HONESDALE, PA — Ten years ago, expanding business into Honesdale would have been “more of a sales pitch” than anything else, said Justin Genzlinger, CEO and owner of Settlers Hospitality.

Today, it’s a different story. With recent population growth, croppings of new businesses, downtown revitalization efforts and national recognition, Honesdale is on the rise.

So, when Vince Benedetto—founder and CEO of Bold Gold Media Group—came to him with the idea of partnering up to purchase the former Irving Cliff Brewery building and starting a business of their own, Genzlinger called it a “no-brainer.” They quickly agreed to team up along with their two other managing partners, Greg Pollock and Joe Napoli—the latter brought some industry knowledge as owner of a microbrewery in Atlantic City.

“Plenty of others have paved the way in Honesdale for the next generation of development,” said Genzlinger, whose hospitality group includes restaurants and hotels in Hawley, Carbondale and the Catskills. “Honesdale is just a nice bridge… we don’t look at Hawley and Honesdale as being different markets. Over time, I would hope Milford to Honesdale is seen as just one economic region.”

The vision Benedetto brought to Genzlinger: open up a new brewery and restaurant—under their newly formed LLC, D&H Brewing Co.—and take advantage of the building’s location alongside the historic tracks where the Stourbridge Lion ran in 1829.

“Bold Gold Media is kind of centered in Honesdale and it’s also where we got started (18 years ago nearly to the day of our conversation),” Benedetto said. “It’s been a great community to be a business owner in… you can travel far and wide throughout America and not find a main street as wonderful as Honesdale’s.”

Named Runaway Train, the new eatery and saloon’s branding is centered through and through around the town’s history as “birthplace of the American railroad.” Upon walking in and noting the decor—reminiscent of an old railway station—you can request a table inside The Dining Car for a quieter, more private experience. Or you can grab a stool at The Saloon, where you can order house brews such as the Wet Your Whistle, a mild English ale, or the Jump The Traxx, a double IPA.

They’re also planning to roll out an incentive program for repeat customers, called the Foamers Society, a double entendre of the bubbly froth that rises to the top of a beer and the slang term for avid train enthusiasts.

Everything in the restaurant is train themed.

The railroad isn’t the only industry to which the borough is historically tied. As explained on Runaway's menus, the original Irving Cliff Brewery opened in 1851, its name referring to the caves at the base of Honesdale’s locally renowned Irving Cliff. The caves maintained an constant, cool temperature—perfect for storing beer.

“We really wanted to take the customers on a journey with us as we roll out these beers… It’s a business journey, but it’s also a local journey,” Benedetto said. “Trains bring out the kid in all of us. When a train rolls by, we all stop and watch.”

Runaway Train’s ribbon-cutting ceremony has already taken place, but the locomotive has only just left the station. In addition to ideas for expanding the restaurant with an outdoor eating area and beer garden, Benedetto and Genzlinger want to distribute their brand of beers throughout the region and beyond.

“The next step is getting us on draft at area restaurants and eventually canning and bottling,” Benedetto said.

With his existing network of establishments throughout Northeast PA and the Catskills, Genzlinger said they plan to start out by distributing the local brews internally. If things goes well, Runaway Train brews may eventually be available on tap in Harrisburg taverns, or as six-packs at beer stores in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

If that’s going to happen, the beer needs to be consistent. 

“If you order that beer and then come back a month later because you liked it so much, we want to make sure it tastes exactly the same,” Benedetto said. “That’s a hard thing to create.”

That’s what makes head brewer—aka the “mad scientist”—Charles Mills’s job so important.

“It’s a fun job, but it’s not just about drinking beer,” Mills said. “As brewer, your job is part science, part art and a lot of maintenance.”

The partners have big plans for the future of Runaway Train, but for now, their grand opening hasn’t even ended. Local band Steppin’ Eddy will be performing at the brewery Friday, August 25 at 8 p.m.

The scientist in his laboratory, Charles Mills has moved to Honesdale from New Jersey to join Runaway Train as head brewer.