This popular Mesa diner closed abruptly after 7 years. Here's what we know

Handlebar Diner in Mesa closed on Friday, July 12. In a post on Facebook the current owners, who took over the diner in 2023 from original owner Adam Allison, stated that the closure "was quite the surprise to Chasie (Womack)," the owner-operator who arrived to find a public notice on the front door.

The diner opened in 2017 inside a master-planned community called Eastmark. The community developer shared a statement on the diner's website that called the closure "temporary" and implied the diner, or a similar concept, could be back open in the Fall. "We want to ensure that our vision of providing the community a chef-run farm-to-table eatery is fun and memorable for all who visit Eastmark. This temporary closure will allow us to focus on restructuring operations to restore our vision and upgrade your dining experience. We are making this change to operations now, so we can provide you with an improved experience this Fall," read the statement.

"We have enjoyed serving you and employing your kids. There are 30 kids without jobs that live in the neighborhood now so please keep them in mind," read the Facebook post.

Womack had not responded to requests to comment at the time of writing.

End of an era:Metro Phoenix said goodbye to these restaurants and bars in June — one after 44 years

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Reach the reporter at endia.fontanez@gannett.com. Follow @EndiaFontanez on X, formerly Twitter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.