In August of 2020, Jon Bellem saw a sign.
“Coop’s,” a barbershop just a few blocks from his Lemoyne home that relocated to Camp Hill, was available as a tiny retail space.
“I had just closed a business—Carlisle Co-Op—and here was this business that had been Coop’s, so I took it as a sign,” said Bellem.
One business closing often spells opportunity for another’s opening. And that’s the very cycle that Bellem’s new shop is based upon.
Another Round Lemoyne is filled to the brim with professional-grade restaurant wares—gleaned from the pandemic wave of closed cafes and restaurants—and available for resale. From full sets of dinner plates to chef’s knives, bakeware to ice cream scoops, small appliances, even patio heaters, the tiny shop seems to carry everything but the kitchen sink—oh wait, they actually do have stainless steel kitchen sinks from time to time. Large items like that are often sitting outside the prime Market Street location.
Jon Bellem
You could call Bellem the middle man. A restaurant consultant of 10 years, he not only helps restaurants open, but he advises those closing their doors, too. That’s how he acquires his inventory for Another Round Lemoyne—by paying cash for kitchen supplies that’ll be invaluable to other restaurateurs, private chefs and area foodies. The shop is open to the public.
“Helping businesses close is devastating—I can understand what they’re going through,” said Bellam, 41. But on the other hand, “I can help [new] businesses with 75% of what they need, and it’s better than buying online because you can see and touch it before you buy.”
Not to mention the cost savings. For example, about 20 different chef’s knives are marked $6 or $7 each—a slice of their original prices.
I spied and snagged a brand-new French press coffee maker—still in its original Ikea packaging—for $3. The original retail price? $12.99.
“About 65% of what we sell is brand new,” Bellem said. “And if it’s used, it’s in tip-top shape.”
Silver and Gold
The shop gleams with silver—stainless steel spoons, ladles, pans and racks—which are “like gold,” in the restaurant industry, said Charlie Gipe, a regular customer despite the fact that he’s a retired chef of 40 years and the retired executive chef of the Hershey Entertainment Complex. He happens to live, conveniently, around the corner. Another Round Lemoyne comes in handy, he said, when he’s hosting dinner parties and other events and needs a few more pans or other supplies.
“The uniqueness is the coolness of this place—you don’t have to pay top dollar,” Gipe said. “You can’t go anywhere in central PA and find what you’re going to find here.”
Not only does Gipe regularly purchase kitchen supply “finds,” but, as a former instructor and current board member for Dauphin County Technical School, he also recommends Another Round Lemoyne to student chefs. He wants to help them save a few bucks on vital kitchen staples needed to launch their careers, just like he did as a graduate of the school’s culinary arts program.
“They’re the future of our industry,” Gipe said. “And coming here is a win-win.”
During the pandemic, the future looked bleak for many restaurants. Although some entrepreneurs closed or downsized operations, Bellem said that others used the time to cook up their business plans and make a go at new establishments. The supply and demand for kitchen wares is what drives Another Round Lemoyne.
“Jon’s shop was one of the first places I visited,” said Harriet Willis of Mechanicsburg, who’s gearing up to open a bakery. “I purchased all the equipment I needed, except for one oven.”
Her haul? Stainless steel tables, knives, spatulas, racks and a commercial oven with steam-injected stone decks. All told, she estimates that her bill was about $1,000 but at a cost-savings of at least 50% off regular retail prices. And Willis likes the idea of reuse.
Bellem has also seen a lot of creative reuse. He’s surprised by the number of hunters who have become customers, requesting items such as meat grinders. Tailgaters have also purchased restaurant equipment to give it a second life at parking lot parties.
And if Bellem’s name sounds familiar, it might be because of the “Support 717 Restaurant Employees” campaign he launched with his wife and business partner Savannah during the pandemic shutdown. It raised several thousand dollars in relief funds.
“My love for this industry can bring me to tears,” said Bellem, who knows what it’s like to start over.
Originally from Hershey, he launched his career as a Hershey Lodge busboy. By the end of his first summer, he was promoted to a supervisor’s role. Next, came a string of high-profile positions from State College—including the Rathskeller and Nittany Lion Inn—to Atlantic City and Pittsburgh. He was working his dream job, as executive chef at a restaurant near PNC Park, when “everything changed.” His dad’s death brought him back home.
Just like the restaurant supplies that find new life through Another Round Lemoyne, Bellem’s life has come full circle.
“If you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life,” Bellem said. “This has been the greatest backup plan—the greatest job for someone like me.”
Another Round Lemoyne is located at 825 Market St., Lemoyne. For more information, see anotherroundlemoyne.com and find up-to-the-minute photos of their inventory on Facebook and Instagram.
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