Lansdale OKs new event space in former Wilson’s Hardware site

Plans for one of Lansdale’s downtown fixtures are coming into focus and have earned a key approval from council.

Borough officials voted in mid-November to advance a plan to convert the former Wilson’s Hardware at 217 West Main Street into an event space with apartments above

‘When I look into that space, I see somewhere that everyone in town is familiar with. We’ve had so many memories going into that hardware store,” said new owner Chip Panico.

In 2022 Wilson’s Hardware closed its doors at 217 West Main, a business that had been owned by Charles and Toni Venezia since 2015, Joe and Chris Flyzik from 1984, and Bill Wilson prior, according to MediaNews Group archives. The west side of the building was originally Kindig’s Store, then expanded by Jake Geller as Geller’s Grand Emporium in the 1880s, according to research by the Lansdale Historical Society, and after Geller died in 1916, was operated as Spier’s Hardware into the 1930s, then Drissel’s Hardware from 1936 until 1964, when purchased by Bill Wilson.

During the Nov. 19 council meeting, Panico, attorney Eric Wert, and architect Jason Berle made the case for conditional use approval from council, since the property is located in the town’s business district and downtown business core overlay. Each of the uses they propose are permitted in the overlay, subject to a conditional use hearing, the attorney told council, under the “retail and service uses” listed in that ordinance. The apartment is considered a multifamily dwelling, which is allowed above nonresidential uses. The proposed event space would be located on the ground level and below, with the apartments on the top two floors.

“We’re not making any structural changes. This is purely a renovation of an existing building. It’s going to make great use of the property that sits there right now. It’s going to be an exciting attraction for Lansdale, and it’s going to be something great for Chip’s business,” Wert said.

As the attorney spoke, he presented a renovation plan prepared by architect Jason Burl, and explained that Panico purchased the property in late 2022, the plan will be developed under the name “Panicorp Properties,” and builds on the family business that Panico said has been in the borough since 1919.

“In that 100-plus year span, we’ve built a reputation by helping our neighbors and serving our community, and those ideals are at the forefront of our mission at our current business, at 211 West Main Street, and going into our new venture at 217,” Panico said.

“What we’re looking to do there is build an event space, a space for the town to gather. We’re looking for an exclusive caterer to rent that space — we might know one,” he said, hinting at his Chef Chipper business that opened just a few doors away at 211 in 2022.

While exact plans are not yet finalized, Panico told council, he knows one familiar feature will remain.

“When I bought the building, and to this day, one of my most favorite parts about it — and I haven’t touched them — is the bell that rings when you open those doors. Everyone’s familiar with that bell, and that ring. there’s almost a warmth, and a nostalgia when you hear it. And that type of warmth is what I’m going to bring to the building when we reinvent it as a place to hold celebrations for family, public events, private events.”

Class reunions, small weddings, “intimate private gatherings,” and/or events organized by the town could be held there, the owner told council, all scheduled with an event manager, and not operated as a 365-day-a-year restaurant but based on demand.

“The town does throw a couple of alley-oops to us, that we could take advantage of, and promote events for ourselves: such as First Fridays, Lansdale Car Show, Lansdale Day, other events that Discover Lansdale and so many other groups have put on for us: the Mardi Gras parade which you guys might’ve seen me in once or twice,” Panico said: “It’ll be a gathering place for the town.”

Local kids could also benefit from the new space as a first job, similar to Chef Chipper and the original Panico’s on Cannon Avenue, he added, and the food should be familiar.

“It’ll be a continuation of a legacy that my great grandfather started, my grandparents built on, my parents built on, and me and my brother are still doing today, which is serving the town of Lansdale,” he said.

The apartments would be on the second and third floors to comply with borough codes, and on the ground floor “not much has changed from Wilson’s Hardware,” Wert said, except for open walls which will allow for events to use both indoor and outdoor spaces, with heaters as necessary. The borough’s codebook includes rules and regs that the applicant will comply with, including that it conform to all town rules regarding signs, off-street parking and loading, and will not require any screening from neighbors to prevent any negative impact to neighbors, any utilities, or the public.

“Again, we’re not changing anything about downtown Lansdale itself, we’re using the existing structure, and I think going to fit in very well with what’s there already,” Wert said.

Councilwoman Carrie Oglesby asked how parking would be addressed, and Panico said users could be directed to the SEPTA parking garage on the opposite side of the SEPTA rail tracks, and “depending on the event, I might set up some sort of valet service” that could be operated in partnership with the town’s parking authority.

Borough Manager John Ernst added that borough staff have recently resumed contact with SEPTA in the wake of that agency’s recent budget troubles, and hope to reopen talks on whether the town can use or direct residential or business parking into the garage as needed, possibly via monthly passes.

Wert said that the venue would only host one event at a time instead of splitting the event space, and Panico said the kitchen could “possibly” be used for catering offsite events as well as those hosted there.

Would alcohol be involved with the venue? The planning commission did raise that question, Panico said, but “right now, we don’t have any plans to” attain a liquor license and sell onsite: “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Joe Flyzik, former owner of Wilson’s from 1984 until selling to Panico, said he was looking forward to the new user there.

“I’ve known everybody in his family for years, and if we want to revitalize downtown Lansdale, we must support this gentleman,” Flyzik said.

“I still miss being a business owner, and owning a hardware business for 30-some years in downtown Lansdale. I miss the people. I miss being there on Main Street. But I think the best thing that could happen on Main Street is to support this gentleman. And I think he’ll do a great job, and it will be the start of bringing back downtown Lansdale,” he said.

Council voted unanimously to grant the conditional use request.

Lansdale’s borough council next meets at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 with various council committees starting at 6:30 p.m., all at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information visit www.Lansdale.org.

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