The Daily Standard
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Prior to The James Watson House's opening, the building underwent a complete overhaul.
CELINA - The James Watson House will close its doors after New Year's Eve, clearing the way for a new establishment called The 202 Tavern that will be run by a pair of local restauranteurs.
The James Watson House opened around June 2023, reintroducing to the community a historic, nearly 150-year-old downtown mainstay at 202 S. Main St. that at one point had fallen into disrepair and was at risk of being demolished.
Chris and Cassie Campbell, co-owners of the award-winning restaurant The Merchant House in Greenville, have operated The James Watson House, an upper-casual, fine dining restaurant known for its seafood dishes such as Cajun linguine, as well as its line of steaks.
The Campbells now seek to focus their energy on their family and The Merchant House, according to a post on The James Watson House Facebook page.
The actual building at 202. S. Main St. is owned by Michael Hoying and Phil Moeller. Hoying, a St. Henry native, is vice president and partner of Dayton-based construction business Brackett Builders.
Moeller lives in Maria Stein and owns Moeller Real Estate.
"We're just supper appreciative of all the support from Celina, from Mercer County, the surrounding areas, from everyone that went there and supported the business, and of Chris and Cassie and their efforts, as well," Moeller told The Daily Standard. "They're going to focus their energies on The Merchant House."
Meanwhile, Jacob Poeppelman and Amanda Bruce, owners of The Anchor and The Bay, both located in Celina, are gearing up to launch The 202 Tavern in the soon-to-be vacated first floor of the three-story building at 202 S. Main St.
"We're also very excited for what the future holds with Jacob and Mandy," Moeller said. "They've done a great job at other locations, and we expect the same, so we think the new restaurant is going to be just a great place for people to go in downtown Celina, and we hope to continue to do good things and bring more and more people there."
The two weren't ready to share conceptual details about The 202 Tavern, which they hope to open sometime in February, but shared a joint statement about their newest venture.
"(It) will be another downtown venue for family and friends to come together to share their love for food, drinks, and maybe a little entertainment," they said. "We're fortunate to have been approached with this new business opportunity, and the public's response to the announcement has been heartwarming."
The two said they're pretty sure that The 202 Tavern will bring "something that most of the community will enjoy."
All of the current staff at The James Watson House have been offered positions at The 202 Tavern, Bruce said in a text message.
"Most all of them are excited to be joining our team!" she added. "We will have an estimated 30 employees, I believe - most of which are already hired."
Asked if they will utilize the layout and aesthetic of the building, Bruce said some small changes within the walls are necessary to meet their goals.
Prior to The James Watson House's opening, the building underwent a complete overhaul. The first floor was painstakingly gutted and rebuilt into a magnificent eatery boasting a rustic industrial look with modern flourishes.
The interior features high ceilings, wooden floors and exposed brick walls.
"I think I knew what we were getting into with it being 140 years old, and we've done a few older buildings in the past," Hoying previously told the newspaper. "So I think it's using the surprises, taking advantage of them. We weren't sure that we would have exposed brick. We weren't sure how easy or not easy the plaster would come off but that turned out really well."
The striking three-story brick building is painted white. The front lower half features black paneling, several windows and the name "The James Watson House" spelled out in stately gold.
