3rd and Spruce Drafthaus Opens in West Reading

On May 12, the newly remodeled 3rd and Spruce Drafthaus opened their doors to an eager public. A beloved West Reading institution since 1983, the former Third and Spruce Cafe was previously owned by John Woodward.

When the pandemic forced the Cafe to close its doors last year, Woodward decided to sell the building instead of reopening himself. In April 2021, Victor Pytleski–who also owns The Ugly Oyster in Reading–purchased the property and reopened the restaurant as 3rd and Spruce Drafthaus.
​
​General Manager Jared Klinger shared that while the building was remodeled in many ways (new paint, flooring, etc.), they worked hard to keep a sense of the original aesthetic of the building for customers. “It’s an iconic building,” he said, noting that they kept the neon lighting the bar was famous for, as well as the giant bottle cap on one of the walls.