SIGEL, Pa. (EYT) — Construction has begun on a new restaurant at the Farmers Inn in Sigel.

Owner Kim Lucas said Thursday that contractors began digging holes to set the posts.

“It’s nice to see work beginning,” Lucas said.

Four months ago, the restaurant at the property was destroyed in a fire in the midst of their 40th-anniversary celebration.

Although the tragedy left many long-time visitors to the iconic Cook Forest landmark saddened, a little more than a week after the fire, the restaurant was open again with a sandwich shop and ice cream parlor as well as the petting zoo, mini golf, and other amenities.

Farmers Inn is closed for the year, but Lucas said she hopes to reopen in mid-April in time for the first day of trout fishing season.

“We usually stay open until the end of October or early November, but with all the work going on here, we decided it was best to close now,” Lucas said. “It’s a little crazy here now.”

Lucas said once the posts are in and the footers poured, a Morton Building shell that will house the new restaurant will be placed on the pad that was already built by a Sigel-based company, Daniels Brothers Excavating and Contracting.

“The Morton Buildings are pretty nice, and we will have a nice cupola on the roof,” Lucas said. “We’re hoping to have the building closed in before Christmas, so we can work inside during the bad weather.”

Despite the major setback, Lucas is still grateful for all the support she received from long-time customers who stopped to offer encouragement.

“Everyone has been so sweet,” Lucas said. “Some came to see what had happened, and others were totally flabbergasted when they got here.”

“We’re glad we could reopen as soon as we did, so people didn’t just think we were never going to reopen. We appreciate everyone’s well wishes, and we think they’ll be tickled to see us again in the spring.”

For more information, call 814-752-2942 or go to Farmers Inn Facebook page.