If you live in State College, chances are you’ll know where to go if someone tells you you to meet them “at the corner.”
For generations, “at the corner” has referred to the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street, where the Hotel State College operates six establishments.
The company runs the Corner Room, the Allen Street Grill, Zeno’s Pub, Zeno’s to Go bottle shop, Bill Pickle’s Tap Room and Chumleys, as well as Indigo nightclub at 112. W College Ave.
While you may know these establishments for their food and drink selections, there was a time when other businesses were hosted at the location. Here’s a look at some of the changes the Hotel State College has gone through.
The Corner Room
Out of all the establishments, the one that has remained the same the longest is the Corner Room, which has operated since 1926.
While it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t remember it being called the Corner Room, it does have a long history as well.
Back in 1855, the space existed as Jack’s Road House. In following years, it hosted the U.S Post Office as well as a Western Union.
“It was one of the first buildings [in State College] to have electricity,” Hotel State College owner Mike Desmond says. “It really just grew over the years.”
The second floor, which now holds the Allen Street Grill, was used as office space for the Corner Room. The Allen Street Grill was opened in 1991.
Zenos
Today, Zeno’s known for its wide selection beers. Back in the day however, a different type of customers was offered to customers.
Before it became a bar in 1972, Zeno’s was occupied by a shoe cobbler for a number of years.
“It went through many business transitions over the years,” Hotel State College owner Mike Desmond says. “For a long time it was a shoe repair store.”
The transition from a shoe store into a bar didn’t begin until 1971, when brothers Chris and Zeno Papadopoulos purchased the property of the Hotel State College.
When searching through a collection of old files, Chris found an unused liquor license among the debris. Naturally, he realized the l opportunity that could come from such an opportunity.
With The Corner Room already an existing restaurant, the Papadopoulos brothers began offering beer and bar services at the establishment, while converting the shoe shop into a pub to be named Zeno’s.
“When he opened up Zeno’s, he knew he had a great location,” Desmond said. “He brought in beers that had never been offered in State College before, like Sam Adams and beers from Germany, France and Belgium.”
Bill Pickle’s Tap Room
Desmond got his start at the Hotel State College as a cook at the Corner Room, but by 1986 he had assumed ownership of the company.
At that time, the space next to Zeno’s was occupied by a men and women’s clothing store called the Bostonian LTD, which had existed for decades.
The Bostonian remained until 2005, when Desmond converted it into the company’s newest bar, Bill Pickle’s tap room. The inspiration for the name came from a State College cult figure named Bill Pickle, a 1930s resident known for his exuberant lifestyle and alcohol consumption.
“I read an article about him in the 1980s in Town and Gown magazine,” Desmond said. “It gave his history and he seemed like an interesting character.”
Indigo
One establishment that has changed its name without changing its services is Indigo.
While the name is reasonably new, it has always been a nightclub. Previously, it was called Players and before that it was Mr. Cs which began in 1975..
Chris got the idea for Mr. C’s from the modern discos at the time,” Desmond says. “He envisioned one in that space which became Mr. C’s.”
Throughout all the changes, the Hotel State College has existed to serve you and everyone else in State College.
“The site has always been a place of hospitality at the corner,” Desmond says. “Generations of people have worked there and gone there. It is an icon.”
