MARSHALLS CREEK, Pa. — Brian Kelly owns the Landmark Restaurant in Smithfield Township. His business is back open after being closed for months due to the pandemic but not in the same location.
Kelly upgraded to a bigger location inside the Days Inn hotel, right across from the old restaurant on Route 209 near East Stroudsburg.
"My original location had about 80 seats, so with our 25 percent capacity, I would be allowed a total of 20 people in the building, which would include a cook, a waitress, and 18 customers. There's no way to stay in business with that little capacity," Kelly said.
The restaurant can now safely hold about 50 people.
Tables are marked off for socially distanced dining and everyone is required to wear a mask until seated.
Longtime customers are thrilled to see the place back in business.
"I like it better over on this side. It's much more roomy," Tami Pavolick said.
Kelly says that the decision to close the old location wasn't an easy one. He had been there for almost a decade but now seemed like the time to move.
"A couple people have said, 'Oh, it's not the same,' which I know, it will never, we will never have the exact same charm as the old place, but I feel that we brought the feel as close as possible to the new location."
Some customers we spoke to think it was a good idea for the owner to move into a bigger location because this whole area is going to get a makeover.
A new mixed-use development now underway called Smithfield Gateway will take over more than 120 acres of land in Smithfield Township.
"Supposedly, they are working on that shopping mall up here, so everything is going to get changed around here, so it's probably a good move for them," Walter Pavolick said.
The Landmark Restaurant is currently accepting applications for a few different job opportunities. If you're interested, contact the owner here.