Woody's Diner - Delaware Public Archives

First named Woody’s Diner after original owner Woody Sturgis, the factory-built “Silk City” diner car was brought to Selbyville from Paterson, New Jersey in 1950. A label mounted inside the diner car lists its serial number as “5092” – “50” denotes the year in which it was fabricated and “92” signifies that it was the 92nd Silk City car built that year. The diner quickly became a welcome stop for those traveling along U.S. Route 113, as well as a gathering place for local residents and various community groups. Most notably, meetings held at the diner by members of the poultry industry in 1951 led to the establishment of the Eastern Shore Poultry Growers Exchange, a broiler chicken auction which operated from 1952-1969. Hosted in Selbyville and broadcast on three area radio stations, the Exchange played an integral role in the transformation of the Delmarva poultry industry. During this time, the diner featured a bank of telephones along its back wall where poultry auction bids could be placed. The Sturgis family owned the property until 1983, when it was purchased by the Doyle family. An exterior roof was constructed over the diner car, and a larger dining room addition expanded the property. The historical integrity of the diner car’s interior remains largely intact, with only the vinyl on the booths having been changed. It stands as the oldest operating and best-preserved Silk City diner car in the state.