Along main thoroughfares in Hamburg, historic buildings are undergoing renovations, small businesses are growing and new ventures are opening on Fourth and State streets.
“It’s a positive thing,” says Deena Kershner, executive director of Hamburg’s Our Town Foundation. “The businesses coming in are the kinds of businesses that people want.”
An example is the transformation of the former Miller’s Five and Ten, 43 South Fourth St., into the 1787 Brewing Company. The name of the brewery reflects Hamburg’s founding date of 1787.
Exterior updates hint at a mix of modern concrete, cool metal and rich woods. Inside, business partners Steve Macbeth and Jim Gerner supervise a crew at work on the future pub as they bridge the gap between modern amenities and historic charm.
There have been challenges, they note, while working in a building originally constructed in 1819 with additions made in the early and mid-20th century. Construction began last March, with a six-month hold up while permits were obtained and engineers approved plans.
“We had a lot of hurdles to jump to get to this stage,” Macbeth said, “but since then it’s been all hands on deck. We’re getting lots done.”
A garage-style, multi-windowed door will slide open to the street during pleasant weather, allowing customers to enjoy sidewalk seating. Just inside, rustic wooden boards outline a large bar area; the surrounding walls are down to studs and await finishing.
A large dining room will fill out the main floor with all the bells and whistles one would expect: hostesses’ stations, coolers and kitchens, accessible bathrooms. The brewery will serve their own selection of 12 beers with a rotating schedule and will also spotlight local wines and liquors.
A large brick wall was uncovered and repointed, creating a striking, two-story feature near the main entrance. Macbeth built several massive wooden doors to section off areas of the restaurant. Gerner refinished a wooden door donated by neighboring Leibensperger Funeral Homes from their building, which was originally Hamburg’s Central Hotel. Near the back of the pub, stairs lead to a separate event area upstairs while a large opening gives guests a view into the in-house brewery at the basement level.
They are currently looking for a chef but plan to offer a select, high-quality menu of artisan salads, soups and sandwiches. Other options may include gourmet flatbreads and taco platters.
“We want to be a little different from the other places you can find around here,” Macbeth says, “with more of a ‘fresh to plate’ approach.”
Work is on track for an anticipated opening of the 1787 Brewery Company in mid-May of 2018. A grand opening event is likely about six months later, in the fall.
About a block down the street, Tracy and Chris Howell are busily painting walls, unpacking colorful bars of soaps and researching items to fill the new space for Stinkleberry Soap Co., now located in the former Albright Insurance building, 14 South Fourth Street. The exterior received a facelift with new paint colors and the installation of a large window facing Fourth Street.
Previously, the couple operated their store on State Street from June 2016 to the end of 2017.
“Hands down, we have more space,” Tracy says, outlining plans for the 500-square-foot showroom, roughly double the size they had before.
The couple plans to expand their selection of bath bombs and add children’s items like slime bubble bath and brightly-colored silicone soaps in novelty shapes. A large counter will stretch down the main part of the space. Open shelving is already in place and a seating area is planned.
Stinkleberry will offer new options with natural ingredients like essential-oil bath salts and coconut-based scented candles. Tracy is also researching whole-processed shaving soaps and a new men’s line of products.
The Howells have a large family, and they are excited about a small play room opening off the store area. The area will be stocked with an air hockey table and some toys, and parents are welcome to let their children enjoy the space while their adults browse store displays.
“We do a lot of listening to what people want,” Tracy says. “Most nights, I’m on my phone going through the [soap] recipes, seeing what’s trendy but also thinking about what our community seeks.”
Chris pulls out a sample of a new soap, a slice of chocolate “cake” garnished with whipped cream, a mini chocolate bar and a cherry. The couple plans to have similar items that work as stand-alone gifts without breaking the giver’s piggy bank.
A grand opening of the new Stinkleberry Soap Co. location is planned for Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. Hours will be Tuesdays through Saturdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Around the corner, newcomer Jeffrey Chrin, CPA, has set up shop in Stinkleberry’s former location, 322 State Street. Chrin left his job as a senior manager at Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, an accounting firm, to strike out on his own in Hamburg.
“Hamburg is a vibrant community,” he explains about choosing his new business’s location, “and I think there’s a need for someone who can provide good accounting, business and payroll services.”
Chrin will offer accounting help including tax planning and preparation and payroll tasks. His mother-in-law, Cindy Long, will provide part-time administrative support. Chrin is certified by Dave Ramsey and is also a travel agent and welcomes the public to “stop by for a cup of coffee and to talk taxes.”
On Feb. 15, Chrin – along with his wife, Tammy, and daughter, Tina – hosted a Northeastern Berks Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at their new location. Lori Donofrio-Galley, the chamber’s executive director, noted Chrin is one of several new chamber members.
“The composition of our chamber is predominately small businesses,” she notes, with many of these having five or fewer employees.
The chamber began 28 years ago in Kutztown, and for many years the bulk of members came from that area. Now, Donofrio-Galley says, membership is shifting to include Hamburg and other communities including West Reading and the Lehigh Valley.
“That means there’s more resources and more connections to be made,” she says.
The brewery, soap store and accounting office are just three among several new businesses in Hamburg. On Route 61, the new St. Luke’s Physical Therapy office recently joined the chamber. In the downtown area, other recent newcomers to Hamburg are the Bismarck Bed and Breakfast on North Fourth Street and run by George Holmes (Hamburg’s new mayor) and Charlotte Golden. Also on Fourth Street, Bouchette Winery of Bethel has opened a tasting room near Stinkleberry Soap. Read more about both in an upcoming issue.
Community leaders agree that all these businesses mark the small town’s desire to stay relevant in today’s business climate. For example, OTF’s Kershner says, she specifically reached out to the Bouchettes and asked them to consider opening shop in Hamburg.
“I think the changes that are occurring are very positive because the businesses that are opening or plan on opening are ones that we have known for the last 15 years we need in this town,” Kershner says.
These needs were highlighted when residents participated in Vision 2020 meetings held in early 2016. Attendees spotlighted strengths of Hamburg, including a strong community, proximity to larger cities and rich history, while pointing out weaknesses such as lack of employment, restaurants, shops and entertainment options.
Kershner acknowledges that new ventures are complemented by existing ones, including the historic Hamburg Strand.
“The other thing [people asked for] was nighttime entertainment,” she said, and “the theater is really stepping up and doing things there.”
Fifteen years ago, when she began her tenure at the foundation, Kershner recalls that multigenerational “mom and pop” businesses were the norm in Hamburg; her own family had ties to such a shop that has since closed doors. Without a social media presence or online shopping options, some could not compete into 2018.
“That’s the retail environment,” she concludes, and “unless you change and keep up with the market, it’s not good for your business.”
Still, Kershner is among those optimistic for the changes she sees in Hamburg and the promise new businesses hold for the small town’s future.