Historic places are not just old buildings with interesting architectural design – they are living pieces of history. Each has a unique story to tell that adds to its charm. There is an allure that cannot be replicated.
Much like Cheers, The Inn on St. Louis has been the meeting place for many couples who met here and eventually married, and many who simply celebrated milestone events through many generations of caretakers over the years.
The Inn on St. Louis is one of the oldest, continuously operating inns and local restaurants in South Jersey, dating back to the late 1800s when the Roesch Family owned and operated the Inn as the John Roesch Hotel. Built during an era when horse and buggy was the main method of transportation, it was a long trip for visitors travelling from Philadelphia to Atlantic City and The Inn was a comfortable rest stop and local meeting place. The Roesch Hotel offered rooms above the Inn— a safe place to spend the night while enjoying a home-cooked meal.
Local historical records show the property existing as early as the 1890s, but some say it began in the 1870s. Original access panels in the basement reveal the original coal chute under the front porch where coal was delivered for heating, and a steep, hand-built, century-old staircase remains in the rear of the basement for deliveries back then.
John Roesch’s nephew was George Sorg who eventually took over and renamed the Roesch Hotel to the Sorg Hotel. We believe this era lasted into the 1940s or ‘50s under George “Gork” Sorg.
Sorg was a master carpenter in the boating industry. As times changed and the comfort of the automobile was now common, he lived above in the largest of the apartments on the north side, and continued operating hotel rooms above on the south side, while running the Inn as a “Men’s Bar.”
As of late 2023, local resident, Anna Walker, 84, recalled her friendship with Sorg’s daughter, Peggy (deceased) and hanging out on the property. She recalled Mrs. Abel cooking for the Inn.
Dr. Bob Senese, a retired EHC physician in his 80s today and now lives near Batsto, married Peggy Sorg and he and their daughter, Sorg’s granddaughter, Kathy Senese, are still in the area.
There may be a gap in history between the 1940s and the next documented owners. Sometime in the 1980s, there was a fire in a garage that housed some of the city’s historical tax records and this era is now a mystery.
Sometime in the late 1970s, Giacomo’s Vineyard opened at the Inn as an Italian Restaurant and that was a prominent local restaurant for decades.
Local resident and waitress Kay Breder preceded Giacomo’s and spent over 20 years in the building, carrying over to Bob and Sue Miller’s subsequent ownership.
Actress Yuvonne DeCarlo, “Lily” of Munsters, loved Giacomo’s and dined here often. It’s noted that there are bullet holes behind the siding in the vestibule, rumored to be an unsuccessful warning to Nicky Scarfo, who also frequented the Inn during Giacomo’s era.
Eventually, Carl Schlue, member of the Iron Workers Union and proprietor of another establishment on Philadelphia Avenue near Duerer Street, took over for Giacomo’s while money was still owed to Atco bank.
Schlue is said to have assumed the property and the bank note, and he apparently moved the liquor license to his establishment. It’s said that he eventually gave the property back to the bank and then it was sold to Bob and Sue Miller, late summer/fall 1991. The Millers eventually purchased and transferred another license back to the property. It operated through 2004 as the Inn of Egg Harbor.
In 2004, local contractor Alex McKee purchased the Inn and the successful era of McKee’s Irish Pub began.
In 2011, McKee sold the property to Tom and Bonnie Young, who are still regular patrons today. The Youngs operated Irish Eyes Tavern in the early 2010s and partnered with local pizza legends Sal and Pete for a short time. Then the property was leased very briefly to a restaurant called Spanish Eyes.
In 2017, Bob and Anne Lund, also patrons today, opened a German themed restaurant Fest Haus, a local favorite to many.
The property was purchased in 2023 by the current owner, Ken Schaffer, who along with General Manager Ryan Beebe, created “The Inn on St. Louis” as we know it today. The property was acquired, fully renovated with a desire to retain all original elements of this historic property, and The Inn On St. Louis officially opened in summer 2024.
Throughout the Inn’s 135+ years of operation, one thing has remained a quaint, historic property that transforms the patron back in time with century old hardwood, authentic tin ceilings and appointments that have served many generations of the local community.
We look forward to creating many new memories and new traditions for the Inn. We’d also love to see digital copies of old menus and scanned photos of years gone by, and hear your unique stories to include in our compilation of history! While this historical compilation is believed to be correct, it is history that’s based on the recollection of many locals, so some facts contained here are subject to correction over time as we learn more through the locals who have so passionately frequented The Inn over the past century.
As the new proprietors of this historic property, we’re honored to continue the legacy of the hardworking families in Egg Harbor City who cared for this place. We’d love to hear from past patrons who’ve made memories within these walls.
