I have a friend who lives by the belief that the best places are the ones that are a bit hidden, around the next bend, off the beaten path.
When he’s next in Harrisburg, I’m going to take him straight to the 901 Lounge at Lochiel Hotel, which opens this month on Shanois Street.
Where exactly is Shanois Street?
Well, that’s the point. It’s a small, leafy, dead-end road off Cameron Street that you’ve probably driven past a hundred times without knowing it. And it has exactly one building on it—the stately, historic Lochiel Hotel.
Originally built as a schoolhouse in the 1800s, it took the name of the Lochiel once the original hotel downtown was converted to the Colonial Theater more than a century ago. The second Lochiel later became a popular dance hall, bar, blues club and, for a short time, Italian restaurant. For the past few years, it’s sat mostly empty.
In September, Navy veteran Brian Douglas purchased the building, which is adjacent to the Capital Greenbelt and just two blocks from PennDOT, and now wants locals to rediscover its history and charm over a glass of wine, a cold beer or a signature cocktail, perhaps while listening to some music and having a bite to eat.
“Making good food is the key,” he said.
While you visit, Douglas hopes you’ll enjoy the beautiful, original crown molding, the old glass front bar and rustic hardwood flooring, all now restored.
His vision is ambitious.
The lounge will open at 10 a.m. every day, aiming to serve the area’s over-30 crowd. That includes lunch, happy hour, dinner, drinks and music. It will stay open late on Friday and Saturday.
“We will provide a clean, safe and fantastic environment for mature adults,” Douglas said.
He wants to keep the lounge simple. There are a lot of bars that try to be so much that it’s almost overwhelming, he said.
The grounds will be open, so guests are encouraged to come in, grab a drink and wander around the property. You’ll not only be surrounded by nature, but, if you look closely, you’ll glimpse traces of Harrisburg’s industrial past as Shanois Street, hard against two different railroad tracks, was once a corridor to several factories.
You can even relax under “Mother,” a tree that has stood tall and proud outside the building for about 100 years. It’s said that, if you sit quietly under the tree, you can almost hear the blues music in the air from Lochiel’s storied past, Douglas said.
Besides regular service, Douglas said he also will host different “theme” nights, from LGBTQ and Latin to old-school dance and comedy. On Sundays, brunch will be featured in one of the five different dining areas. Or you can sit at the bar and watch your favorite football team play.
“I want this place to be like a little oasis here in Harrisburg,” he said.
The 901 Lounge at Lochiel Hotel is located at 901 Shanois St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.The901Lounge.com, email The901Lounge@gmail.com or call 771-770-9452.
Author: Courtney Gontz
