New restaurant Grind opens thanks to Rehabilitation Project grant
BOYERTOWN>> The best recipes are made with love and care, and with the right ingredients can become something special.
A huge project has been cooking in Boyertown over much of the last three years. The goal?
Turn an underutilized anchor building into a full-service restaurant and revitalize a historic building in our Downtown.
The idea surfaced while Building A Better Boyertown was working on the Town Vision. During this process, listening sessions with community members brought out an extraordinary market demand for new restaurants. Research then showed us that the biggest retail opportunities for downtown Boyertown were for restaurants.
Armed with this information, Building A Better Boyertown applied to the Department of Community and Economic Development for assistance and on Dec. 12, 2017 was awarded an Anchor
Building Grant in the amount of $300,000 to be used as a loan for acquisition costs for the Anchor
Building Rehabilitation Project located at 45 S. Reading Ave., Boy
ertown. This building was formerly Schaeffer’s Restaurant.
Exactly two years later, on Dec. 12, 2019, the community celebrated a ribbon cutting for the opening of “Grind”.
This venture did not go exactly as planned, but the magic of downtown revitalization prevailed. The original buyer and partner on the grant decided the investment was not worth the rehabilitation work needed on the building. Then, three other offers on the building failed to come to fruition.
In the meantime, the property manager was volunteering her time to show the space. A local contractor even donated his services to appraise the needed roof repairs.
Ultimately, the biggest challenge in finding a partner to purchase the building was the amount of back taxes owed on the property.
With the help of a local realtor, an exciting opportunity materialized. After several meetings and conversations with state and local tax agencies by multiple volunteers and borough partners, a relief on those back taxes was requested and granted.
Things were coming together, and then the title company deemed the property unsellable.
Our soon to be partner persevered, and in August of 2018, the building was successfully purchased by Keith Kopicki of Keiko Properties, LLC. Loan documents were drawn up, recorded and the rehabilitation began with an entire overall of the building.
On Dec. 12, 2019 exactly two years to the day that the grant was awarded, a ribbon cutting celebration was held for the opening of Grind. Many friends, family, board and community members attended the opening in celebration of the transformational project in downtown Boyertown.
Enjoy an upscale and yet approachable dining experience in the newly renovated rustic space, highlighted by a wide variety of signature gourmet meatballs and legendary handcrafted cocktails.
The menu features Northern Italian fare including specialty meats, seafood, and farm fresh vegetables. Gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options are available.
The bar is stocked with the finest selection of bourbon as well as locally sourced wine and craft beers.
Ask about their many options for catering and private events.
Grind is open daily 11 a.m. to midnight. For more information visit https:// www.facebook.com/grindrestaurant/
For more information about available properties and other Boyertown activities please visit boyertownpa.org or contact the office at 610-369-3054. If you’d like to volunteer for an event in downtown Boyertown call 610-369-3054.
BaBB is a non-profit Main Street Revitalization Organization that is dedicated solely to the revitalization of the designated Downtown Boyertown community. We provide Outreach, Business Retention Assistance, Business Recruitment for vacant properties, Visual Merchandising Assistance, Façade Grant Assistance, Promotional Activities and Events, and more, per the National Main Street’s Four Point Approach to communities. BaBB is a strong advocate for the Boyertown Community initiative and is active in many strategic partnerships which promote revitalization and reinvestment in the community.