. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1980. It remained empty until the renovation in 2000 transformed the building by combing and expanding guest rooms into the present 33 one- or two-bedroom apartments, complete with full kitchens, baths, and living areas, creating housing for individuals 55 years of age or older. The stately lobby remains intact, featuring ornamental woodwork, marble floors, and a fireplace, and serves as a meeting place for residents.
According to an October 2019 article in the Progress, the Dimeling was once the center of Clearfield’s social scene and many celebrities stayed at the Dimeling including big band musicians Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, actor Clark Gable, radio personality Paul Harvey, Olympian and football star Jim Thorpe, former Pennsylvania Governor John Kinley Tener, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, labor leader John L. Lewis, and “the tallest man in the world,” Robert Pershing Wadlow.
For more information, call 814-765-2696 or email info@matureresources.life
For sock hop tickets, or to support these efforts through donations, call 814-765-2696 or 814-765-2714. Purchase tickets at https://www.mraaa.life/events-1/dimeling-sock-hop