Our Story
A former stagecoach stop, the Antlers Inn has been a local landmark in Tioga County Pennsylvania for over 80 years. Located along Route 6 between Gaines and the town of Wellsboro, the original 130 seat restaurant and tavern was owned for over 40 years by Ed and Cathy McCarthy.
In 1983 the McCarthy's sold the restaurant to Sandi and Ron Lundgren. Sandi had served the McCarthy's as a faithful Antlers employee since 1981, learning the business as she went.
Sandi ran the restaurant for the first 2 years while Ron continued working at Davis Furniture in Wellsboro. Soon Ron joined Sandi as the popularity of the restaurant continued to grow.
Ron, an avid outdoorsman and artist, began to add his touches to the restaurant as Sandi continued to manage the overall operation of the restaurant.
Ron enjoyed sharing his love for the outdoors with people who would visit the restaurant. Soon he began displaying his personal artwork and hunting-trophy collection at the Antlers for others to enjoy. Eventually every possession that Ron held dear was on display including his great-grandfather's guns and his grandfather's deer mount.
For over 20 years the Antlers Inn continued to gain popularity and notoriety for their great food, superior hospitality, excellent catering service and the amazing collection of wilderness artwork and hunting trophies on display.
While Sandi and Ron were in Philadelphia on May 9, 2006, where Ron was being treated for pulmonary fibrosis, they received a call that the Antlers Inn had burned down.
Committed to rebuilding once Ron's heath improved, Sandy and Ron looked toward the future. Improving Ron's health was the first priority though, which meant new lungs for Ron. Ron did receive new lungs but due to complications, Ron died on June 19, 2006.
Sandi's world was turned upside down. But through the support of her family and friends she pressed on.
With complete trust in family friend Bill Duell (a well-known local builder), plans for the new Antlers were drawn up around the theme "family and friends." And on November 22, 2006 reconstruction of the new 180-seat Antlers Inn Restaurant and Sports Bar began under Bill's supervision.
The result is a showplace and a celebration of Ron Lundgren's life. Hunters far and wide who knew Ron donated their most prized mounts for display at the new Antlers to replace the ones lost in the fire.
There are massive bucks, a moose, a couple of caribou and even a wolverine. And people to whom Ron had sold or had given his artwork over the years donated it back to Sandi for display at the restaurant because the fire had claimed his entire personal collection.
During the grand opening weekend of the Antlers Inn Mothers Day weekend 2006, Sandi said, "In my wildest dreams, I never expected the restaurant to turn out this good!"
The Antler's story was featured in the July 2007 edition of Mountain Home Magazine.