More than anybody, Phil Wenger knows that a key to the success of Isaac's Restaurant & Deli is its family-friendly image.

He started the business 25 years ago. And as he's expanded the business to 20 locations, he's made sure it kept its wholesome reputation.

Wenger believes Isaac's will remain that kind of place, though it plans to begin offering alcoholic beverages this spring at its downtown Lancaster location.

"That unique Isaac's experience will remain intact, even with adding alcohol," Wenger, Issac's chairman, said today.

The change affects only the Isaac's flagship restaurant, which opened in 2001 at 25 N. Queen St., in The Fulton Building.

While details remain to be worked out, the addition of alcoholic beverages is part of a renovation plan costing at least $350,000 that also will upgrade the restaurant's outdoor seating area into a European-style cafe.

Wenger said the new strategy is intended to bolster evening business, which loses customers to establishments that offer alcoholic beverages.

"If you look at Isaac's any Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, we simply don't have that many customers," he said.

Yet there's a considerable amount of business to be won, according to Wenger, due to "the overall renaissance of downtown" drawing many people to center city.

And that quantity is expected to surge with the March 2009 opening of the downtown convention center and hotel, he said.

Much as Wenger wanted to pursue the evening business that Isaac's was missing, he also wanted to stay true to the business's core values.

"It's a difficult choice for us, because we've always been focused on families and health. What we've been wrestling with is, does this change who we are?...

"Isaac's is a brand that's stood for certain things for an extended period of time. We have a tremendous following of folks who value this experience," he said, citing its large lunch and catering businesses.

"Yet we also have a lot of folks who say they'd come to Isaac's more frequently if they could get a glass of wine or a beer," Wenger said.

Wenger and Isaac's president Alan Jacobs concluded that by keeping the Isaac's look and menu, then presenting alcoholic beverages "as an additional beverage choice," Isaac's could achieve both goals.

Isaac's has agreed to buy the liquor license of a city establishment that's closing. Assuming the state Liquor Control Board approves the transfer, Isaac's could begin serving beer and wine as soon as April 1.

It intends to begin serving other alcoholic beverages in the summer, after the renovation plan is completed, said Wenger. Whether alcohol is served at dinner only has yet to be decided.

Among the other changes planned for the downtown location, the 48-seat outdoor area will become a 60-seat European-style cafe, with new tables, chairs, lighting and other features.

Indoors, the 135-seat capacity will remain the same, but new tabletops, glassware and lighting are planned, as well as changes to accommodate the storage and serving of alcoholic beverages.

Isaac's, known for its grilled sandwiches named after birds and its flamingo logo, debuted up the street in 1983 at 44 N. Queen St., in the Central Market Mall.

That site was replaced with the larger, more visible 25 N. Queen St. site, which features elements of paintings by late Lancaster artist Charles Demuth in its windows, walls and elsewhere.