Stratigos Banquet owner buys defunct Banquets Unlimited for $406,000

The owner of a popular North Huntingdon banquet hall has expanded his business by buying a closed Irwin banquet facility in bankruptcy court and plans to renovate it in hopes of reopening it in April or May.

Harry Stratigos, owner of Stratigos Banquet Centre on Colonial Manor Road, acquired Banquets Unlimited at 544 Caruthers Lane for $346,000 during a hearing in November in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Pittsburgh, according to court documents. Under the corporate name AGEO Inc. of White Oak, Stratigos paid an additional $60,000 for the rights to purchase the liquor license through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

Stratigos, president of AGEO, said he saw it as an opportunity to expand with another venue, and “it was right in our wheelhouse,” not far from his banquet hall.

With a planned spring opening, Stratigos said, it will be available for families seeking a venue for first communion and graduation parties. He said he intends to prepare the food at his Stratigos Banquet Centre and transport it to the Caruthers Lane site.

“It’s another venue to do other functions,” Stratigos said of the Banquets Unlimited site, which seats about 150.

The Banquets Unlimited hall in Irwin and one in Wilmerding were part of the July 2018 personal bankruptcy filing of Ronald Vito Tarquinio and Joy A. Tarquinio of North Huntingdon. When they filed for bankruptcy, the Tarquinios did so under a plan designed to allow the owners to repay all or part of their debt. They listed the Banquets Unlimited business in Irwin as having no value, according to the bankruptcy filing, but estimated the value of the property at $300,000. The banquet hall in Wilmerding was valued at $200,000.

The property was offered for sale last summer.

Stratigos paid $106,000 more than he initially offered for the property, which was $240,000 plus $60,000 for the liquor license. In a bidding battle in a bankruptcy court proceeding for the property and liquor license, Stratigos’ bid of $406,000 was $1,000 more than that of Logan and Edward Caswell .

Stratigos said he will rename the facility in honor of his father, James, who started the family’s catering business. Harry Stratigos recorded the property in Westmoreland County under the business name General Jim’s LLC.