A Midwest-based sports bar and grill chain is looking to make its first foray into Pennsylvania with a new location in downtown State College.
Brothers Bar & Grill is planning to open at 134 S. Allen St., if State College Borough Council approves a liquor license transfer. The location was most recently an Amazon pickup store before it closed last year.
Founded by brothers Marc and Eric Fortney just after they graduated from college in 1990 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Brothers Bar & Grill now has 17 locations in seven states. The company’s website describes it as “a modernized throwback to the old Midwestern corner tavern,” with a relaxed atmosphere, large beer and cocktail selection and a kitchen serving American fare like burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads and appetizers.
According to documents submitted to State College Borough, Brothers expects to have table and booth seating for 232 and 35 seats at the bar of the planned Allen Street restaurant. Anticipated hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, and meal prices range from $12 to $20.
The proposed date of the liquor license relocation is August 2023.
“There is much excitement on the part of Marc and Eric in bringing this new concept to State College Borough,” attorney Ellen M. Freeman, of Flaherty & O’Hara, wrote in a Dec. 21 letter to Borough Manager Tom Fountaine. “In order to open and operate the new restaurant according to its business plan, Brothers Bar & Grill must secure a restaurant liquor license.”
Brothers has an agreement to purchase a liquor license currently owned within the borough by Fuji & Jade Garden, which did not seek to relocate the license when it moved from Westerly Parkway in State College to the Northland Center in Ferguson Township.
Intramunicipal license transfers would not typically require local government approval, but Fuji & Jade Garden’s license is subject to a conditional license agreement from when it was transferred in 2006 from the former Hummingbird Room in Spring Mills. Among the conditions, Fuji & Jade Garden cannot apply to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to transfer the license to another owner or location without written approval from the Borough Council.
“It is the Brothers Bar & Grill’s intention to request that the PLCB rescind this [conditional license agreement] in its entirety, pending the approval from State College Borough… and replace it with a new agreement between the Brothers Bar & Grill and State College Borough,” Freeman wrote.
Other restrictions on Fuji & Jade Garden’s license included no alcohol sales after 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday or 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; no sales of alcohol in containers larger than 22 ounces, except wine; no advertising the price or availability of alcohol or selling alcohol at a discount; an agreement not to apply for an amusement permit or allow bands or DJs to perform; bar seating limited to 10 seats or fewer; and a requirement that food sales constitute 80% or more of gross revenues.
Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed liquor license transfer at 6 p.m. on Monday at the State College Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St.. The meeting also will be available on Zoom and will air live on C-NET channel 7 and online.
Final action on the request is scheduled for council’s Feb. 6 meeting.
