#5578 - Majestic Bar and Grille, Greenville, PA - 2/21/2024

Majestic Bar & Grille, Greenville, PA

Greenville, Pennsylvania was incorporated in 1836 at the fork of the Shenango River, about five miles from the Ohio border, approximately 80 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. "The Majestic" was established in a former livery on Main Street here in 1920, selling hotdogs ever since then, as well as liquor since the end of prohibition. It was purchased by Marc and Jean Rinella in 1992, and they ran it for 32 years before selling it to  Rod and Jill Wilt and Tyler Hudson in 2024.

With the mills closing and liquor laws changing, the Rinellas oversaw a major change in tone, in decor, and just about everything else except the hotdogs. I will quote liberally here from an interview of Marc Rinella in the Greenview Record Argus:

Majestic Bar & Grille, Greenville, PA

"This was a shot-and-a-beer bar with hot dogs," Marc [Rinella] said. "The smoke was so thick in here you could cut it with a knife. That's the way we kept it until we started to see the industry collapse." ... The Majestic crew would have to get to the Main Street, Greenville, establishment at 3 a.m. to prepare.

"At 7am this place would be packed when the midnight shift would come in," Marc said. "You couldn't get in the door."

But then the Trinity, CB&I and the Bessemer mills closed, followed by changes in state law, forcing the business to choose between continuing to allow smoking or continuing to allow customers under 18.

"We decided that there wasn't any more industry left here to support us any longer," he continued. "We had to make a heavy investment to turn this into a family operation."

In 2009, they embarked on a three-year project to completely renovate the Majestic, adding the taxidermy, collectibles and historical artifacts, as well as redoing the roof, ceiling, plumbing, heating, AC and more.  (recordargus) 

It was a pleasant enough stop for on this particular day, but I sure would have liked to have seen it when it was a dive rollicking with mine workers.

191 Main St, Greenville, PA 16125 - (724) 588-6070
Est. 1933?  
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook 
Reviews: sharonherald - sharonherald - recordargusnews - yelp - tripadvisor