Leatherhead Pub Coming To Egg Harbor City

Update
 The Leatherhead Pub had a Grand Openning!
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-leatherhead-pub-is-open.html

 
EGG HARBOR CITY — When a veteran Atlantic County restaurateur opens Leatherhead Pub in a month or so, it will mark the first time in about a decade that active businesses will occupy all four corners of Philadelphia Avenue and the White Horse Pike.

The location at the highly visible intersection where thousands of cars pass daily sold her on the historic little city, said Lisa Savage, who has owned Ventnor’s Sage restaurant for nine years, was a partner in Savaradio’s in Linwood and ran two other Savaradio restaurants in Ventnor before that.

She has purchased a 100-year-old firehouse with high ceilings, original wainscotting and exposed brick walls. Leatherhead is named for the old-time firefighters who wore leather helmets.

“This is a quaint downtown, but it needs more businesses,” Savage said.

The city has long struggled with vacant stores and few shoppers. About 20 commerical spaces are empty in the 100 to 300 blocks.

With all the cars that pass daily on the pike, estimated by the state at more than 13,000 in 2008, the corner’s forlorn look gave people little reason to turn the corner to visit the main drag.

But the sad look will soon be gone. The restaurant will open about the same time as a new AutoZone across Philadelphia Avenue. The AutoZone is putting to use a former Eckerd drugstore building vacant since 2007. They join a Dunkin’ Donuts on another corner and a Gulf gas station on the fourth corner.

Mario Cappelluti has run Mario’s Uptown Grill & Pizza in the 100 block of Philadelphia Avenue for 13 years, serving pizza and sandwiches as well as sit-down Italian dinners that were a favorite of the late restaurant critic Ed Hitzel.

He owns his building, as well as a guitar shop next door, and his restaurant has done well while several others have come and gone.

“Anybody that invests in town and spends money in town is a good thing. Maybe with her investing, she’ll attract other investors,” he said of Savage’s efforts.

He said the downtown has had too many business people come in for the short term as renters.

“When people buy, they have an incentive to make it work,” he said. “If you are just renting and things slow down, you are going to bail out with nothing holding you there.”

Cappelluti said there is steady traffic down Philadelphia Avenue, as people come and go from Cedar Creek High School at the north end of the city. The school is attended by students from the city, Mullica Township, Port Republic and Washington Township in Burlington County, as well as some students from Galloway and Hamilton townships.

His customers include not just teens, parents and teachers but out-of-town visitors going to sporting and other events there, he said.

“You have to get people to walk through the door,” Cappelluti said. “If they like it, they come back.”

Mario’s doesn’t serve liquor, but Cappelluti said he has a pocket liquor license he isn’t using now.

“Eventually I’ll probably do something else in town,” he said.

Many people hope the intersection’s new lease on life will spill over to other businesses.

“That is the cornerstone intersection for us in town. It’s our obvious link to both Atlantic City and Philadelphia,” said Hammonton attorney Jim Schroeder III, who recently opened Cedar Creek Realty with a partner in Egg Harbor City and is president of the Greater Egg Harbor City Chamber of Commerce.

Like an anchor in a strip center, if that intersection is healthy it will benefit the rest of the city, Schroeder said.

“National chains look at the number of cars passing and rooftops in a certain radius,” said Schroeder. “For AutoZone to invest is a signal to other business people. If it’s a good bet for AutoZone, it’s a good bet for them.”

Farther down Philadelphia Avenue in the 300 block is Captain Howard’s Bait & Tackle, owned by Howard and Robin Sefton. They also purchased their building, but with the economic downturn surviving has been a challenge, Howard Sefton said.

He said Leatherhead and AutoZone may help get more people to drive through the downtown and at least see his store.

Savage said the first floor of the old firehouse will house the bar and restaurant, seating about 50 in front, and a pizza oven and kitchen in the back. Upstairs, where the city used to hold its municipal court and meetings, will become a large room for special events with a small bar area. There is also an apartment on the second floor.

The building was last used as a craft store and art gallery some years ago.

The restaurant will focus on craft beers and handcrafted bourbons and whiskeys, Savage said. She plans to have live music regularly.

She is hoping to have the building completed by the end of the year. This week, the heating system is going in, then the painting will get done, and flooring and kitchen equipment will be installed.

Mayor Lisa Jiampetti said the two new businesses could make the difference for the whole city, which also recently saw helmet repair company USA Reconditioning move to purchase a vacant commercial building on Cincinnati Avenue near the elementary school.

“I think this is going to be our year. Big things have really started to happen,” she said. “(Savage) is making a tremendous investment. We’re proud to have someone of her caliber in Egg Harbor City

Contact: 609-272-7219

MPost@pressofac.com

Twitter @MichelleBPost
 Video & photos at
 http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/business/egg-harbor-city-hopes-new-businesses-at-intersection-spark-downtown/article_f63d0950-92f8-11e5-9127-6797cfdf378c.html