LANCASTER, Pa. — A downtown Lancaster restaurant will re-open its doors under new ownership, just months after announcing its closing, a press release said Wednesday.
The Pressroom Restaurant and Bar, located on West King Street, has been acquired by York-based O.N.E. Hospitality and will re-open this summer, the restaurant ownership group said.
The restaurant's ownership group, Lancaster Newspapers, announced it was closing The Pressroom's doors in April, citing difficulties with the COVID-19 pandemic and an intention to focus on the newspaper group's core business.
The Pressroom opened its doors in 1995, and underwent a significant renovation and expansion in 2016. But the history of the building dates back much further. It was originally the Steinman Hardware Store, which opened in the 1740s and shut down in 1965.
This downtown Lancaster location will be a new service area for O.N.E. Hospitality, the umbrella restaurant group behind more than a dozen brands across Central PA.
After opening their flagship farm-to-table restaurant Tutoni's in York in 2014, the group has gone on to produce several more eateries and food trucks (The Cantina, Aviano’s Trattoria, Bonito, The Rig-a-toni).
Most recently, they introduced Presto Fast Italian, a quick service restaurant with locations in Lancaster and York.
O.N.E announced plans earlier this year to open Andonia’s Chophouse, an Italian seafood and steakhouse, in The Crossings shopping center off of Harrisburg Pike in Lancaster.
“When we saw that The Pressroom was going to close its doors, we didn’t want to see this institution go by the wayside," said O.N.E. Hospitality owner Toni Calderone. "We’re excited to breathe some new life into the space while honoring the history and customer base that was developed over time. We’ll keep the menu an approachable American bistro style with a few new refreshing twists. We’ll have plenty of light and healthy options making it perfect for lunch meetings.
“Our group originally found its niche in the farm to table movement with an entirely scratch Italian kitchen. We’re looking forward to sharing our passion for food, wine, and service in a location that is near and dear to the heart of Lancaster City,”
Other plans for the space include a jazz music series called “The Beat” in the back of the restaurant, and a rebranding of the outdoor dining area in the neighboring Steinman Park to be called the “Park Bar," featuring oysters and prosecco on tap outside.
The restaurant plans to be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
ONE Hospitality said plans to hold open interviews in the space this Friday, between 10 and 4pm. They plan to hire a full array of front and back of house positions.
Interested applicants that can’t come Friday can email their resume to bryan@onehospitality.group
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the great array restaurants in Lancaster City and we can’t wait to open The Pressroom doors to both new and returning guests," said Calderone.