If I were going to map out a beautiful spring day in Saxonburg, here is what I would do.
Tuesday through Saturday is best. Most of the shops are closed Sunday and Monday. Information for individual shop hours can be had by checking each of the shops websites that will follow.
Ahhh, Saxonburg in the Spring. Just like everyone else, we are enjoying the buds coming out on the trees, flowers slowing peeking through the soil and the late winter evening snow squalls that bust through an orange sky. What a sight it is!
When I inivite my best friend since seventh grade, Pam, to Saxonburg , it is usually anytime between Tuesday through Saturday.
The first thing we do is have breakfast or lunch depending on the time. We are lucky to have so many places to pick from! Each is distinctive in atmosphere and food. A couple serve breakfast and serve food well into the dinner hour. The Hotel Saxonburg has a great ambience and is housed in a very old building with a bit more of a pricey menu and attracts alot of visitors to town. One is old school farmers and old timers who have been meeting at the counter for ions. The third is just around the corner from Main Street and happens to be one of our faves since moving here seven years ago. Light on the smoke and heavy on homemade desserts, hot homemade potato chips made to order, the best fried mushrooms I’ve ever had and a creative cook as well. None of the eateries will disappoint!
Wewould then work off lunch by visiting the shops. Even though Main Street lost a few antique stores, there are a few family run gift shops that make us worth visiting. It is still a town where you can spend time and enjoy the architecture of the old buildings that takes you back to another time. Just watch your step though, our sidewalks are pretty rugged. Hopefully, that will change over time with a restoration project!
We would start at The Chandlery gift shop. Paula is the operator of this gift shop that sells candles, purses, Webkinz, costume jewelry, quilts and Bearington Bears in addition to home accents. Located at 263 West Main Street, she has lovely seasonal window displays that will draw you in to this quaint shop!
The C. Matus Company houses one on the largest selections of Amish furniture in our area. Located at 260 West Main Street they have children’s toys, art prints and array of home furnishings from large yard lighthouses to spinning tops for kids. This building will greet you as you drive in from Pittsburgh Street with it’s huge windows filled with beautiful woodwork. It is a building that was saved by the wrecking ball by the Matus family and they turned it into quite a shop that showcases American craftsmanship. It is a great space to walk through. It has the old wooden floors and high ceilings and is filled with wonderful things! They are also a full service custom wood working shop as well.
Next we would venture next door to Natili’s Jewelry Store to see what’s new in finer jewelry. Located at 280 West Main Street, Ben does beautiful work. He offers jewelry repair which I can say first hand is excellent! He repaired one very tedious project for me and I was thrilled with the outcome. Visit him at his busy little shop and take in all of the beauty that he offers our town.
We would then go next door to Rosie’s shop, Quilter’s De-lights. Located at the corner of Main and State street, you don’t have to go far to shop for the finest in quilting fabrics and sewing notions . This shop offers glorious knitware from socks to purses, all made by local crafters. Even if you are not a quilter, the shop is filled fabrics, sewing notions,quilts and is wonderful if you enjoy textiles. What a great little shop to have in our neighborhood! Rosie offers classes and does alteration work as well.
If we didn’t have lunch on Main St., behind Rosie’s shop and onto State Street, we could enjoy a fine pizza at Novotny’s. The local pizza place, they serve up the standard hoagies and pizza but with great care and mastery of a pretty good pizza crust! Eat in or carry out.
Next to Novoty’s on State Street, you will find our little shop, The Stillroom Gift & Tea Shop. Located at 111 State Street, here you will delight in great coffee from La Prima in The Strip at great prices! We will do the running for you!
We have exquisite Wedding Tea that we can have customized with the bride and grooms names and wedding date. Delicate Mother’s Bouquet Tea, Spring Blooming Art Tea Pods, Truly Chocolate Dessert Tea and so much more! Sweets ranging from the locally baked La Peri Dolci biscotti to old fashioned candy that you will remember from way back when. Beautiful giftware from Laurel Burch purses and jewelry to some of the best hand lotion that will ever touch your skin! Our shop is intended to delight the senses. Visually cool, smells great, relaxing music, taste the samplings of coffees and teas and please, handle the kaleidoscopes!
After goofing off here, we would go over to the Gray Wolf Gallery to check out the artwork. Located at 332 West Main Street, they are only one tiny historic block over, near the Agway. This place is visually stunning without the artwork hanging on it’s walls. It is worth going a tiny historic block over from us to check them out. They also offer framing services and are very helpful when it comes to matching up mattes and frames for that special piece of artwork or photograph!
Now, after the disappointment of no more antique stores on Main Street in Saxonburg, (We lost a coffee and antiques shop, in addition to two other antique shops due to retirement) We would jump into the car and drive five minutes away to The Same Desires antiques and stuff store. The short drive over to Cindy’s place is scenic so relax and enjoy the short jaunt. Pack a lunch, this place is huge and the prices are great. Any of the shop owners here in town would know where this store is so just ask for a map, most of us have a map of the town and it’s shops. When you get there, plan of spending at least a half and hour. You will be sure to find some trinket or reminder of days gone by. This place is full to the brim and fun to browse around in!
If my friend got snowed in there would be a few very nice places for her to stay. The Mainstay Bed & Breakfast on Main Street has beautifully appointed rooms and the new operators have done a fabulous job in the past year restoring and updating the bones of the old historic building. Again, saved by the wrecking ball, these folks have invested alot of time in preserving the historic past of Saxonburg and it is a joy to walk by and see new life and possibilities. We wish them the best!
We also have The Hotel Saxonburg with the newly opened second floor rooms that were restored to their original splendor. The rooms are above the restaurant and may be viewed upon request if the waiters aren’t super busy! Dine in the evening at the restaurant and go upstairs to retreat. The building, like our town, is full of history and draws alot of visitors.
Then there is Jenny’s Guest Room which is perfect for a quick overnight visit to town. Housed in one the the historic buildings, this house could have been leveled but the new owner took great care in restoring it . This place is small, cozy and lovely. It has everytrhing you need for a comfortable stay in Saxonburg, including a welcoming front porch that looks onto Main Street. Real cute!
We are also minutes away from The Winfield Winery and Todd Sanctuary Nature Preserve if you would like to enjoy winetasting and a day of hiking the trails. Not necessarily in that order! We also are five minutes away from some of the most scenic bike rails to trails in the country. If your into camping in cute log cabins and sailing, we are twenty minutes give or take from the beautiful Moraine State Park here in Butler County.
We will be greeting a new shop operator on Main Street soon! Laura is still planning an opening sometime in May for her new adventures in town. She will be located in the Main Stay B & B building where the old coffee shop used to be. Great news for all of us, because I believe in the more the merrier! She will operate it similarly to the old coffee shop but with her own flair of the creative and delicious…we can hardly wait!
So there is no reason to put off a relaxing couple of days in Historic Saxonburg, PA.
That’s all folks! Come and spend a soon to be spring day in the “Burg” …Saxonburg that is!
