CUMBERLAND — Fans of the iconic D’Atri cheese steak may soon be able to enjoy the subs on the newly renovated downtown Cumberland mall.
Garrett Eagan and Chris Hendershot, owners of the McMullen Building on Baltimore Street, said Monday that the restaurant will occupy 2,500 square feet of space on the ground floor of the building. D’Atri Pasta & Subs will feature fast-casual dining with seating for 70 and a full bar.
“We are thrilled to be able to get D’Atri’s into that space and we think it will be huge not only for our building but for all of the downtown,” said Hendershot.
“D’Atri’s is a household name in Cumberland,” said Eagan. “When you think of local food, one of the first things that pop into your head is D’Atri’s cheese steaks. So when we were given the opportunity to provide space to them, it was pretty much a no-brainer for us. We are really excited for them to be part of downtown Cumberland.”
The downtown pedestrian mall is currently undergoing a $16 million renovation, which includes reinstalling Baltimore Street through the mall and lining the space with new trees, plants and shrubs.
“They’ll have some options for outdoor seating once the Baltimore Street renovations are done,” said Hendershot.
Hendershot and Eagan said the restaurant could open later this year or early 2024.
“Folks can come in and order at the counter and sit at a table or the bar,” said Eagan. “ … This is an additional location to (D’Atri’s) Columbia Street location. It is not a move. They will still stay on Columbia Street in North End. This will be an additional location in the downtown.”
The McMullen Building was constructed in 1912 and best known in prior decades for housing Woolworths and later G.C. Murphy Co. department store.
Eagan and Hendershot, the owners of Cartridges Galore, purchased the building in 2020 and a $2.5 million renovation is almost complete. Nearly all of 14 residential units in the four-story building are rented and the businessmen are currently working to fill commercial spaces.
“D’Atri’s has the corner unit and there are two other businesses that are going to go in with them as well, so they’ll be three commercial spaces on the corner of the McMullen Building,” said Hendershot. “We are working behind the scenes now to fill the available spots and will probably be making announcements on those spaces in the coming weeks.
“We’ve enjoyed working with Mike and Susan (D’Atri) on this,” said Hendershot. “We are happy to help with the buildout and getting ready to open.”