Hinkle's Pharmacy restaurant will remain open as developers buy it

York Daily Record

Phil Snyder, left, of Columbia and Gregg Dubbs, who lives near Millersville, have been coming for breakfast at Hinkle's Pharmacy in Columbia for years. Snyder referring to the closing says, "this is a pulse of the community and when you shut that down you just cut the pulse." But word came in the last few days that a new owner will take over the restaurant.

Hinkle's Pharmacy is going to continue to be an institution in downtown Columbia.

Local developers Don and Becky Murphy are buying the pharmacy on the corner of Third and Locust streets.

While the pharmacy will close, the restaurant will continue to operate, Don Murphy said. It will be closed for four days as part of the transition, and the restaurant will reopen at 7 a.m. Oct. 30.

The restaurant will be run by the current head chef, John Sipe, and managers Robin Ortman and Tom Davis. The roughly 40 restaurant employees will be able to keep their jobs, Murphy said.

More:Columbia is losing an institution in Hinkle's Pharmacy

More:Hinkle's Pharmacy in Columbia is closing

John F. Hinkle III, the current owner, had announced earlier this month that the 124-year-old business would close on Oct. 25 because of its "declining financial position."

The establishment has been the nucleus in town, and that's why the Murphys and their company, Cimarron Investments, looked into purchasing it.

"Having that void would have been detrimental to the revitalization of downtown," he said.

The Murphys plan to expand the kitchen into the area where the pharmacy will be vacating. They also are considering adding more seating or possibly a banquet room.

They also are in talks with the people who run the gift shop about continuing its operation, Murphy said.