Greensburg bar to reopen as gastropub
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - A string of violence shut down Greensburg's iconic bar and bistro called The Rialto, but now there's a future for the historic property.
It closed after a man was severely injured in a stabbing. The prime real estate has sat empty for the past year, but KDKA confirmed a deal is in the works.
Danielle Butcher tells KDKA she, along with her husband, will transform The Rialto into a new gastropub with a new name.
"We're excited, we're very excited," Butcher said.
She understands the history and meaning behind the space, which was first used as a speakeasy in the 1930s.
"What we'd really like to do is keep all of the history of the building really intact. My husband and I have been residents of Greensburg now for 22 years."
The couple owns the popular restaurant J. Corks but said this food will taste good in a different way.
"We're going to have great food, but it's going to be a very large menu. It's going to have a lot of handhelds, pizzas, appetizers, and small plates," said Butcher.
She's aware of the past issues in the space, including a shooting KDKA reported on where a bullet hit an innocent bystander. It all ended with the state's liquor control board suspending the prior owner's liquor license, putting it in safekeeping for a future sale.
"No, we don't have any reservations at all, regardless of anything that's happened at any business really or whatever that may be. When you start a new establishment, you start a new establishment."
She hopes the sale will be finalized soon, and a placard on the front of the business says the state's reviewing the proposal to transfer the liquor license.