Twisted Thistle in Leechburg temporarily closes amid staffing, cost issues

An upscale eatery in Leechburg has closed for the summer months.

Twisted Thistle on Market Street announced the news on social media Saturday.

Co-managing partners Linda Alworth and Joe Hesketh said the decision to close to the dining public was necessitated by staffing issues and increased food prices and poor quality of produce and meats.

Alworth said the business is experiencing sharp profit losses of about $30,000 monthly.

“We are not permanently closing,” Alworth said. “This is a ‘save our business’ cause.”

Hesketh said he was hopeful economic conditions would have improved by now and called the closing, however frustrating, a “temporary setback.”

“We weathered the storm of covid and thought we would recover the downfalls we took, and now we are being hit.

“We refuse to sacrifice quality or raise our prices beyond what our patrons can afford,” Hesketh said.

Alworth said three recently hired employees failed to show up. In addition, covid-19 pandemic-related paycheck protection program funds received from the federal government in 2020 have been depleted.

“We just can’t remain open with a skeleton crew,” Alworth said.

She added that food prices are up and the quality of produce is poor. She said it is difficult to get quality meats because of supply issues from meat companies.

“The quality has just diminished,” Alworth said.

Customers with Twisted Thistle gift cards may redeem them at Market Street Pizza in Leechburg or the Crossbar Grill in New Kensington, both of which remain open, or at any private party at Twisted Thistle.

Private party and event bookings will continue at Twisted Thistle.

Twisted Thistle was on the market in 2019 but didn’t sell.

After Alworth decided to take the restaurant off the market, she revamped the menu, offering lower prices, and partnered with Hesketh.

The historic four-story building built in 1902 was formerly the Penn-Lee Hotel and before that the National Hotel and the Twaddle Hotel.

Alworth saved the structure from demolition, buying it for $100,000 in 2009. She spent more than $1 million in renovations.

Twisted Thistle opened in 2013 and is the sole caterer for nearby Lingrow Farm, a wedding and event venue in Gilpin.

Alworth said the closure of the Allegheny Technologies Inc. Bagdad plant in Gilpin has hurt business.

“There were thousands of people who worked there. Our lunch business back then was great — the bar was full. After it closed, we saw that business go downhill,” Alworth said.

Alworth said she and Hesketh will reevaluate conditions at the end of the summer.

“I’m hoping to reopen this fall,” Alworth said.