CLEARFIELD – The Sock Hop to Benefit the Dimeling Coffee Shop Restoration brought in $4,976 to support the project.
Small games of chance and bids on auction items donated by local businesses and individuals contributed to the total.
A meal was provided by Down River Concessions, which also made a donation to the cause. An evening of 1950’s and 60’s style music was provided by DJ LeRoy, who donated his services.
The Ice Dreams ice cream truck was also on-hand, with the owner donating a portion of the evening’s profits to the cause. The Clearfield Veterans of Foreign Wars donated the use of its facility for the event.
The idea for the sock hop fundraiser was conceived by local resident Jackie Harmic, who volunteered her time to organize the event, solicit for donations and collect auction items.
She said, “I remember when the coffee shop was open and how beautiful it was. It’s an important part of our town’s history and I wanted to support the work being done to bring it back. I had the idea to support it with the sock hop because, why not have a great time for a great cause?”
The Dimeling Coffee Shop is located at 4 N. Second St., in Clearfield within the former Dimeling Hotel.
Once a hub of Downtown Clearfield and Clearfield’s social scene, the effort to restore this space has gained support from the Clearfield County Historical Society, the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority, Clearfield County Commissioners, Clearfield Borough and private donors.
Grant funding and additional private donation are also being sought to raise an estimated $250,000 to cover the cost of restoration.
The Dimeling Hotel ceased operation in 1977, and the coffee shop space has been empty for decades.
Murals and ornate plaster work has suffered from water damage since then, but Mature Resources Foundation, which 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.
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, 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. Only the coffee shop area remains in need of repair.
For more information, call 814-765-2696 or e-mail info@matureresources.life.