Wildflowers restaurant in New Hope sold to former Logan Inn co-owner Nick Gialias

Wildflowers restaurant in New Hope, PA (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

New Hope's Wildflowers restaurant has been sold to Nick Gialias, formerly of the Logan Inn, by owner Bob Madrick, the parties confirmed Thursday. Gialias plans to rename the establishment and convert it into an "upscale, comfortable and casual bar."

Wildflowers has been popular with New Hope visitors for more than three decades because it offered an affordable, eclectic menu and intimate back garden overlooking Ingham Creek and South Main Street. Co-owner Grant Waldman passed away three years ago, and partner Bob Madrick has said that he wants to move on.

Madrick and Waldman purchased the building at 8 W. Mechanic St. during a period of rapid growth in New Hope, and began selling cookies. Waldman also wrote and produced local plays and ran a canine rescue facility in Thailand. The cookie shop evolved into a cafe featuring Thai, Mexican and other cuisine, and ultimately obtained a liquor license.


It's that license that is pivotal to the purchase by Gialias, a member of the family that owns New Hope’s famed Logan Inn. Gialias confirmed in January that he had left that business to strike out on his own. Gialias, 35, is also a Republican member of New Hope Borough Council.

A resident of Riverwoods with a wife and daughter, Gialias has a background in biomedical engineering and is a wine expert, among other talents. And therein lies the apparent astuteness of the business move: while Wildflowers sports both extremely limited property space and structural issues, it will make an excellent wine/beer/spirits bar offering specially "paired" menu items (an approach Gialias honed in his Nikolas restaurant at the Logan Inn).

"We're still working on a new name, but there will always be some element of Wildflowers there," said Gialias. "We're trying to revamp, restore, and renovate, so we want to make clear it's a new phase for this location.

"We hope to bring a new, fresh perspective, energy and drive to do something special there," he added. "It's about actually tasting what you're drinking, tasting what you're eating, tasting how they come together, and making that more accessible, fun, and approachable for everyone."

To that end, Gialias' new wine/beer/spirits bar will feature a food menu in which each item is tailored to a specific beverage, along with interesting sandwiches and salads to help entice the lunchtime crowd.

"I love the artisanal energy of New Hope and West Mechanic Street, so I'm looking to incorporate artisanal quality in cheese, charcuterie, and small plates," he said. "I also have a passion for wine and beer -- we had 22 drafts at the Logan Inn's outside bar -- along with scotch, rye and bourbon."

In terms of pricing, Gialias is direct: "We want people to have access to a real gourmet experience. They're looking for higher quality products without breaking the bank. We want to get them in and out for less than $20."

Added Gialias, "Wildflowers is a quirky old New Hope place, and we're looking to maintain that charm while spinning it around into a clean and modern combination of old and new."

The value of the sale was not disclosed, but Gialias is targeting the first week of June for opening. Needless to say, merchants on the block with knowledge of the deal are highly enthusiastic.

New Hope’s Logan Inn may be close to sale

Logan Inn in New Hope PA (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

It’s no secret that the Logan Inn in New Hope has been on the market for $6.7 million.

Located on one acre of downtown New Hope turf, it boasts 16 rooms, 73 parking spaces, and seating for 400 at the Nikolas restaurant. Nick Gialias, the restaurant’s namesake and member of the inn’s ruling family, confirmed Wednesday that he has left the business and will be starting his own venture shortly.

Now, sources close to the situation say the Logan Inn is near sale and the buyer may be Hotel du Village owner Landmark Hospitality. Landmark Principals Frank and Jeanne Cretella bought the nearby Hotel du Village in 2013, and recently presented a proposal to Solebury’s Historical Architectural Review Board to renovate and expand the buildings and grounds. “We are proposing a bed and breakfast comprised of six guest rooms and a spa,” said the company in an open letter to Solebury residents.

Landmark was less chatty this week, offering no response to phone calls and emails requesting comment. The real estate agent listing the property said he “had no information to add.” But the Logan Inn acknowledged in a statement Wednesday attributed to owners Pete and Mary Ann Gialias that, “As of today, no official offer is in place, however, there are very interested parties.”

The Logan would fit in well with Landmark Hospitality’s other holdings, which tend toward the traditional, high-end and historic.

Aside from Hotel du Village, Landmark also owns and manages the Liberty House Restaurant inside Liberty State Park in Jersey City, Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren, NJ, Crave Caterers (an off-site catering division), Celebrate at Snug Harbor (inside Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens), and Landmark Destination Weddings. The Cretellas recently bought the well-known Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, NJ, which is undergoing extensive renovations.

Logan Inn in New Hope shifts restaurant focus toward the Mediterranean with introduction of ‘Nikolas’

Nikolas restaurant at the Logan Inn, New Hope, PA (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

The Logan Inn at 10 W. Ferry St. in New Hope has renamed its indoor/outdoor dining space “Nikolas”, and the new menu is impressive. Prices are not bargain basement, but owner Nick Gialias says that he “seeks out the finest, freshest ingredients, and then we go from there.

“The restaurant is named after my grandfather Nikolas to highlight our Mediterranean roots and our emphasis on good, natural food,” added Gialias.

The menu is presented in four prix fixe sections ranging from $35 to $75, with optional bottles of wine specially paired with each entre. A seven-course tasting menu is also available. Dishes like seared octopus, clams casino, Greek salad, grilled whole fish, prime rib, Kobe strip steak, filet mignon, and crab strudel with seared scallops underscore the surf and turf emphasis.

“We amped up the wine selection quite a bit,” said Gialias. “We brought in several new wines.” Not that a selection of more than 150 wasn’t enough, but Gialias’ latest additions reflect his love and knowledge of the grape, and also his disdain for mass produced wine products with numerous artificial additives.

Gialias says he’s adding wines from small family-owned vineyards, many of which specialize in organic production methods. White and red varieties from the United States, France and Italy are well represented, but the selections from Spain, Portugal, and Greece are standouts.

All in all, Nikolas adds an interesting, fresh take on Mediterranean-inspired cuisine to the downtown scene.

Bucks County Gallery of Fine Art in New Hope explores the art of booze

By Charlie Sahner

Oil painter Steve Messenger is best known for his realistic depictions of horses, but the works comprising his latest exhibit "represent a painted pub crawl through the bars, taverns, and dives I frequent in Philadelphia, Bucks County, and New Jersey," according to the artist.

"After long work hours at my Philadelphia studio and elsewhere, I spend many late nights in bars to unwind and catch up with my artist friends," explained Messenger. The painting style in this latest work is engaging and well executed, reflecting an expressiveness and use of light not seen in his earlier work.

Said gallery owner Howard Cooperman, "Steve's subject matter has changed drastically from equestrian portraiture to interior bar and tavern scenes sometimes referred to 'Ash Can Art'. The style emerged at the start of the last century, and is similar to that of Bob Beck."

Establishments depicted include the Logan Inn, Jack's Firehouse, and the Inn at Lambertville Station. There will be a cocktail-infused opening reception on Saturday June 2, from 2 to 5 p.m., and the exhibit runs through June.
Bucks County Gallery is located at 77 W. Bridge St. Phone 215-862-5272 with questions or for directions.

Who is Nick Gialias and why is he running for New Hope Borough Council?

Nick Gialias (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

Nick Gialias is a candidate for New Borough Council in the election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8. This year's polling site has been moved from the Eagle Fire Company building to the New Hope Borough Community Room adjacent to Borough Hall. Gialas will be vying with three other contenders for three open seats on New Hope's top governing body.

A resident of Riverwoods with a wife and young daughter, Gialias, 33, sees himself as a family man and businessman, but his background in biomedical engineering seems to underly the precision of his speech and the directness of his opinions. He owns the Logan Inn, a family business where his father is the chef and other relatives are frequently helping out with the perpetual urgencies that accompany any sprawling inn-restaurant-bar. Gialias is running on the Republican ticket in a town where party affiliations are of dubious concern. He is also known as a primary organizer of the New Hope/Lambertville Friday Night Fireworks.

So, why is Gialias trying to become a member of Borough Council?

"I'm really concerned about the prosperity of New Hope," he said. "I want to help bring it back to the flourishing community we have come to love. We need to bring back some of the institutions that defined New Hope -- the mule barges, Odette's, and the Playhouse, Zadar space and Delaware waterfront in general. There's very little access for residents and guests to view and enjoy the river," added Gialias.

The troubled Bucks County Playhouse is indeed on many residents' minds these days, and the symbolism of its financial plight is not lost on Gialas. "The Playhouse is more than a business issue.They don't appreciate how much the Playhouse means to the residents of New Hope. The bank doesn't care. For the bank, it's just a dollar asset. For us, it's more than that; it's part of our history, culture and identity here."

Gialias' solution to the Bucks County Playhouse fiasco: "We need to go to [Reps.] Bernie O'Neill, Chuck McIlhinney and Mike Fitzpatrick and get them into the process, and see what kind of support we could receive at the county or state level, be it legislative, financial, or public."

Gialas believes the beleaguered Bucks County Playhouse also reflects negatively on New Hope's reputation as a haven for the arts. "We need to encourage the arts, encourage painters and performers on the streets, not require permits. If we're going to say we're an arts community, we've got to bring the Playhouse back -- we've got to put our money where our mouth is."

Likewise, Gialias views reviving the currently dry section of the Delaware Canal running through New Hope as vitally important to the borough's prosperity. "Reviving the canal is about wildlife, tourism, beauty and history. I'd rather people try and fail -- at least you can bring attention to the problem, and you might get lucky and raise enough money to fix it up. You also show people your mind is in the right place," he said.

In terms of the high rate of store closings in New Hope, due in part to the uncertain national economy, Gialias said, "The way you get good shops here is by creating a good environment for them to prosper. Right now, restaurants are providing an important service to the community, which also helps all the shops in the vicinity.

"The businesses are really providing a tax base that keeps taxes lower. The restaurants are paying school tax, but not sending kids to school. People move here for the school system that is paid, in part, by restaurants. Parking meters and fines more than pay for the police. I can't imagine a future New Hope that's prosperous without a flourishing business community. Tourism supports the borough because it keeps taxes lower, supports the schools, and supports the police force."

Added Gialias, "My perspective comes from being a resident here, having a family here, and having a family business here. I want New Hope to do well, and I need New Hope to do well."

But, cautions Gialias, "We should be careful not to lose our sense of small-town community. We need to be treating everyone with dignity, and respect what they bring to the town. And we need to be supporting people who are looking to renovate, restore, and maintain old properties.

"People that scrape and paint their houses every year should be praised, and not criticized if it's not the exact right color. Sometimes we get off track with that," continued Gialias.

And what difference can one Borough Council member make?

Says Gialias, "I will try to better inform the public about the major issues in town and get them involved in the process. We all want New Hope to continue being a great, lively, vibrant place where we can bring our family, friends, and relatives."