Garnerville’s Sparky’s diner owner reflects on 50 years behind the counter
Sparky's Diner is celebrating 50 years in business, with owner Jeannie Nicolakis still behind the counter — serving customers and reflecting on decades of memories made inside the diner.
More Stories
A longtime Garnerville diner that many customers describe as a constant in a changing community is marking a major milestone this month.
Sparky's Diner is celebrating 50 years in business, with owner Jeannie Nicolakis still behind the counter — serving customers and reflecting on decades of memories made inside the diner.
“I love what I do. I love the people. It’s an amazing place,” Nicolakis said.
At 76 years old, Nicolakis says while much has changed outside the diner over the years, the heart of Sparky’s has remained the same.
As Sparky’s marks the milestone on February 13, News 12 checked in with Nicolakis and longtime customers about how the diner — and the community around it — have changed and stayed the same.
Nicolakis came to the Hudson Valley from Greece as a child. In 1976, she and her husband, Elias "Louie" Nicolakis, took over what was then a small coffee shop in Garnerville.
“I came in here. It was just a little coffee shop, and then my husband added on — and this is what we have today,” Nicolakis said.
The diner quickly became the center of their family’s life. Nicolakis raised her children while working long days behind the counter, including caring for triplets during her shifts.
“I had a playpen right in the corner there and I had all three in there when I was working when they were little,” she recalled.
Those children are now grown. Nicolakis has five grandchildren, and family photos line the walls alongside pictures of longtime customers and familiar faces who have visited over the years.
“I have three children. They are triplets. They are 47 — two girls and a boy — and I have five grandchildren. They are my life,” she said.
Her husband passed away about 12 years ago, but Nicolakis remains a fixture at the diner, now often joined by her daughter, who comes in to help during busy days.
“I’ve been blessed,” Nicolakis said.
Customers told News 12 they remember Nicolakis and her children when they were young and the sense of familiarity that has kept them coming back.
“I used to say, ‘Jeannie, how did you carry three?’ when I carried one and that was so hard,” joked longtime customer Mary Sheeley of Garnerville.
Sheeley said Sparky’s has always felt the same, even as the area around it has changed.
“I always feel like it’s home. We all have our own cups, and everyone is so friendly. We come out no matter what the weather is,” she said. “I don’t see much change at all. We are so blessed to have Sparky's.”
Other customers echoed that sentiment.
“I think she’s just great being here every day like she is for us and serving such great food,” said Arlene Seminara, of Garnerville. “It’s like home.”
The diner has weathered decades of challenges, including a major fire in the 1980s, economic ups and downs, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicolakis credits the community for helping Sparky’s endure.
One customer, Barbara Wancho of West Haverstraw, said Nicolakis helped feed her when she lost her husband and was struggling to get back on her feet.
“She’s just a doll,” Wancho said. “She’ll do anything for anybody and has such a big heart.”
Now, as Sparky’s celebrates 50 years in business, Nicolakis says the milestone is less about the number — and more about the people.
“I want to thank every single one of my customers for what they’ve given my family,” she said.
And retirement isn’t on her mind just yet. She told News 12 she has no plans to slow down — and says there are still plenty of memories left to make.
