The Hotel Saxonburg’s unceremonious goodbye is looking more like a “see you soon.”
Saxonburg Borough Manager Steven May told TribLive he expects Butler County’s oldest operating hotel, bar and restaurant to be on the market in a matter of weeks — “if it makes it that long.”
He said at least one unnamed buyer is interested in taking over the tourist draw in the heart of historic Saxonburg, which shuttered unexpectedly last week to the dismay of many residents and neighboring business owners.
A short Facebook post from owners Annette Gervais and Lee Uncapher attributing the closure to health issues, food prices and maintenance costs. They did not return TribLive requests for comment.
Their post has garnered about 375 comment and 450 shares.
“One business goes, (and) it hurts the whole community,” said Meghan Pohl, co-owner of Batch gift shop and eatery in Saxonburg. “Especially one in hospitality that gets people to stay in town.”
It’s not uncommon, May said, for people to follow up their meal at the Hotel Saxonburg with a stroll along the brick sidewalks of Main Street, popping in to small businesses along the way. It also drives visitors to the Saxonburg Museum, as they often book restaurant reservations with their tour groups, and serves as a popular meeting spot for various church groups and clubs.
“It can be anything,” May said. “We want to see it go back to a hotel and restaurant, of course.”
He’s hoping the Hotel Saxonburg or its successor reopens in time for the borough’s first Mingle on Main event in May.
Even if that doesn’t happen, local business owners say they’ll survive. For decades, Saxonburg’s business district wasn’t much more than a crop of small businesses that emerged starting in the 2010s to give the town a mix of fresh and historic amenities.
Batch, Saxonburg Coffee & Tea and Mainstreet Bake Shop all opened in 2014.
“The street is still very alive,” said coffee shop owner Melinda Berzonski. “We have thriving businesses.”
She had only a few minutes to talk, ascustomers were lining up.
Unfinished business
The Hotel Saxonburg was one of Heidi Powell’s favorite places to celebrate a birthday or graduation. But when the Freeport resident dined there Feb. 8 for what would be the final time, the goal was simply to use a $200 gift card.
A glitch in the point-of-sale system meant Powell would instead have to pay with her debit card.
About a month later, the 193-year-old hotel and restaurant abruptly closed, apparently rendering worthless thousands of dollars in gift cards held by customers.
“I figure at this point it’s a loss,” Powell said.
Gervais and Uncapher, both of the Sarver area, have made no mention of whether gift cards will be reimbursed, despite selling them months, and even weeks, before the closure.
Other than posting a statement to Facebook, they’ve made no comments and pulled the plug on the hotel’s website and phone line.
Customer Beth Ann has tried to reach the owners via Facebook regarding a $75 gift card she purchased Feb. 24, about a week before the business closed.
“Come on, they knew they were going to close,” the Brackenridge resident said. “They should have said, ‘We are not doing gift cards at this time’ or something.”
She has contacted her bank in hopes of a refund.
Lee Caporali of Parks Township has a different plan for the $50 gift card she recently bought with cash.
“Frame it and put ‘sucker’ above it,” she said.
The state Attorney General’s Office, with its Bureau of Consumer Protection, has not received any complaints pertaining to Hotel Saxonburg gift cards, according to spokesperson Brett Hambright.
Anyone who feels wronged by the closure should contact the office, he said.
In general, the state Attorney General’s Office is empowered to investigate and take legal action on consumer complaints, though mediation options usually come first.
A bump in the road?
Built in 1832, the Hotel Saxonburg has been around as long as the borough, itself.
In fact, it’s the borough’s second-oldest surviving structure, according to May, surpassed only by Saxonburg Memorial Church. It’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and any changes to its facade must get approval from the local Historical Architectural Review Board.
Over the years, the hotel has welcomed at least a few famous faces, including Woodrow Wilson and frequent guest Fred Rogers. A 1982 episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” involves its star unexpectedly receiving lettuce on his cheese sandwich and spinning the mishap into a lesson on forgiveness.
Featured Local Businesses
The Hotel Saxonburg has changed hands many times. Judy Ferree ran the business from 2010 to 2023, before selling it to Gervais and Uncapher for $625,000.
Online commenters have claimed food and service quality have been declining under the pair’s ownership. Some customers who spoke with TribLive said they noticed few changes.
May had nothing bad to say about the owners or how they’re navigating the closure.
“The family has been ultra-cooperative,” he said. “They get it.”