"The Local" Gastropub To Open At Former Relic Site In Newtown

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — One of the oldest buildings in Newtown, dating back 280 years, will soon be home to the town's newest restaurant.

The owners of a South Jersey gastropub - The Local Eatery and Pub in Mount Holly - have signed a lease and will be opening a second location this fall at the former site of Relic at South State Street and Centre Avenue.

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Derek Little and Callum Satchell are joining with Upperr Makefield resident Aileen Ruff-Patry to bring the gastropub concept across the river to Newtown, where they are creating a place where locals and visitors can go for high-quality, accessible food, a "Cheers-like" atmosphere, and locally sourced craft beer and spirits.

"Our name - The Local - illustrates who we are. It's meant to be warm and inviting," said Little. "We're going to treat you like you're walking into our home. And we're going to take care of you. At its root, that's what hospitality is."

On the first floor of the nearly 300-year-old building, the partners envision creating a "Cheers-like" atmosphere where the community can come together and enjoy high-quality, chef-driven American pub food, including burgers, sandwiches, and their famous fish and chips, along with locally sourced craft beer and spirits.

An upstairs lounge will offer a more elevated, yet warm and inviting dining experience with small plates, higher-end cocktails, and a solid, but not expansive wine list.

Like their New Jersey location, which occupies a building dating to 1870, the historic South State Street space fits perfectly with their gastropub concept, the partners said.

The Local Eatery and Pub is slated to open sometime this fall at the former Relic building in Newtown Borough. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

"We will never be in a strip mall. It's not in our DNA," said Little. "We want that authenticity and character that comes from the older buildings."

"This building lends itself nicely to our concept. It's the energy, the vibe and the history" that makes it work, points out Ruff-Patry. "It's always been my dream to open a restaurant. The combination of this community and this specific space, I knew this was right."

While a menu is still being developed, some of the more popular items from Mount Holly will likely find a spot on the Newtown menu, including many of its high-quality burgers.

"We do very well with our burgers in New Jersey. Everything is fresh. We have great blends that we use. Our Local Burger is a huge seller," said Satchell. "We have a really great 30 Day Dry Aged burger. We also have a great Bison Burger. "

Adds Little, "We also have one that you would never think would sell as much as it does - our Bacon, Brie and Fig burger," made with The Local's own in-house fig sauce.

Another huge seller is its Asian glazed pork belly bites, which take at least two days to prepare, said Satchell.

"While we have moved away from entrees in Mount Holly, we will be reintroducing some of our old favorites - about five or six - in Newtown," said Little.

According to Ruff-Patry, the gastropub will be living up to "The Local" name by sourcing its food and beverages from local farms, breweries and wineries in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

"By locally sourcing as many items as possible, we are getting the freshest ingredients, supporting the local economy, and spreading awareness of local brands," she said. The pub owners said they are in the process of reaching out to local farms, brewers and distilleries as part of that goal.

The partners bring decades of restaurant and bartending experience to the table. They also bring Newtown connections with them to the table.

Little spent his high school years in Newtown, attending George School where his father was the director of finances. Ruff-Patry has lived in Upper Makefield for the past 10 years, and her children attend Council Rock.

Ironically, Little said when he and Satchell were looking to open up a new restaurant a decade ago, they had their eye on what was then the Black Horse Tavern at Centre Avenue and South State. The timing, however, wasn't right, and the two longtime bartenders and coworkers instead chose to open The Local in Mount Holly.

The Right Fit

Landlord Scott Hendrickson, who has been looking for a new tenant for the restaurant site since Relic on State closed several years ago, said he believes he has found the right fit with The Local.

"Ever since Relic closed, there's been an absolute ton of interest in the property. Some of the ideas have been absolutely terrible, and some have been very, very good," said Hendrickson. "And people have reached out in many different ways to give their opinions on what they think should happen to the future of this 280-year-old building," he said.

"As the exploratory conversations evolved with Derek and Aileen, it quickly became apparent we had a great local investor with a lot of passion for this building and the expertise and energy to open a restaurant here in Newtown."

Hendrickson added, "I felt a lot of pressure to get this right. It wasn't about how quickly we could fill the building. It was about filling the building with something that was going to add value to the community, and everyone would be excited about."

He believes he found that with The Local.

Among the more consistent concepts requested by the community has been a higher-end gastropub "that's not going to break the bank," said Hendrickson, and is unlike the higher-end chain restaurants moving into the shopping centers.

"I met these guys, I visited The Local in Mount Holly and it seemed like a no-brainer," said Hendrickson. "I'm excited to have them here."