Chester County Press
In the Spotlight
Section
B
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
The Bookhouse Hotel opens with cozy charm and good reads By HaLeigh Abbott Contributing Writer The Bookhouse Hotel celebrated its Grand Opening on October 22nd with a crowd of over 100 people eager to welcome the boutique hotel to the Kennett Square Borough. Owners Stephanie and Matt Olenik have spent the last year renovating the former book store, located at 130 S. Union Street, into a chic-niche hotel for book worms and cozy-cravers alike. Although The Bookhouse Hotel is their first hotel, the Oleniks have made a career out of real estate flipping and AirBNB management. Together with their business partners, Stephen Tallon and Bill Rookstool, the couple has completely renovated the building to welcome guests with 4 rooms. “Matt did all the work,” explained Stephanie. “We had to fix the foundation, level the floors, design and furnish each room.” “And I just do what she says,” said Matt chiming in. Stephanie laughed when asked how their relationship handles new projects, saying “It’s always stressful at the end of the project, but we always make it through.” The inspiration for The Bookhouse was an easy choice. The former bookstore left behind 5,000 books in the basement, many of which are now used to decorate the rooms. Guests can cozy up in their rooms and read their weekends away with most necessities easily at hand. If you’re not able to finish
your book, don’t worry you can scan a QR code to purchase a copy from bookshop.org for home delivery. Each room has a private bathroom and kitchenette, and guests are supplied with teas from Mrs. Robinson’s Tea Shop and coffee from Horn & Hardart Coffee. Guests booking the entire hotel can also opt for a special Alice in Wonderland themed tea party, in partnership with Mrs. Robinson’s Tea Shop. A gift basket full of snacks and treats from Taste Local Eats, another Kennett Square business, can be purchased and ready on check in. Longwood Gardens has also partnered with The Bookhouse to offer discounted tickets for guests. The Bookhouse already has weekends booked up from the opening weekend of Nov. 17-19, thanks to the community word and some viral TikToks. The rooms can house 2, 3 or 4 people depending on the suites, and two of those have a bi-level nook on the third floor looking out into town. The rooms are not currently themed by book or genre, but each room has it’s own charm thanks to a mix of antique and handmade pieces. Community support has been positive, and Stephanie feels like Kennett Square has been welcoming to her new venture. Rooms can be booked online or by calling (610) 444-1063. Visit their website at thebookhousehotel. com or their FaceBook page facebook.com/thebookhousehotel for more information.
Landenberg Village hosts Halloween Family Day By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Partners associated with the Fenix Capital Group – the new owners of the Landenberg Village – held an unveiling of a new music garden patio between the Landenberg Store and the Landenberg Hotel on Oct. 28 that attracted a steady audience throughout the day, who enjoyed live music and other activities. Halloween Family Day represented the
first public glimpse into the company’s plans for the historic Landenberg Village, which includes the hotel, the store and the pump house. Soon after purchasing the properties for $1.062 million in July, company owners Matt Feldman and Aaron Jones began work on the conversion of the hotel to a six-room inn, complete with a renovated central living area and a refurbished deck that overlooks the White Clay Creek. Jones and Feldman are
working with a team of restaurateurs to broaden the store’s menu to include sourcing food from regional vendors and farms and giving customers the opportunity for online ordering and catering. The music garden patio includes outdoor seating areas and rope lighting and will serve as an intimate performance space for local singer-songwriters. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com. Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Fenix Capital Group owners Aaron Jones and Matt Feldman, far right and far left, celebrate Halloween Family Day at the Landenberg Village on Oct. 28 with business partners Ryan Robinson, Max Ben-Hamoo and Andrew Skrabak.
Logan Aldridge of West Chester performed at the Village’s new music garden patio.
Trevor Jackson enjoyed his culinary experience at a nearby marshmallow roasting pit.
Taylor Curtis and C.J. Craft with their daughter, Kinsley.