From the vault: Maryland roadside diners
The looming demolition of the Bel-Loc diner to make way for a Starbucks — and the ensuing outcry from preservationists — has us feeling nostalgic for our favorite greasy spoons.
Bel-Loc Diner
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Bel-Loc Diner a Towson landmark for over 50 years
The brand-new Baltimore Beltway gave the 1964 Bel-Loc Diner the front-half of its name. The “Loc” comes from Loch Raven Boulevard, where the stainless-steel diner remains at the intersection with Joppa Road fifty-one years later. Today the Beltway is more congested, but less traffic finds its way to the diner. The jumbo neon sign is not working, and besides, the restaurant closes after the lunch shift. Yet the Bel-Loc perseveres as a Towson landmark, with the boldness of the space-age sixties expressed by its sky-piercing zig-zag roofline.