Greensburg’s Invisible Man Brewing will relocate to Rialto building

Invisible Man Brewing Co. is joining forces with another established Greensburg business owner as they move to set up shop in the former Rialto Bar & Bistro, which was shuttered in 2022 after a series of violent incidents.

After Oct. 26, fans of the beer created at the brewer’s Pennsylvania Avenue taproom will have to walk less than two blocks to its new location on West Otterman, just steps away from the historic Palace Theatre.

“I always loved the space at the Rialto, so when I saw it was coming available, I was very interested,” said Invisible Man owner Sean McLaughlin. “And when I saw that Rich and Danielle Butcher from J. Corks were taking it over, it looked like a great opportunity for Greensburg.”

Rich Butcher agreed.

“The building is extremely historic,” he said. “It’s been a staple here for a long time, and I’d like to play on that.”

McLaughlin said he’ll have a full crew of family and friends ready to help move about 10 vats to relocate not just the taproom but the entire brewing operation.

“Sean is going to take over the back bar, and eventually he’ll be brewing here. The old building used to be four storefronts that were combined maybe 10 years ago when they made Rialto II, which did catering and had events,” Butcher said. “He’ll be operating primarily out of there, and then there’s the connected building where he can do brewing.”

McLaughlin said he hopes to have the new taproom open sometime in November.

“It will be a work in progress,” he said. “We have some cool ideas on how we’re going to operate the space. We’ll also have food available hopefully in the next couple months, as opposed to bringing food trucks in.”

The former Rialto closed following stabbing and shooting incidents in 2022 in and around the bar. It was shuttered by consent decree in 2023 and permanently closed shortly thereafter.

Alan Lydic, owner of the nearby Greensburg Newsstand, said he’s excited for new tenants to come into the building.

“I’ve met the J. Corks owners. They seem like solid business people, and I think they’re going to do a great job,” Lydic said. “I know the owner at Invisible Man as well, and I’m happy they’re coming to our end of town. Especially with the Palace (Theatre) here, they’ll do well.”

The new Invisible Man Brewing location will be open Wednesdays through Sundays as well as on Palace Theatre show dates, and McLaughlin said he plans to close between 11 p.m. and midnight.

Butcher said the gastropub he is planning in the main Rialto space is still a few months away.

“It’s a long time coming but it’s almost here,” Butcher said. “We want to nod to the history of the building with the decor, but we’ll also have TVs and games and the things you need for a modern space.”

McLaughlin said he can’t wait to make the move.

“It’s going to allow us some room to grow, and give the community another entertainment space,” he said.