In St. Jacobs this Christmas, there will be room for another inn.
DH Food and Lodging, which occupies a prime piece of real estate on King Street, will close down on Dec. 23.
“We’re refocusing our energy and our resources on some of our other operations up the street,” said Sandy Shantz, president of Stone Crock Inc., which operates the hotel.
The hotel first opened in 1852.
Known then as the Farmers’ Inn, it was one of five hotels in St. Jacobs – a popular stop on the stagecoach line running between Kitchener (then known as Berlin) and Elmira.
In 1871, its name was changed to the Dominion Hotel, later to be shortened to DH.
In the more recent past, the restaurant on the property was known as Benjamin’s.
The building is owned by Mercedes Corp.
Marcus Shantz, the president of that company, says he’s heard from one person interested in operating out of the hotel long-term, but no arrangements have been finalized.
“We’d welcome another restaurant. We’d look at having things like a spa or a salon, possibly offices in at least the upper floor,” he said.
There are currently about 30 employees at DH Food and Lodging.
“Most of them” will be able to stay with Stone Crock Inc. at one of its other operations, Sandy Shantz said.
