SMETHPORT — When Darlene Dorward purchased the historic Hamilton Building that was home to the former “America’s First Christmas Store” in Smethport, she planned to fulfill a lifelong dream and open a teahouse, but those plans changed and expanded into a full-size restaurant, “Chico’s Café and Bake Shoppe.”

The business opened officially on Monday.

“I always wanted to have a tea house, but this turned into a larger project,” she told The Era.

The building’s first floor, at Main and Mechanic streets in Smethport’s business district, had been vacant for several years. Dorward rented the 113-year-old building for several months “to get the grasp of the physical structure to plan the floor design” prior to purchasing the landmark in early 2015.

Remodeling began soon after that time. Extensive renovations of the first floor that formerly housed Masser Hardware and Johnson’s Pharmacy have transformed the interior into the cafe and a fine dining area, while preserving the building’s exterior with its turret, reminiscent of the Victorian era, which gives the building its unique character.

On the east side is the café  “Despite the name, ‘Chico’s Café,’ this is not a Mexican food restaurant,” Dorward said. “Actually, it’s named in honor of my late son, Justin Smith, who inherited that nickname when he was a student in a Spanish class at Smethport Area High School. The entire business is named in his memory.”

The three partially furnished upstairs apartments are known as “Smitty’s Suites,” in memory of Dorward’s late husband, Raymond Smith, who died in 1980.

Upon entering the cafe from any of several approaches, one’s attention immediately turns to the 24-foot long soda fountain bar with its laminated top and oak trim. Along the bar are 15 high-back metal bar stools, providing enough seating to encourage repeat patrons. “I wanted sturdy chairs that would hold up,” Dorward stated.

She is excited about the café menu that will remain unchanged throughout the year. “It features sliders, hot dogs, hamburgers, hard ice cream, sundaes and brownies, and other foods that will appeal to the children, as well as adults,” she noted.

A pretzel machine is also part of the café.

Over the east side entrance is a tin ceiling that was part of the original building. This section of the ceiling is over the 14-foot brick chimney. “The building was constructed around this chimney that goes from the basement to the roof,” Dorward said. “It’s a working chimney, but not for a real fireplace. An electric fireplace heats both sides of the business.”

The original gas light fixtures on the tin ceiling have been disconnected, preserved and capped.

The café is equipped with large screen televisions and Wifi connectivity.

Some of the original windows feature religious icons. One showing the Three Wise Men and shepherds has been replaced by energy efficient windows, but it will be brought out of storage during the Christmas season for public viewing.

Two rooms in the back of the building have been converted to a kitchen and dish room.

The bar sets on a new waterproof laminated floor that resembles real wood.

Dorward explained that the orange painting on the walls was chosen to complement the lead glass adorned with orange glass prepared by Jeff Speeth.

Inside four of those are panels are blue medallions that mark the history of the building.

The only one without a year refers to the Alaska Gold Rush. For the year 1903, there is a figure of the building with the wording: “Smethport Hardware.”

The wording: “Leonard Brynolf Johnson” and an illustration of apothecary balance scales can be found on the 1932 medallion. “America’ First Christmas Store and 1935” are found on the last medallion.

Fine dining is available on the west side. Patrons will find seating for 52 people at tables already set with seasonal dinnerware that will be changed according to the four seasons. Additional seating is available in the private dining areas.

Diners will afforded the choices of dinnerware and several sizes of teacups from Dorward’s collections.

“Unlike the café menu, the dining area menu will also change with the seasons

to add variety for the guests,” Dorward said.

The dining area can accommodate Sunday afternoon receptions so the guests will have the entire room.

On the menu will be two or three types of beef, pork, chicken, in addition to fish and shrimp.

One of the former downstairs offices has been transformed into a commercial bakery with all new stainless appliances and a wooden baker’s table where employees prepare English muffin bread for breakfast sandwiches, sweet rolls, quiches, pie crusts and pies and cookies.

On a related note, Dorward was tagging items at a local estate sale when she found a menu mixed in with magazines and recipes. To her surprise, this handwritten menu dated back to 1949 and was used at the soda fountain at Johnson’s Pharmacy.

Sixty-seven years ago, soft drinks were six cents, milk, eight cents; sodas/milkshakes, 20 cents and sundaes 20 cents.

On the menu’s cover was printed: “Our Aim: Satisfied Customers.”

Dorward liked the message, saying, “I adopted this slogan.”

Chico’s Café and Bake Shoppe opened officially on Monday.