FACTORYVILLE, Pa. — It's been seven months since a fire destroyed a popular bar and restaurant in Wyoming County.
Gin's Tavern once stood along Route 107 near Factoryville. A fire destroyed the go-to spot for the Wyoming County community back in May.
"Every day this was our life, and to have it come to a halt so suddenly was like, 'What do we do now?'" said owner Sandy Kostick.
Fast forward seven months, and now Kostick and her family are in the process of rebuilding. They broke ground on the new location earlier this week.
The new Gin's Tavern is being built right across the street from the original location.
"When we were drafting plans, we were really thinking about our customers since they are our main concern and crossing Route 107 is horrible, and to keep it safe, it just worked out that everything was approved on this side," said manager Ashley Shylkofski.
While the old Gin's could never be replaced, the owners and staff say customers can expect there will be some upgrades, but the core values will remain the same.
"We'd like to make it new and up and coming and fun just like we always were, but just to also add a little excitement for the younger generation," Kostick said.
"We've always had open arms, and everyone is welcome. 'You're a stranger but once,' that is our slogan. That's going to continue just with a modern twist," Shylkofski said.
Since the fire, the community has rallied behind Gin's to reopen. Now, they're even more excited to welcome customers back in.
"I couldn't think of a better place to live," Shylkofski said. "Everyone has come together so amazingly, and they turned such a tragic thing into a really heartwarming support of love."
The owners hope to reopen in July.