A family-owned business with three locations throughout Lackawanna County plans to open a fourth next year after purchasing a prominent property in downtown Scranton.
Benny’s — which established its first bar and restaurant at 1216 Main St. in Blakely in 2016 — expanded to 916 Northern Blvd. in South Abington Twp. in July 2023 and the Green Ridge section of Scranton in March 2024 at the former location of Morgan’z Pub & Eatery, 315 Green Ridge St.
Now, after closing on the sale of the former Kildare’s Irish Pub/Railyard Restaurant & Bar property, 119 Jefferson Ave., Wednesday, Benny’s co-owners Corey Bayo and Brandon O’Malley aim to serve even more customers.
The former Railyard restaurant is seen on Jefferson Ave. in Scranton Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Kildare’s — a popular pub and eatery, and an especially lively place on St. Patrick’s Parade day — closed in July 2019 after 10 years in business. The Railyard opened in the spot around March 2020 before closing in February 2023. Many years ago, the 0.93-acre site was a Martz Trailways terminal.
For years, the Scranton High School graduates envisioned opening a restaurant in downtown Scranton and embracing the growing culinary scene in the city.
“It was a tangible dream of both mine and Brandon’s,” Bayo said. “He used to live downtown, and we always said we wanted a piece of downtown. When that spot came available, there was no better spot.”
O’Malley, 37, of Greenfield Twp., noted they hope to open the new location in the first or second week of February.
The overall vibe of the new business has not yet fully been determined, but visitors can expect the same quality food and drinks served at each of their other locations, O’Malley said.
“Everything is up in the air right now,” he said. “We’re going for more of a sports bar theme, but we do some entertainment at our Green Ridge location, and that does very well, so we’re going to keep our eyes open for getting some good live music in there for the surrounding area. We make everything fresh in-house and we always have seasonal and local beers on tap.”
Bayo, 35, of Clarks Summit, added the success of one location has created momentum for the next, and there may be more to come.
“Brandon and I always have locations pinned out,” he said. “We have another in mind, more south. As we get comfortable in our locations, we have a lot of help and family members who are very hands-on, it creates the capabilities of expanding.”
George Semian, a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker Commercial Town & Country Properties, confirmed Benny’s closed on the sale of the property this week for $1.1 million, and he believes Bayo and O’Malley will thrive in the location, which had been on the market for a year-and-a-half.
The sale of the nearly 1-acre property — situated near the Biden Expressway link between Interstate 81 and the downtown, and the Radisson at Lackawanna Station and the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center — includes the building and adjacent parking lot with about 35 parking spaces, Semian said.
“It’s the artery coming into the downtown, it’s on the corner, and not many buildings in Scranton have parking spaces that come along with it for a restaurant,” Semian said. “It just needed to find the perfect tenant. They’re young, they’re very aggressive, and they’ll do phenomenal there.”
Semian added a streetscape project in Scranton, which will include period lighting and new sidewalks, will to add to visual aesthetics of the property.
Liz Baldi, business development director for Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit community and economic development organization, feels the influx of new restaurants downtown, including A’tera on Linden Street and Picciocchi’s Pasta on Wyoming Avenue, and now Benny’s, highlights the vibrant downtown landscape.
“We’re always excited to welcome a new restaurant,” Baldi said. “I think it signifies more than just another place to eat, it’s more a sign of growth and confidence in our downtown community. Every business adds strength to our local economy, they create jobs, they support the suppliers, and they’re keeping more dollars circulating in Scranton. It helps build momentum for even more future growth.”
Originally Published: October 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM EDT