BROCKWAY, Pa. (EYT) – Residents of Brockway drove by the old Buzzard home on Main Street, watching the Victorian mansion deteriorate and slowly die. Then, for three years, the house got a massive facelift and reemerged as Maple Shade Mansion, a new bed and breakfast run by Sharon Varischetti.
The house’s resurrection was not an easy road, however.
Varischetti and her husband purchased the place at a sheriff’s sale and then took their time deciding what to do with it.
“My husband and I grew up in Brockway,” Varischetti said. “And, this house was dying a slow death. When we got inside, we felt compelled to bring it back to life. We were inspired to give back to the community.”
Giving back meant a lot of work. The house had beautiful parquet wood flooring, but it was black when Varischetti got inside. The central fireplaces had tile on them, but they, too, looked black. Leaks in the third floor, neglect, and time had ravaged the old house.
“My contractor called me about the fireplace and said, ‘Did you know the tile was blue?’” Varischetti recalled, “I didn’t believe it. I thought everything was black.”
The fireplaces had bright tile, some blue and some yellow. The parquet floor was restored. The wainscoting, door jambs, fireplaces, and first-floor pocket doors were all saved. Stained glass windows were protected or moved into new doors. The wiring and air conditioning were all updated.
“The previous owner kept the railing to the porch,” Varischetti said, “We were able to recreate it.”
Soon, the old house, built in 1889, went from looking haunted to looking inviting. Wrought iron fences and gates surrounded the property, a large, brick parking area appeared in the back, and Maple Shade Mansion opened or business.
Overseeing that business is manager Karl McCall. A Brockway native who had been working in hospitality since his childhood, McCall brings experience from Hershey, Pa.
“We’ve been open since January 22,” he said, “We’ve had 22 to 30 guests in that time. We’re occupying a certain niche. We have business travelers from Monday through Thursday and families from Friday to Sunday.”
The location right on Main Street Brockway, basically on the intersection of Route 219 and Route 28, makes Maple Shade a place easy to access.
“I tell people, if you’re coming from Pittsburgh, get on 28 and drive,” McCall said. “You’ll see us.”
Maple Shade has hosted business parties, meetings, and overnight guests. A small operation, McCall said is the way to go in Brockway because it allows personalized service.
“A bigger place does not have time to see what the guest wants for breakfast or when they want it,” he said.
Outside, McCall pointed to drivers craning their necks to look at the house.
“People are still surprised at it,” he said, “They want to know what’s inside.”
The community, however, has come out to encourage Varishetti’s work.
“People in Brockway want to stay here,” she said, “The town saw it coming back to life and wants to see what it looks like.”
Brockway’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration is bringing in guests as well.
“We’re fully booked then,” McCall said. “People are coming here, and instead of staying with family, they’re staying with us. We won’t be open for tours then.”
Business visitors have become regulars. If they need to talk to Guardian, Phoenix, Owens-Illinois, or any of the other businesses in Brockway, they’ve found the mansion to be a comfortable place to stay.
“Why go to DuBois and stay in a hotel?” McCall said. “They can stay right here in town in a unique facility.”
The future for Maple Shade Manor is wide open. The yard can be used for weddings, complete with gazebo. The dining room or the lunch room can support formal dining occasions. The kitchen is a great staging area for caterers.
“We tell people, we’ll provide the space, you provide the caterer,” McCall said. “It works out really well.”
They are also talking to the PA Wilds, tying the B&B into the Little Toby Trail. And, as Brockway expands, adding to its trails and parks, Maple Shade Mansion is situated close to the trailhead, Taylor Memorial Park, and the downtown.
Restored as much as possible, the house boasts six rooms with private bathrooms and modern touches.
“When you have a Victorian bed and breakfast,” McCall said, “people go overboard with the historical decorations. They get furniture that you’re afraid to touch, doilies everywhere and lots of flowered wallpaper. Sharon mixed the Victorian with the modern, making the place very comfortable and very beautiful.”
Flatscreen TVs and wifi round out the modern touches. Dining rooms can be rented out for lunches and dinners. There’s a meeting room on the second floor. The Wendell August Suite boasts a lot of space, private bathroom, a big bed, and a commanding view of Main Street.
“We had a great team of contractors,” Varischetti said. “I can’t say enough about them. They loved the project, too.”
After three years of work, those contractors and Varischetti have transformed the mansion inside and outside.
Drivers going by on Main Street no longer have to crane their necks and wonder what is inside because pictures and booking information are available on the mansion’s website, www.mapleshademansion.com.
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