Millworks owner to open The Watershed Pub in Camp Hill

It’s been several years since voters in Camp Hill marched to the polls to overturn the borough’s “dry” status. Residents, who hoped for immediate gratification when it came to sitting down at a restaurant and ordering a cocktail, instead faced a long wait.

The wait is now officially over.

The Watershed Pub, located at 2129 Market Street in Camp Hill, will open for business Friday with a license that allows the sale of Pennsylvania wine, spirits and beer. “We will be offering artisan cocktails crafted with Pennsylvania spirits, along with a selection of quality Pennsylvania wines and a wide selection of

brews from the Millworks Brewery, with brewmaster Jeff Musselman at the helm,” said Josh Kesler, who also operates the Millworks in Harrisburg.

The opening comes later than Kesler wanted. A July opening was delayed due to the pandemic.

What drew Musselman to Millworks and The Watershed Pub is the commitment to local, sustainable agriculture, craft food and beverage, and art. “My passion for brewing is anchored in the fact that [what we do] is truly a combination of science and art. There are not too many careers where you get to combine those two things and make a product that customers are passionate about,” he said.

Historical Property

Kesler, who worked in real estate, was attracted to the structure, which was built in the 1800s and was for years home to Creative Elegance Boutique. The entrepreneur, who has rehabbed more than a million square feet of historical properties, invested about $1.6 million in the

Watershed building. “That includes acquisition, renovation and use fit out,” he said.

Customers will recognize the exterior.

“We worked hard to preserve the historic architectural integrity on the outside of the building,” said Kesler. But things have changed quite a bit inside the 3,500-square-foot building that now seats 160, less under the current health restrictions.

The pub features a bar on the first and second floor and white oak flooring throughout. Seating on both floors is a combination of tables and booths with plenty of lighting that varies from sconces, to Edison bulb pendant lighting and colonial-style chandeliers. The focal color is one that

Kesler’s wife, Rachael, chose called Cushing Green, which furthers the couple’s mission of channeling the time period in which the structure was built.

The Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation took an interest in the project and awarded Kesler a $100,000 grant and a $100,000 loan to purchase machinery and equipment. According to Valerie Copenhaver, director of Community Development, the goal was: “to increase the number of products and experiences for visitors and residents; increase visitation, length of stay and spending by visitors; improve the profitability of tourism businesses and to keep Cumberland Valley competitive with other destinations.”

One of the considerations for determining which applications to fund is whether there is a gap, or need for the tourism product. “The Borough has many offerings, but lacked a restaurant with libations, which Watershed brings to the community,” she said.

The Food

“The concept of The Watershed Pub developed as we began to think about the impact of our region on the Susquehanna River Valley and ultimately the Chesapeake Watershed,” said Kesler.

Pollution flowing down the Susquehanna River to the bay has been an ongoing challenge for aquatic life in the bay, affecting oyster beds and fishing, Kesler said. He wants his menu to be mindful of that impact. “We have carefully selected seafood options that are regional, sustainably harvested and meet certain criteria from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) fishers guide and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Guide, among others,” he said.

Selections will come from the Bay, or the Mid-Atlantic region and will include oysters, rockfish, blue crab, mussels, clams and even Maryland snapping turtle, along with additional items like vegan ravioli and country fried steak for those whose tastes may differ from those of the seafood lover.
Looking Towards the Future

Mary Beth Brath, director of the Downtown Camp Hill Association, says the new business is a welcome addition to the Camp Hill community.

“Over the past few years, plans have been in the works to make the downtown corridor along Market Street from 15th to 25th streets a vibrant hub for the community and region. The addition of The Watershed Pub will give the residents a new, easily walkable venue for dinner and drinks,” she said.

Despite losing several months during the renovation due to COVID-19, Kesler is prepared to ride the storm out with takeout if the area undergoes another lockdown. He acknowledges that outside seating is also in demand these days and mentions that porch seating and seating in the rear of the building can accommodate an additional 90 customers.

Kesler said that his work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is important to him and he hopes to help support the organization’s mission in the future.

Kesler, who now lives in Harrisburg, said he is also happy to build in a community where he once lived. “Our family lived in Camp Hill for almost 10 years, so this feels like a homecoming for us and because Camp Hill is a walking community like the Millworks’ location in midtown Harrisburg, this is a natural fit.”