After taking in a show, theatergoers have been provided with an easy means to enjoy a dinner afterwards.
The former Brother’s Moon restaurant will soon be serving up patrons and guests of the Hopewell Theater.
The restaurant, which is located on 7 West Broad St. in Hopewell, was purchased this year by Mitchel Skolnick, a co-founder of the Hopewell Theater production company.
The restaurant is on the same block and is adjacent to the Hopewell Theater, which results in a short walk for the theatergoers to have a meal.
The restaurant doe snot yet have a name and it is currently going through renovations. The restaurant owners are eying an opening by late May.
“This new acquisition allows us to create more of an expanded offering of hospitality,” said Sara Scully, executive director and theater production company co-founder. “People will have a place to dine. Our catering kitchen right now is limited in what we can provide, so this purchase expanded our dining options at the theater.”
She said on top of the expanded food offerings the purchase of the restaurant gives the theater access to the restaurant parking lot.
“The lot is on the side of our building, where our loading zone is,” Scully said. “We technically did not own the property, so we could actually load into the backstage of our theater. The parking acquisition was just critical as well.”
The acquisition was not in the works for a long time, because there was not an opportunity to buy the restaurant, according to Scully.
“Will Mooney, former owner of the Brothers Moon, wanted to retire and sell the property, which gave us a wonderful opportunity,” she said.
Outside of giving people a place to dine before a show and parking, there will also be special value-added events related to theater programming, that will allow for this restaurant to be a destination arts center, according to theater officials.
“The restaurant will not look like our theater, but is going to extend our same brand. We will be able to hold receptions after shows, meet and greets, book signings and acoustic performances,” Scully said.
She revealed that renovations are being worked on by Baxter Construction Company in Hopewell.
They are still looking for a partner –as well as a name– to run the restaurant, according to Scully.
“We will be partnering with another business entity that will come in and run the restaurant,” she said.
The Hopewell Theater building is owned by Jon McConaughy and Liza Moorehouse, the Hopewell Theater production company was founded by Skolnick and Scully, and the owner of the restaurant is Skolnick.
“I hope people will have an extraordinary experience from beginning to end. This restaurant will add to a wonderful art experience,” Scully said.
She said everyone at the theater and the owners of the buildings are committed to Hopewell.
“We want to be a part of the renaissance happening in Hopewell and be an addition to the already wonderful array of offerings,” Scully said.