MACUNGIE, Pa. — A restaurant at the center of Macungie that has stood vacant for more than a year and a half is under new ownership — and soon may see a facelift.
The building complex that previously housed The Pub on Main at 102 E. Main St. has been bought by Steve and Misti Slaski of CrossCountry Mortgage from Brian Fey and Franco Armetta.
Fey and Armetta continue to own Armetta's Italian Restaurant in Emmaus, and previously owned Pizzetta's in Macungie.
"We are in talks with someone now who is interested in opening the bar again with a family themed atmosphere," Steve Slaski said on Facebook.
Slaski said that as a Macungie resident, he's excited to take on the downtown property. He called the building historic, citing an initial construction dating to the 1800s and former use as a hotel.
Current renovations on the site include rebuilding the porch on 102 and 110 Main St., and replacing apartment doors inside.
"We closed yesterday at like 10 o'clock in the morning and at 10:30 we literally ripped the whole porch down, so it's we're already off and running here," Steve Slaski said Friday.
"I'm hoping to kind of have this wrapped up, you know, by the start of the new year ... then move inside and start renovating that and get the restaurant area ready for somebody who wants to take that on."
A post on Facebook garnered immediate attention from the sale, collecting over 650 reactions in 24 hours with dozens of comments congratulating the couple on the sale and voicing excitement at the prospect of a bar returning to the site.
"That's amazing!" one commenter said. "Us Mack employees missed our 'after work hangout,' best of luck to you guys! Cant wait to see what’s next!"
"We are in talks with someone now who is interested in opening the bar again with a family themed atmosphere."Steve Slaski, new owner of the building that housed The Pub on Main on Facebook
According to Lehigh County records, the 102 E. Main St. building was obtained by Armetta and Fey in 2007 for $1.4 million. The pub opened a year later.
Reports on the pub's closure quoting a Facebook message from the business' page, which has since been deleted, referenced difficulty in recruiting new staff as employees at the time moved on.
"I'm very excited to see Steve and his wife to succeed on a new adventure," Franco Armetta said. "Me and Brian are very happy he bought it and we wish them a lot of luck.
"We had our run, and sometimes you have to look at another direction in life."
The pub served typical bar and grille fare, and offered billiards.
Armetta said that there is no intention to sell the Armetta's Italian Restaurant, calling it his and Fey's "baby."
He said to keep watch for a menu refresh at the popular Italian eatery in early 2024.
