The Accomac, a York County restaurant icon, is up for sale for $1.4 million, owners say

The Accomac, on the western bank of the Susquehanna River in Hellam Township, is up for sale, according to co-owner Charlene Campbell.

“We want the Accomac to continue to be as grand as it always has been,” Campbell said. “We want to work collaboratively with a new leader who is willing to work with our team.”

Charlene Campbell said her husband, Doug, will be retiring and both will be living in Arizona. Charlene Campbell, who owns and operates East to West Coast Special Event business, will continue to operate the business and travel between Arizona and Pennsylvania.

"It has been an amazing journey and I am grateful, but it is time for me to step down," Doug Campbell said in a release. "After 46 years, I am ready to spend more time enjoying my family, my dogs and my home in Arizona, while helping my wife with her … business."

The history

The original Accomac dates back to the late 18th century.

Doug Campbell first purchased the restaurant 46 years ago with a partner. While it was always called The Accomac Inn or, simply, The Accomac, it hasn’t always held the fine dining legacy it has now.

Campbell said when he first bought the restaurant, it was a “fisherman’s pub,” and he recalled a few funny instances with the old crowd.

More: Much history has happened on The Accomac site

“A bunch of bikers came in the front door expecting the old restaurant, and came in to white tablecloths and servers with tuxedos,” Campbell laughed. “They were very polite.”

John Birkeland of Rock Commercial Real Estate, who is handling the sale, said the restaurant has an “outstanding” reputation.

“It is a truly unique property, rich with history and a regional leader in fine dining,” Birkeland said. “This is a rare opportunity for a restauranteur to step up into an iconic ownership position."

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What’s next for Campbell

Campbell bought the restaurant as an investment property – he had several in the area over the years but sold them – but at The Accomac, something was different.

“As time went on… I thought this was kind of fun,” Campbell said. “I got more involved in the management, and I had good people working for me, and I enjoy problem solving, so it’s just been fun.”

Campbell, 74, has been tied to the Hellam Township restaurant for most of his life. Sure, there have been struggles, but there have also been plenty of great moments, too. It was through the restaurant’s catering service that he met his wife, Charlene.

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“I will miss this,” Campbell said. “It’s a transition to me for sure. I’m going to miss all my friends back in the restaurant, and I’m going to miss the work.”

Campbell is retiring to San Tan Valley, Arizona, about an hour southeast of Phoenix, where he hopes to do more fly fishing and hiking. He’s also looking to teach a few courses in restaurant management.

“It’s really starting a new life out here,” Campbell said. “I may be an old man, but I like to think that this new life is just going to be as exciting as the restaurant has been.”

Campbell credits the restaurant’s success – a fine dining restaurant in York County’s blue-collar restaurant scene – to his staff.

More: York dining scene booms; is that by chance, or part of a lasting movement?

“What’s made it work? It’s the people I’ve had working for me that make it work,” Campbell said. “I’m not a cook. I’m not there in the evenings… I have great respect for the people who are working for me, and they’re the ones with the new ideas and new thoughts.”

To view some of the changes at The Accomac in recent years, check out the gallery. Story continues below the gallery.

What’s next for the restaurant?

The restaurant, its catering business, liquor license, furniture and 7.9 acres of real estate are up for sale with Rock Commercial Real Estate for nearly $1.4 million.

In late 2016, the restaurant underwent several renovations, including redoing the décor and refreshing the menu.

More: These five restaurants will open in York County in 2018

“The days of the coat and tie are gone, so we recognized that,” Campbell said in December 2016 when the changes were completed. “We realized our décor was looking a bit tired, and it was time for a change.”

The Accomac is one of several longtime York County restaurants that has been up for sale in the last six months. In September, The Left Bank in York was sold by 19-year owners David and Julie Albright. Two months later, The Glen Rock Mill Inn was sold to two men, one of whom started his culinary career as a dishwasher at the restaurant.

Anthony J. Machcinski is the food reporter for the York Daily Record. Follow him on Facebook, @ChinskiTweets on Twitter or email him at amachcinski@ydr.com.