Eighty Four couple plans to open new restaurant at Greene County Airport
Photo courtesy of Matt Harding
Matt and Melissa Harding of Eighty Four plan to open a new restaurant at the Greene County Airport building in March.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The Airport Restaurant in Greene County permanently closed in September after 22 years in business. The popular dining spot had been closed for a year-and-a-half after a fire in March 2021.
While taking flying lessons in and out of the Greene County Airport to earn his pilot’s license over the past year-and-a-half, Matt Harding saw a business opportunity every time he touched down.
“Bouncing between airports and bouncing between planes, we kinda got to know people,” Harding said. “Everyone was always chatting about what’s going on at the (Greene County) airport.”
The airport’s main building on Route 21 near Waynesburg had once been the spot for a popular diner until a fire in March 2021 caused extensive smoke and water damage to the structure. After the renovation took much longer than expected, longtime diner owner Kathy Kiger made the difficult decision in September to permanently close the Airport Restaurant that she ran for more than two decades.
But officials in Greene County, which owns and operates the airport property, wanted to keep a restaurant at the building, so they put out requests for proposals recently and received four responses. The county commissioners voted Thursday to accept the proposal from Harding and his wife, Melissa, to open a new restaurant that will specialize in breakfast and lunch meals, but could also be open during evening hours for special events. The Eighty Four couple signed a three-year lease with the county and is shooting for March to open restaurant, which will be called Asher’s at the Airport.
“The folks in Greene County, for one, are super people and really friendly,” Matt Harding said. “I joined the Greene County Flyers Club and learned about the whole thing with the restaurant.”
Naturally, the restaurant will be “aviation oriented” due to its location and Harding’s interest in flying.
“The décor will intrigue young folks and start conversations to learn more about aviation,” Harding said. “It will be very heavily aviation themed with a patriotic flare.”
This is not the first business venture for the Hardings. They own several team building-themed “escape rooms” in the region, including one that will open at Waterdam Plaza in McMurray soon. They also are in the process of opening a restaurant at the 84 Lakes Lounge on Route 136 near their Somerset Township home.
Harding said renovations to the restaurant side of the airport building are almost complete, so they are planning a quick turnaround to get the diner ready for customers.
“We already have a lot of what we need to get rolling pretty quickly. We’re very hopeful to pull that off,” he said about opening in March.
Greene County Commission Chairman Mike Belding said officials are happy to have a tenant in the restaurant after nearly two years of renovations following the fire. The other side of the building is occupied with the magistrate’s office for District Judge Glenn Bates, whose staff worked in the top floor of the Greene County Courthouse until they returned to the airport building in November.
“It’s been a long time in coming,” Belding said.
Belding said they’re looking forward to having the restaurant be available for possible evening events to give the location more use throughout the year.
“On the positive side, the tradition of having a restaurant there has not gone away. And we look forward to seeing the same crowd there for breakfast and lunch and social events,” Belding said. “There’s flexibility and some other opportunities for special events in the evening to be innovative in the future.”
The Hardings, who have four children, are equally excited to open the restaurant and embed themselves in the community while offering a new dining option.
“Really, our goal is to open something that is hopefully similar to what was there,” Harding said.
“Hopefully, it’s something the community can enjoy,” he added. “I know there is anticipation and excitement. Everyone you talk to is excited. We’re excited to invest in the community and be part of the airport proper down there.”