Lebanon Farmers Market owner Jared Mizrahi said he was bummed to see Schaylor Brewing Co. close its Lebanon taproom, but he’s now focused on finding the right fit to fill the 100-seat, fully-equipped restaurant above the market.
Read More: Schaylor Brewing Co. plans last day for Lebanon taproom after nearly two years
Mizrahi said he understood where Schaylor Brewing Co.’s co-founder Lucan Schmidt was coming from, and that there were no hard feelings over the Berks County-based brewery’s decision to exit its lease. Mizrahi emphasized that any rent escalation for Schaylor, or any other vendor in the market, would only be coming from the leases they had signed before he took ownership of the building, and that he has not renegotiated or broken any leases.
As for Schaylor, Mizrahi said that he did not anticipate the closure, and praised their food. “I really wish they would have stayed,” he said.
Mizrahi said he didn’t have a chance to connect with Schmidt, who had reached out to him the day after he closed on the market building, before receiving word that the brewpub would be exiting its lease. With the number of tenants at the market, Mizrahi said “it takes some time to wrap your arms around everything.”
Mizrahi said his focus now is on building systems around everything so that when he does have conversations with tenants, they can discuss next steps and moving forward.
“In this phase right now, I’m trying to solve all the emergencies,” said Mizrahi, who told LebTown that he was also excited to solve the problem of increasing visibility for the market and providing more value to tenants so that they can thrive.
The restaurant space will be put up for lease. The turn-key, character-rich restaurant and bar area on the third floor of the market began life in 2007 as Niko’s, which featured a fine dining menu and a cigar lounge. In 2015, the Foundry Craft Grillery opened in the location. The Foundry closed in early 2019, and the Red-Headed League opened that November. Schaylor Brewing occupied the space from April 2023 until this month.
Mizrahi called it a very marketable space, and said he hopes to find the right fit – a brand that complements the farmers market – within the coming months, but he doesn’t want to rush that process. His goal is to find a long-term partner that wants to build the market’s visibility and thrive together. Mizrahi has ample experience working with restaurateurs, both through his Place Marie in Lancaster (purchased in 2024), as well as PCI Auction Group, the company he founded which specializes in restaurant equipment auctions.
Mizrahi bought the 33,000-square-foot property at 35 S. 8th St., Lebanon, at a Dec. 30 auction for $1.35 million.
While some changes are being made – the Thursday music series at the market has been paused due to rising costs – Mizrahi said that his biggest goal is to not change much.
“I love the brand, I love what it is,” said Mizrahi.
His priority now is marketing the space, advertising it more effectively, and increasing value for tenants. He might not be close yet, he said, but he’s excited to solve that problem.
Mizrahi will use a realtor to market the restaurant space, and said that it might take searches outside of Lebanon “to find someone really great and bring them to town.”
“The space is absolutely prime for a restaurant to come in and really make it their own,” he said.
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