‘It’s lovely.’ Gamble Mill marks first year as Bellefonte’s small business community grows
Sitting along Dunlop Street in this once-sleepy borough is the Gamble Mill, a cornerstone building that’s seen at least hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in it during its return to prominence.
Barflies can step through the building’s historic arched doorways before heading to a cozy craft cocktail bar, right across the hall from a swanky private event space. Nearby is a handmade retail shop.
An open staircase shuttles people to the historic grist mill’s restaurant, which uses ingredients that are sourced locally. Some of the eight boutique suites that are defined by exposed brick and wood beams overlook Spring Creek.
Jon Virgilio — who bought the building with his brother, Chris, in 2019 — said it has been “surreal” and “humbling” to restore the building to its former glory.
They — along with the three others who operate out of the mill — are some of the of several small-business owners working to take Bellefonte from a bedroom community for State College to a destination, all while preserving an iconic building’s history.
Some, like former Bellefonte mayor Candace Dannaker, have taken notice.
“It’s delightful,” said the 77-year-old Dannaker, who served as mayor from 1994 until 2001. “... I think what they’ve done is outstanding. They’ve mixed the modern and the old, and done an exemplary job. It’s lovely.”
The mill, which was built in 1894 but can trace its roots back to 1786, sat unused for years before being purchased by the Virgilios. It now serves as a melting pot for its lead characters.
The Republic is owner Megan Marcaurelle-Jones’ first business. Staci Egan and her husband relocated Smith & Front from Philipsburg to the mill, in large part because of Bellefonte’s renaissance.
“I believe that Bellefonte is thriving, same as (the) Gamble Mill. It puts me in a different location with what I think is more opportunity to grow and to be amongst more small businesses. Philipsburg isn’t quite there yet,” Egan said. “It’s been great. A lot of trial and error moving from one location to another — it’s definitely a different type of population in both areas — but I love it here.”
Chef Michael Marx thought about opening his own spot at the mill even before the Virgilios bought the property. His wife hails from Centre Hall, while he’s owned three Baltimore-area restaurants and previously ran World’s Fare Catering food truck.
That was fine for a time, Marx said, but his interest waned the longer he went on. He missed putting food on plates, adding the garnish, seeing customers eat and being able to ask if they enjoyed their meal.
“It’s about the historic nature, it’s about being a staple part of the community. I looked at State College for years — for years. I had deals that I started that fell through. It didn’t feel right; it was drywall and LED lights and just had no warmth whatsoever,” the owner of Creekside at the Gamble Mill said. “When I looked at this, I knew it was a fit. It was just a question because I had no idea what they were doing and I had no idea what the whole picture was. I just knew there was a restaurant space and it looked like me.”
Only about 3,000 square feet were used before the Virgilios purchased the building, a number that’s increased fivefold since the renovations were completed.
With the backbreaking work firmly in their rearview mirror, Jon Virgilio said the focus is to turn the Gamble Mill into an established destination.
“Everybody looks at the Gamble Mill with the renovations and it gives a sense of pride of all that has been going on in Bellefonte,” Downtown Bellefonte Inc. marketing and administrative assistant Devin Kos said. “We’re really doing some great work in Bellefonte. It’s something to be proud of.”
