Photo by Richard L. Gaw         Bill and Beth Skalish, the owners of Landenberg Village, LLC since 2005, recently announced that they were selling the Landenberg Store, the Landenberg Hotel and a nearby historic building.

By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

Throughout its 150-year existence, the Landenberg Store has remained an historic and cultural landmark that has served the small town through two world wars and several military conflicts, a Great Depression and several economic downturns, and along the way has seen countless generations of locals come and go.

Over that time, the store has also seen the keys to its kingdom pass from one owner to the next. Since 2005, however, the store – as well as the Landenberg Hotel and the nearby Wool House -- have been owned and managed by Bill and Beth Skalish.

Now, after 17 years of stewardship, the couple recently placed Landenberg Village, LLC up for sale.

Priced at $1.45 million, the terms of the sale include the ownership and management of the store, the Landenberg Hotel and the four-apartment Wool House on Mercer Mill and Penn Green roads.

“We just felt it was just time to turn it over to someone else who can see the Village through for the next several years,” Bill said. “I don’t think the word ‘retire’ is in our vocabulary, but we feel it’s time for us to slow down a little bit.”

When they were looking to purchase the Village, the White Clay Creek that flows by the hotel was a large factor in the Skalishes decision. Bill is an avid fly fisherman and has often ventured just a few yards away from the hotel’s deck to cast his line in the water. Eventually, it also became an office for Bill’s work as a provider of goods and services to hotels.

In 2018, the Landenberg Store saw several new upgrades, including the installation of new range equipment, a refurbished walk-in refrigerator, new kitchen equipment, the construction of a small office and expanded storage area.

While the Skalishes have already met with prospective buyers of the Village, their ideal buyer would have an interest in continuing to own and operate store and maintain the Wool House as a rental unit, as well as re-imagine the hotel as a primary residence or as a four-room bed-and-breakfast – ideal for travelers visiting Chester County.

While the hotel and the Wool House are part of the sale, the true star of Landenberg Village has always been the store and its vital relationship with its customers, the Skalishes said.

“Through this store, we have been able to get to know a lot of people and develop a lot of friendships,” Bill said. “It’s been a pleasure to serve the community – with everything from the small lending library to being able to provide vital provisions and breakfast, lunch and dinner to Landenberg.”

“To the many families and friends we have gotten to know, I would like to say, ‘Thank you’ for allowing us to be stewards of this village,” Beth said. “It’s been our pleasure to serve this community. We have always felt strongly about supporting our neighbors, and doing so has remained our most important philosophy.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].