In 2021, Megan Marcaurelle-Jones and her husband Cody moved to Bellefonte to open their very own cocktail bar. Their passion project, The Republic, is located on the first floor of the Gamble Mill, and Megan says that opening it has been “so rewarding.”

“We have truly enjoyed getting to know the community of other small business owners and love living in this area”

Over the past sixteen years, Marcaurelle has been involved in many environments in the service industry ranging from a family-owned Italian restaurant to an Irish Pub to a classic Victorian tea house to and a semi-corporate microbrewery. “In my last position of nine years, I also had the opportunity to manage part-time and was used on our corporate training team to open several new restaurants,” she said. “This gave me a vital understanding of the knowledge and skill it requires to take on your own business.”

She says that being her boss is a challenge, but it’s also freeing. “The responsibility can be daunting at times, but I love the opportunity to make decisions to better our business and bring a unique and enjoyable experience to our customers.”

Her favorite thing about her role at the Republic? “It’s the connection that I can make with the customer,” she said. “I love making a cocktail for someone and watching their face light up as they enjoy it… it makes the job very rewarding. We’ve met so many wonderful people over the past year that love our little pub.”

“At The Republic, our biggest priorities are environment, consistency, and service,” she added. “We want customers to love our cozy atmosphere, receive outstanding customer service, and rely on the fact that their favorite cocktail will have the same great, consistent quality no matter which bartender is making it.”