Lancaster's Stockyard Inn to close at historic site as new property owner eyes redevelopment

One of the oldest, continuously operating restaurants in Lancaster County is leaving the historic building where it was founded.

The Stockyard Inn was sold earlier this month for $3.65 million to a developer whose plans for the 4.6-acre property at the edge of Lancaster city don’t include operating a restaurant.

As the redevelopment plans are being finalized, the Stockyard Inn at 1147 Lititz Pike is being leased by its longtime operators, who plan to continue it for as long as eight months while they wind down their 69-year-old business, and make plans to reopen elsewhere.

“We have retained all our other assets, including our trade name and liquor license. After our leasehold here ends, it is our intent and desire to re-open one day in a new more sustainable form, which likely will involve a smaller physical platform,” read a statement from the Fournaris family, which has owned and operated The Stockyard Inn since 1952.

Issued by James T. Fournaris, the family’s statement referenced the coronavirus pandemic, current staffing challenges, succession issues and the size of the restaurant as reasons for the change.

“Our restaurant facility and site are quite frankly much too big and require far too much maintenance and re-investment, let alone in a COVID-impacted world,” the family’s statement said.