The Hotel Holley — a historic Bradford building that has been standing for well over 100 years — has found a new owner.
“We’re currently still running and operating,” said an employee of the establishment.
Joe’s Main Street Steakhouse and the Holley Express remain open, with the steakhouse keeping its same hours and the Holley Express open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Breakfast is now served every day.
Taking over ownership is Millstone Investment LLC, said outgoing owner Joe Troutman Jr., who bought the property with his father in the 1980s.
The bar is temporarily closed while the new owner awaits a liquor license, but the plan is to reopen it when the license comes through, according to the employee. For steakhouse customers who want an adult beverage with dinner, drinks are BYOB until the license is obtained.
In addition to maintaining the Hotel Holley’s current business avenues, the new owner has plans to renovate and bring additional offerings, the employee stated.
The upstairs rooms are currently being completely renovated, with daily, nightly and weekly rates to be offered to future occupants. The current tenants are able to remain in the building during renovations.
Troutman said the current tenants have been moved to the top two floors of the building while the other rooms are gutted and renovated. He noted that several moving trucks full of new bedding, flatscreen TVs and couches have come during the renovation process.
The building’s ballroom is being cleaned so the business can host parties and banquets in the near future. A storefront is coming soon, too, with merchandise similar to what shoppers might see in a convenience store or drugstore.
The establishment has not only served as a business, but also has been a resource to help the homeless community of Bradford. Local churches and agencies provide vouchers for temporary shelter in the Hotel Holley to people with emergency housing needs.
The new owners still welcome people to stay with vouchers.
Troutman said the new owner, who does not have ties to the area, decided to make the purchase after seeing the building sale advertised online. Other investments include a conference center in New Jersey and hotels in San Francisco, Calif.
A property listing on the Howard Hanna Real Estate Services website states the building has five stories and 46,205 square feet of space.
The building, constructed around 1902, has a long history as a fixture on Main Street.
At the time, it was replacing a three-story wooden structure that was destroyed by fire which Troutman believes was called the Riddell House.
The new building was “touted as fireproof,” he noted. In fact, “The whole building is concrete and steel.”
Another thing Troutman recalls hearing is that it was “one of the first hotels on the East Coast to have running water in the rooms.”
He said it was around 1987-88 when he and his father, Joe Troutman Sr., purchased the establishment.
As far as the reason for selling the Hotel Holley, Troutman, who also owns a contracting company, said, “My heart’s in what I’m doing” at the construction company.
Troutman expects the sale to be final by the middle of May at the latest.
People can call 368-8622 to inquire about rooms.
