Courtesy of Bucks Happening
Love letters come in different forms.
Five Bucks County business partners are penning their love letter to Doylestown in the form of a restaurant. The team is turning the historic Doylestown Inn on West State Street into a two-level bistro called The Hattery Stove & Still.
Todd McCarty and his partners purchased the building in late 2012 with the intent of rejuvenating the inn and returning it as a cornerstone of Doylestown. Upon purchasing the property and doing further research, McCarty said it was evident the inn is “certainly a centerpiece of Doylestown that just wasn’t properly utilized.”
That will change come April, when the former 11-room inn is restored and reopens as a 150-seat bar and restaurant serving New American cuisine.
“This is a bit of a love letter to Doylestown,” said spokesman Peter Breslow, who is handling publicity for the endeavor.
“The whole goal is to take the building back to what it was,” explained McCarty, who is partnering with Samantha McCarty, Donna Isgate, Ronald Isgate and Jody Quigley to revamp the historic building.
The Doylestown Inn opened in 1902 but the building itself was once home to a hattery, a cigar shop and even operated as a speakeasy during prohibition
Customers who dine there will be treated to a feast for the eyes as well as their stomachs.
The new owners and their design team have spent months scouring flea markets and yard sales looking for unique items that will transport customers back to the early 1900s.
The inside of the restaurant will feature a number of intriguing elements, from the bar design all the way down to the floorboards. The lobby level bar is constructed from wooden beverage boxes from the early 20th century. The lower level bar is made from a 1932 Oldsmobile.
Customers will walk along reclaimed pumpkin pine floorboards, plus there will be a wall of vintage suitcases, a player piano, an antique still, period photos and even a speakeasy-style side door complete with a sliding peep hole. A custom made two-story hat tree will anchor the inside and serve as an artistic centerpiece.
Husband and wife duo Daryl Rost and Shannon O’Neil McGuire-Rost of Rost Artisan Design Build are carrying out the design, which is described as antique industrial.
“It was important to all of us to build a destination for Doylestown that celebrates the town’s rich history. We’re even building a jug into one of the walls to pay tribute to the Jug In The Wall — a tavern that opened with the inn in 1902,” said McGuire-Rost.
The Hattery is in the process of hiring a chef. Plans are to serve brunch seven days a week, as well as lunch, dinner, afternoon tea and even late-night fare. “We think it’s going to be a pretty vibrant part of the community,” said Breslow.
