by Elise Persone Miller.e Miller.Owner, John Smucker took CBS 21 News through the businesses and said his family history has been nothing but resiliency.
“I come from a family that’s been in business in Bird-in-Hand area for 112 years. So, when you think about it, we’ve endured two pandemics, one in 1918 and one and 2020, a couple world wars, the Great Depression,” Smucker said. He said the family-owned restaurant once held up to 400 people. However, now it sits empty and under construction.He said people would sit in the front of the restaurant and talk from the beginning of the day until the end of the day.Smucker said he received a phone call from the fire chief in the middle of the night telling him that he had to get down to the inn as fast as possible.
“Then we have to restock the place, from food, and then we have to get ready to serve food, and get the staff back in here again,” Smucker said. “So, running the two projects concurrently, it’s just a big job.”Right now, the inn is partially open, and the restaurant is open at a temporary location: 3063 Lincoln Hwy E, Paradise, PA 17562.According to Smucker, they plan to have both the inn and restaurant back open and operation by August.