Inside the preserved 1900s service station, you can find full bellies, big smiles, and happy workers on account of the flourishing local businesses that encapsulate The Station. Since opening on October 1, 2021, it is now home to six small businesses that attend to customers Wednesday through Sunday. The variety of vendors ranges anywhere from a bar, wood-fired pizza, and an ice cream place perfect for a sweet treat.

The Station has always been a key landmark, even before becoming a social hub. When purchased in 2018, it was a crucial detail that all unique aspects of the late service station be preserved and boasted in the renovated version. The design team was the one tasked to preserve the unique aspects of the original building as well as add modern-day touches. The new and functioning eatery provides a familiar gathering place for most families as they make this destination a weekly landing place to meet friends and family.

As The Station is located in Dublin, this does not stop people from traveling for a tasty and affordable bite to eat. Ava Kiwak, a local Pennridge student, and her family often find themselves ordering from Little Devils, a burger joint, on the weekend. Kiwak acknowledges the fact that it isn’t the closest to her house. When discussing what is so enticing about the food made here, she states, “The food is made fresh”. Such a simple statement, yet in a country where fast food can be found on every street corner, it’s a needed, refreshing outlet. It has taken the responsibility of becoming a place where you know your food is being made and prepared with the utmost quality and attention. The masters behind the food and found on the other side of the counter are the workers and dedicated owners of these beloved eateries. An aspect that makes The Station a unique hotspot is the originality of all the restaurants. All of the restaurants found here are either one-of-a-kind or one of just a few in the Bucks County region. This makes for a symbiotic relationship between customers and businesses. As Itri wood-fired pizza worker Nolan Shaw put it, “We feed people. Having this area sets up a social space for people to hang out and communicate with each other.”

Beyond the fact that The Station is where most come to satisfy their hunger, the overall space is used for much more than that. With a weekly rotation of new and exciting events, there is no better place to hold them than in the heart of Dublin. One of which is a local religious youth group, Young Life. Young Life has the opportunity to use the space every two weeks on Monday to meet and hang out. Jordan Feder, an active member of Young Life, is more than happy to be in such a space and claimed, “It allows us to have a big open space to have Young Life and allow us to grow as a club. We previously were in a basement and outgrew that. The restaurants know we are there, and they don’t mind.”

As the old is replaced with the new, The Station is a perfect example of the community-inspired spaces needed in towns such as Dublin. The focus and love shown to local businesses and the enrichment of the community through them will forever leave huge impacts not only on our community but also on the people within.

Sources:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/pennsylvania/gas-station-restaurant-pa/
https://stationpa.com/
https://buckscountyherald.com/stories/dublins-coming-of-age-mixes-old-and-new-dublin-town-center,25765
https://bucksco.today/2023/09/new-hybrid-eatery-dublin/