Historic Bristol inn to reopen

The restaurant at Bristol Borough's historic King George II Inn, which closed abruptly in May 2010, will reopen Aug. 21, co-owner Mary DeMenczuk said Friday.

After they received final approval from the Bucks County Board of Health on Friday, DeMenczuk and her husband, Len, decided to open the patio and enclosed porch overlooking the Delaware River for the borough's boat parade and fireworks, scheduled for that day, and serve a few items.

All of the dining rooms will open with a full menu Aug. 29, DeMenczuk said, adding that she did not expect to have a liquor license till mid-September.

The King George is considered one of the oldest continuously-run inns in the country, dating to 1681. George Washington slept there long before he became president. Tenants continued to live in rooms and apartments on the second and third floors of the landmark building while the restaurant was closed.

The DeMenczuks owned and operated the inn for 25 years before selling it and retiring in 2004. They rebought it in May at a sheriff's sale for $1,000, taking over the mortgage balance of about $689,000.

On Friday, the couple savored a drink celebrating their three-month renovation of the inn. Mary DeMenczuk said she was looking forward to being open from 2 to 10 p.m. Aug. 21 and serving some of the thousands of people expected at the borough's joint festivities with Burlington, its neighbor across the river.