The Tavern in State College to see building improvements after ownership change
The Tavern Restaurant in State College will soon undergo some changes.
A Pittsburgh-based land company bought the land parcel that houses The Tavern and several apartments on Jan. 10 for $2 million, according to land transfer documents.
But Tavern Restaurant owner Pat Daugherty said he’s not going anywhere.
“As we look forward to celebrating our 75th anniversary and beyond, I have taken on a silent equity partner. Together, this will allow us to make improvements in all aspects of the restaurant,” he said in a statement.
In December, Daugherty and his silent partners formed Carric Land Company, the limited liability company that bought 218 E. College Ave. Documents show Penn State alumna Suzan Collins as the company’s general manager. Collins is also currently listed as an assistant at Collins and Ganley, PC, a certified public accounting firm in Pittsburgh.
“It’s a whole group of people who want to make sure The Tavern stays there forever,” Daugherty said.
Daugherty said he entered into a partnership because he wanted to set his business up for success far into the future. He reflected that he’s been the sole owner of both the restaurant and the building since the 1990s.
He said he will still run The Tavern, “leading this charge and enjoying the best job I’ve ever had.”
Under the new partnership, Daugherty said the building will undergo “mostly improvements on the inside, both to the restaurant and the six apartments that are above the restaurant.”
In addition to cosmetic improvements, he said they hope to add air conditioning in the apartments and expand The Tavern’s outdoor dining capabilities by opening up the windows and adding a couple of outdoor tables. Since August, he said, they’ve been upgrading the floors at the adjacent Adam’s Apple Bar.
The Tavern opened in 1948 in downtown State College. Daugherty and his partner Bill Tucker bought the restaurant in 1980, and purchased the building a year later. When Tucker left the restaurant business in 1986, Daugherty kept ownership of the restaurant and later took on sole ownership of the building.
“It gives me great joy that The Tavern restaurant’s future is bright,” he said.
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