BIRD IN HAND, Pa. — Note: The video is from June 4.
The Bird-in-Hand Family Inn, which was heavily damaged by fire last year, will reopen later this month, company officials said in a press release.
Several rooms in a newly constructed front building at the Lancaster County attraction will be open soon, according to John E. Smucker II, president and CEO of the Bird-in-Hand Inn.
The new building will replace the rooms destroyed by a propane explosion and heavy fire in December 2023. An employee at the inn, Michelle Miller, died in the blast.
The effort to rebuild began in June, and the newly constructed front building will be open by the end of the month.
Additional rooms in the front building, including the popular Schoolhouse Suite, should be available this fall, followed by a new themed suite designed and decorated to evoke a classic Lancaster County barn, the company's press release said.
The sales office and the registration office should open later in the fall as well, the company said.
The underground propane tanks have been replaced. Following the fire, the registration desk was temporarily relocated to another of the resort’s guest buildings.
Meanwhile, the company said, work continues on the effort to rebuild and reopen the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord and the Bird-in-Hand Stage, which closed after being damaged in another fire on the property in January.
Both spots should reopen next spring, Smucker said.
The company has secured the necessary permits and is working on a timeline to reopen both attractions, Smucker said.
Since last March, they have been serving guests and staging shows at a temporary location at the site of the former Revere Tavern in Paradise. They will continue to do so through December 28, the last day of the 2024 stage season.
“We’ll close the temporary location and spend January preparing for installation at our original site and get ready for reopening our restaurant & stage in early spring,” Smucker said. “While our restaurant is closed, guests can enjoy farm-fresh selections from our Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe, including handcrafted sandwiches, homemade soups, fresh salads and more.”
When the original restaurant reopens, it will feature a newly redesigned smorgasbord area.
“We look forward to welcoming restaurant and stage guests back to our original location, and we thank everyone for their patience, understanding and flexibility as we rebuild,” Smucker said.