ALLENTOWN, Pa. – It’s official — a Royal Farms convenience store, gas station and car wash will take over the location of a well-known restaurant in Allentown.
Royal Farms site plan in Allentown
Allentown Planning Commission
The city’s planning commission approved Tuesday plans for a Royal Farms on the site where the Brass Rail restaurant currently stands.
The restaurant and several other buildings will be demolished after it closes this summer, according to Chris Brown, chairman of the planning commission.
“I’ll probably be sitting over there at the AutoZone and watch it happen, and there will be tears, there will definitely be tears,” said Cindy Ebert, Brass Rail office manager.
Ebert has worked at the restaurant for 45 years. She says she’s heartbroken it’s closing, but it just got too difficult to keep it up and running.
“It seems like all the mom-and-pops and small businesses are disappearing, and all that will be left is chains,” she said.
The Brass Rail previously announced its last day would be June 4, after more than 90 years of business.
Royal Farms will acquire the Brass Rail, Batteries Plus Bulbs, Budget Truck Rentals and the Pacific Pride gas station.
The Pacific Pride will stay intact and the diesel fuel tank will still be utilized, but Batteries Plus Bulbs, Budget and the Brass Rail will be demolished.
Plans call for two entrances off of Lehigh Street and one off of 31st Street. A new sidewalk is also expected.
Royal Farms is still working with PennDOT to finalize construction plans.
There’s no timeline yet for the project, but work is expected to begin later this year, Brown said.
The planners granted preliminary/final approval to the plan.
A Brass Rail restaurant TV commercial from 1981