Cindy McGinnis in the doorway of The Gathering Place
At the Gathering Place,
the spotlight is on tea and special events Story and photos by Dave Zuchowski
Each year, just before Christmas, Cindy McGinnis participated in a family tradition. She, along with her daughters, their mother-in-law, her two sisters and their daughters, got together and had afternoon tea at a tea house in the region.
nation, it served as a paint-on-canvas studio, which explained all the paint splattered over the floors. With help from a crew of professionals from Scenery Hill, the original wood plank flooring, some of it oak, was brought back to its glory days.
“One year, we drove all the way to Cranberry,” said McGinn- Next came wallpapering, painting, adding a kitchen and bathroom and furnishing the rooms with antiques appropriis, a resident of Amwell. “It was quite a hike.” ate to the era when the circa 1816 house was built. McGinnis The following year, she decided to forgo a long trip and hold said she drove all over the Pittsburgh area to find mantels the tea gathering at her own house. Initially, she thought it for the fireplaces and scoured auction, yard and estate sales might be a lot of work, but she ended up loving it. to find appropriate furniture and related appurtenances to What follows next is a kismet-related narrative. She got a phone decorate the building. call while driving her car along Route 40 south of Washington. Outside, she removed a small hillock in front of the house to After pulling into a lot and taking the call, she looked down provide parking and added a large deck out back with a comand saw a sign on the ground that read “For sale.” manding view of the countryside. Looking up to see what might be for sale, she spotted a gor- “In 2019, when everything was ready, I invited the famigeous two-story red brick building. She was so attracted to ly out for a look and to have tea and later held a big open and inspired by the building that she was determined to buy house,” she said. it and turn it into a tea house. Soon, it dawned on her that tea houses can be iffy. She began “When I got home, I told my husband, John, about my plan,” renting the building for events like birthdays, baby and wedshe said. “He immediately said, ‘No way. We just retired, and ding showers, and even weddings and meetings to add more I don’t want another project.’” possibilities to her business venture. Cindy won out in the end. After the couple purchased the She also continued to serve afternoon teas, with Regional building in 2018, John ended up supervising all the remodel- Flavor Catering of Taylorstown providing the finger sanding that needed to be done. In the building’s previous incar- wiches, scones and desserts for the three-tiered tea service. 6 | LIVING IN WASHINGTON COUNTY | DECEMBER 1, 2023
