The Hotel Kast, located at 723 Arch St., Williamsport, has been in operation since 1887.

The bar and restaurant hotel has been owned and operated by brothers Kevin and Shawn Pequignot since 2011.

“I always refer to it as the modern day Cheers,” Keven Pequignot, Owner of The Hotel Kast said. “I’ve got to know a lot of good people throughout the years,” he added.

The bar and restaurant has a full menu with a variety of options including sandwiches, baskets, soups, salads, pastas, desserts and more.

“We do have a full menu with pretty much a little bit of everything. We have specials that are different every week,” Pequignot said.

The historical building was built in 1860 and was first used as a general store by Daniel Hurr and a cobblers shop by Pat Carey.

Later Alfred Bastian Kast rented and operated the building as the “Old Homestead Hotel” for four years. In 1887, he purchased the building and renamed it “The Arch Street Hotel.”

He ran the Hotel until 1896, when his son-in-law, Edward H. Kast became the proprietor, according to a written history of the building.

The hotel stayed within the Kast family until 2011, when it was bought by the Pequignot brothers.

“It’s always been in the Kast family. We are the first outside of the Kasts since 1887. It’s always been the same family, for generations,” Pequignot said.

Although the building’s historic charm remains, the two brothers have done renovations on the building since buying it in 2011.

The hotel’s rooms all have newly renovated bathrooms.

They also added a patio with outdoor seating which is widely known and referred to as the “OutKast area,” where customers can sit and enjoy the outdoor atmosphere.

The Hotel Kast will be throwing a Halloween party on Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with music by DJ Bean. Customers attending are encouraged to dress up.

Like many other local businesses, The Hotel Kast is currently looking for employees.

“We are short on help right now. It’s tough. It’s a struggle for everybody right now,” Pequignot said.

The Hotel Kast is open 7 days a week and is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Weekly specials are often posted to The Hotel Kast Facebook page.

For more information on The Hotel Kast and daily dinner specials, follow their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheHotelKast.