Shamokin business holds grand re-opening after damage from fire nearly two years ago

SHAMOKIN, Pa. — This quote on the wall of Oliver’s Cigar and Lounge bar in Shamokin is the business’ motto: “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet.” The motto came to life as many gathered in the lounge for its grand re-opening. More than 16 months after damage from a fire next door at Original Italian Pizza shut the business down. 

“During the firefighting, while the lounge here didn’t sustain a whole lot of fire damage, outside of the kitchen and a coat closet, the fighting of the fire from above created a lot of water damage throughout a good part of the lounge,” said Edward Manning, owner Oliver’s Cigar and Lounge Bar.

The lounge originally opened on this day three years ago. Edward Manning, its owner, cannot thank Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center enough for helping with the reopening. 

“Originally helped us get some social media going an area that we’re kinda weak in, and you know, they have always offered help in any way in areas that we thought we could use it, and so they’ve just been tremendously supportive both the first time we opened and again this time around,” said Manning.

“You know, we probably had a few conversations about insurance and things like that along the way, and then, of course, just trying to gather the people that we know that are supporters of economic development to bring them together for a special occasion like this re-opening,” said Amber Guerrero, business consultant Bucknell Small Business Development Center.

Amber Guerrero, business consultant at Bucknell Small Business Development Center, says she’s happy the lounge was able to recover quickly from the fire damage. 

“So to walk in here and see it full of people and looking absolutely incredible and you know from—being someone who comes from this area, being able to walk into a place like this that’s located in downtown Shamokin is just such an exciting feeling,” said Guerrero.