"We're very excited about the location," he said. "That Mountville exit is a great site. We think there's a lot of growth that's coming to that area."

The original 50,000-square-foot ABC site is flourishing at 50 N. Cameron St. in Harrisburg. A second restaurant and brew pub already is operating at 401 Buford Ave. in Gettysburg.

Tafoya on Tuesday was at 3721 Market St., Camp Hill, overseeing work on the third ABC restaurant, set to open within the month.

West Hempfield manager Charles Douts said the restaurant is proposed for Primrose Lane, just off Stony Battery Road between the Sleep Inn and Mainstay Suites hotels owned by developer George Kratzert.

A pub and restaurant "was part of the master plan" for the area, which also includes Scoops restaurant and Boulders mini-golf course, Douts said. A liquor license for the new brew pub is already attached to the hotel complex.

The plan appears to comply with local zoning, he said, and there is adequate parking, lighting and landscaping.

The plan will go before supervisors for approval on Aug. 1.

Tafoya said he hopes to break ground shortly following that meeting, with an opening anticipated in February.

The West Hempfield location will be similar in appearance and menu to the other ABC pubs, Tafoya said. The appearance will be slightly different, however, because this is the first restaurant they've built new, rather than renovating an existing building.

"It allows us to be a little more flexible, a little more efficient," he said. "We'll have a warm feel, nothing fancy, just a good down-home brew pub."

ABC has already purchased "a beautiful copper brewing system," he said. "We're excited about it."

The West Hempfield ABC will be producing two to three specialty beers at any given time, Tafoya said. Other brews will be "imported" from the other ABC sites.

"We're all about different beers -- variety, quality and adventurous brewing," he said. "Our goal is always to have eight to 12 beers on tap at all times."

But ABC promotes itself less as a bar and more as a family restaurant, Tafoya said.

Tafoya said Lancaster County was a logical direction for ABC's growth.

"We just think Lancaster's a great market. A lot of our (Harrisburg) customers come from there," he said.

"There are a lot of people there who would like to come more often -- without having to drive all the way to Harrisburg." blog comments powered by Disqus