From firehouse to marketplace: Bellefonte business moves forward after COVID-related change of plans

Like many businesses, at the beginning of the year, Gather & Co. Sustainable Catering had a very specific idea of how the rest of 2020 would go. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, that vision of the future changed — but not for the worst.

Now, the company and its three partners are looking toward a new, adjusted business plan and concept that celebrates local and regional producers and farmers, based out of a large marketplace in downtown Bellefonte.

Originally, Gather & Co. co-owner Rebecca Larsen said, she and her partners planned to open a small, 1,500-square-foot storefront with a cafe and marketplace on Allegheny Street, with catering services based out of the space’s kitchen. They would use another building in Bellefonte to host large events.

“Everything has changed in that world of gathering and celebrations, and sitting down and dining, so we decided to flip the two spaces,” Larsen said.

The Allegheny Street location will eventually be turned into a small venue for events of 12 to 70 attendees, while the previously planned dedicated event space, the old Logan firehouse at 118 E. Howard St., will be turned into a larger market and coffee counter.

The same concept holds true: local and regional produce, meat, dairy, plus specialty local and fresh products.

“We’re going to go with a much larger-scale market in the firehouse, which is beautiful,” Larsen said. “It was constructed in Bellefonte in 1897 and it’s just gorgeous. The structure’s amazing. We’re really excited about the whole change in what our original plans were.”

The new market space is set over two floors and 5,000 square feet. Plans include opening the first floor initially, as 118 Firehouse Market.

“Upstairs is just stunning. I think it would be amazing to have like a yoga studio or wellness center up there, because there’s so much light and super-high ceilings. We’re not sure what we’ll do with the second floor yet, though. We’re still thinking about that,” Larsen said.

While construction and remodels were halted for a brief period due to COVID-19 precautions, renovations are once again underway at the firehouse.

“We’re moving as fast as we possibly can,” Larsen said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to be open by late August or early September.”

The Gather & Co. team have begun partnering with local vendors and farmers, as well as artisans throughout the Northeast. The marketplace will give producers an additional spot beyond local farmers markets to sell their goods and wares, with the added benefit that the market will be open seven days a week.

“We have a lot of farmers and producers who are ready to get into a local market like this, to give them the opportunity to have a visual presence and opportunity to sell something every day,” Larsen said. “We’re working on getting connected with all sorts of artisan markers throughout the Northeastern region, folks who make textiles, linens, home goods. ... It’ll be affordable, but it’ll have a more handcrafted, artisan, small-batch vibe to it.”

The new plan for the marketplace isn’t the only “beautiful silver lining” Larsen has seen come from the COVID-19 pandemic. Larsen thinks it has also allowed more individuals to connect with their local food systems, something she hopes 118 Firehouse Market supports and assists in continuing, long into the future.

“We’ve been put in a position to be physically more present in our towns and homes and neighborhoods, as opposed to just running around all day, getting to work and appointments, whatever. We’ve been able to connect in a way, even though we’re separate, to notice some of these folks are out there, and these producers, these small business owners, have become creative, even more creative, in their outreach,” she said. “I hope that there will be just a continued forward path in that direction.”

While the 118 Firehouse Market space is under works, Gather & Co. is still offering catering services at this time. For more information, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GatherandCoCatering.