Entrepreneurship and restoration meet at Rockwood Mill Shoppes & Opera House

By Julie M. Young, Contributing Writer 

Nearly a decade ago, Judy Pletcher had an idea to open a gym in Rockwood, Pa. While looking for a building to house it in, she stumbled upon an old feed mill and an entirely new occupation – proprietor of Rockwood Mill Shoppes & Opera House.

Opened in 2000, Rockwood Mill Shoppes & Opera House is home to over 15 retailers, from antique, craft, and gift stores to food and baked good shops, and includes an opera house with live entertainment. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

Falling in love…with a building
Pletcher toured a 100 year-old feed store that had been unused for eight years, and she had a feeling that it could be something special. Then, she learned from a descendant of the building’s original owner that it was more than just a feed mill – it also had a late-1800’s opera house that had once entertained with vaudeville troupes. In 1952, the owner rented the building for a feed mill, but had no use for the opera house. “My generation had no idea the room was there,” Pletcher said. Fortunately, rather than destroy the opera house, the owner had merely tiled the entrance shut. 

The idea of an opera house intrigued Pletcher and she knew that the building had much more potential than use as a fitness center. She decided to renovate the opera house and bring the old mill back to life as specialty shops. “I had never been interested in old things, particularly buildings,” Pletcher said, “But once I saw the opera house, even though the ceilings and walls were falling, I knew this is what I wanted to do – make it beautiful once more!”

But, before she bought the store, Pletcher needed the sign-off of a very important stakeholder – her husband. “When I went home after looking at this building, I told my husband that I wanted to buy the feed store,” Pletcher explains. “He looked at me and said, ‘Woman, have you lost your mind?’” She assured him that she was up to the challenge and wanted to take on the project. Her husband conceded and signed on for the task. They both continued to work their day jobs (Pletcher had been an owner of Venture Coal Sales Company & Action Mining, Inc.). At night, they worked seemingly endless hours scrubbing, cleaning, painting, and restoring the old feed mill to its past glory.

"You would think it would be quite taxing to our relationship, but I think that most times we were too tired to let that happen,” Pletcher explained. Restoring the old building became a family affair, with everyone pitching in – and with all of its incumbent challenges. “I tell everyone that we are still married – actually 38 years – my two children still talk to me, and now I have five wonderful grandchildren.”

Optimism key to taking on a challenge
Restoring the old mill was no easy task. Pletcher wanted the building to keep its historic integrity, and her goal was to list it on the National Register of Historic Buildings – an ordeal that meant she had to comply with the rules of historical preservation. Add to that the challenge of making a 100 year-old building compliant to today’s standards as a workplace and marketplace, and Pletcher had quite a few inspections and paperwork on her hands. She turned to various organizations for support. She received help in preparing her historical preservation documents and loan applications, and visited the St. Francis University Small Business Development Center for help with her business plan.

“You have to be optimistic,” Pletcher advises. She said that no matter what type of business or organization you are involved in, there are always frustrations – but somehow, they manage to work themselves out. Pletcher adds, “A nice bubble bath with a scented candle and a glass of wine can make those frustrations seem less important.”

Becoming a tourist attraction
One risk that Pletcher took in restoring the old feed mill and opera house was location. Rockwood is a small community in rural Somerset County, and making such a large investment in tourism could have been considered questionable. To attract visitors, she advertises on TV and in travel publications, goes to tourism trade shows, and presents to civic groups. She also promotes the attraction as a great stop for group tours. As a former president of Somerset County Chamber of Commerce, Pletcher knows how important it is to join area chambers and convention and visitor’s bureaus – organizations that help get the word out about her business.

All of her hard work is paying off. The Rockwood Mill Shoppes & Opera House has been thriving for five-and-a-half years now, and Pletcher now employs six people. And, she’s getting some recognition.

Recently, Penn Woods Boy Scout Council presented her with the “Salute to Women” award for tourism. “I actually cried,” Pletcher admitted. She says that she had not intention of creating a tourist attraction when the project began. But what started as a hobby turned into a new career. “To know that someone else realized and appreciated everything that had been done and looked at me with respect – it was just overwhelming.”

As for Pletcher’s original plan, the gym? She did that, too. The Rockwood Fitness Center is located at the feed mill.