Weiser's Market is closing May 23

The Digest

Weiser's Market is closing May 23

After 28 years and one of Lancaster County's quietly great donut programs, Weiser's Market at 680 Furnace Hills Pike (Warwick Township, just outside Lititz) is closing for good Saturday May 23. Owners Tim and Judy Weiser, with daughter Laura Weiser-Kauffman managing day-to-day, made the call. "After spending 53 years in the grocery business, it is time to retire," Tim said. The plan to hand the business off to Laura didn't materialize. Tim cited "uncontrollable forces" and concerns about the future of independent grocers.

The Akron flagship opened in 1998 and closed in 2023. Lititz opened in 2002. Both were beloved for their bakery, especially the yeast-raised donuts and Fasnacht season runs. The 4.2-acre property hasn't been sold yet. You have just under four weeks. Go get the donuts.

40 affordable apartments coming to the old Kunzler annex on Manor Street

Wisconsin developer Volker just dropped new renderings for a 40-unit affordable apartment complex at 608 Manor St. — the former Kunzler & Co. annex site in Lancaster city. The building will include accessible units designed for residents with mobility needs and covered ground-floor parking. Plans were tweaked after feedback from the Lancaster Historical Commission.

Income limits run across the spectrum: some units reserved for households earning less than 20% of area median income (about $94,500 for a family of three), others at less than 50%, 60%, and 80% AMI. The catch: the project's start date depends on Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits coming through. Translation — they have the plan, they're waiting on the money. Keep an eye on this one.

Two new chain restaurants are heading to the county

Two restaurant chains made Lancaster opening news this week. Roy Rogers — yes, the roast-beef-and-fried-chicken chain — is opening a 1,500-square-foot location with a drive-thru at the Sunoco station at 520 Centerville Road, East Hempfield Township, this fall. Franchisee Khalid Mughal owns the Sunoco and is also planning Roy Rogers builds at his Sunoco stations in Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg. The current Auntie Anne's/Jamba Juice combo there is on its way out (timeline unclear).

Meanwhile, Grotto Pizza — the Delaware-based chain known for the "circular swirl of sauce" pizza style, founded at Rehoboth Beach in 1960 — has finally set a target for its first Lancaster County location. Mid-September. Construction is underway on the 4,900-square-foot sports-bar-style spot at 1515 Lititz Pike (Shoppes at the Point, next to Planet Fitness). Originally announced December 2025, with a summer 2025 (lol) target.

What's happening

Wednesday

Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market | Indoor Amish market — produce, fresh meats, cheeses, baked goods, handmade quilts, leather. Wednesdays April through November. | 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM | 2710 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand | Free to enter

Community Yoga w/ Lija at West Art | Weekly all-levels community yoga. Bring your own mat. | 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM | West Art (City Hall), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | Free (donations welcome)

Trivia Night at Southern Market | Weekly trivia in the food hall. $1 off beer and wine; gift cards for top three teams. | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free entry

Kickboxing at West Art | Weekly kickboxing class — beginners welcome. | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | West Art (City Hall), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | Donation-based / sliding scale

Thursday

Mother's Day Gift and Jewelry Sale | Friends of the Quarryville Library hosting gifts, baked goods, and jewelry — vintage, classic, boho, and costume pieces. Continues Friday. | 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Quarryville Library, 357 Buck Road, Quarryville | Free admission

Drink & Draw at West Art | Casual community drawing hang in the Art Bar. Bring your own sketchbook or use what's on the tables. All skill levels welcome. | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | West Art (Art Bar), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | Free

Music Trivioke at Southern Market | Music trivia followed by karaoke. $1 off beer and wine; gift cards for top finishers. | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free entry

Common Run Club — Weekly Thursday Run | Weekly group run, all paces welcome. April runs start at Our Town Brewery. Show up 6 PM, run kicks off 6:30, hang afterward. | 6:00 PM gather, 6:30 PM run | Our Town Brewery, 252 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Free

Friday

Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center — Ribbon-Cutting | The new $24M museum officially opens. Ribbon-cutting at 9 AM, followed by a 12:30 PM awards program at Shreiner-Concord Cemetery (Stevens' burial site) and a 1:30 PM tour of Stevens School Residences. The free public block party is Saturday, noon to 6 PM. | 9:00 AM ceremony; programs through afternoon | Stevens & Smith Center, 13-15 E. Vine St., Lancaster | Free (donor gala that evening is ticketed)

Lancaster Central Market | America's oldest continuously operated public market — 60+ standholders. | 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Lancaster Central Market, 23 N. Market St., Lancaster | Free to enter

Good Dads of Lancaster — Dads Grab Coffee | Monthly Friday-morning coffee meetup for dads (kids welcome). | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM | West Art Bar, 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | Free (pay for your coffee)

Watercolor Club at West Art | Weekly watercolor session led by Jo Davis. Materials provided. | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | West Art (Art Bar), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | Free

Mother's Day Gift and Jewelry Sale (final day) | Friends of the Quarryville Library — gifts, baked goods, jewelry. | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Quarryville Library, 357 Buck Road, Quarryville | Free admission

First Friday in Downtown Lancaster | The monthly arts-and-culture extravaganza. Galleries, performances, shops, and restaurants stay open late. Free open-air trolley service runs 5–7:30 PM (May through October — first one of the season). Ewell Plaza becomes an artist marketplace. Specific picks: Salsa & Bachata at Binns Park 5–8:30 PM, Lancaster Improv free show at 7 PM, poetry at Lancaster Public Library 6–10 PM. | 5:00 PM – 10:30 PM | Multiple downtown venues | Free (most galleries and programming)

Now Playing

Hairspray at Fulton Theatre (FINAL WEEK) — 12 N. Prince St., Lancaster. Closes Sunday May 3. | $20–$74

Treasure Island at Fulton Theatre (Family Series) — 12 N. Prince St., Lancaster, through May 9. | $20–$74 (~$44 avg)

Dear Evan Hansen at Fulton Theatre (Castagna Hall) — 12 N. Prince St., Lancaster, through May 17. The only Castagna Hall show of the season. | $20–$74

Oklahoma! at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre — 510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster, through May 10. | $55 show-only / $78 matinee / $83 dinner + show

Joshua at Sight & Sound Theatres — 300 Hartman Bridge Rd., Ronks. Tue–Sat showtimes. | From $115 (~$190 avg)

Live music

Wednesday

Live at Stoner Grille (weekly residency) | Rotating weekly lineup — check @StonerCommons for this week's act | Evening, typically 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Stoner Grille, 605 Granite Run Dr., Lancaster | No cover

Live at McCleary's Pub (weekly Wed-Sat residency) | Rotating local acts — check McCleary's for this week's lineup | Evening (typically 7:00 PM start) | McCleary's Public House, 130 W. Front St., Marietta | No cover

Thursday

Leslie Odom Jr. | Tony and Grammy winner — Hamilton's original Aaron Burr. Jazz, soul, Broadway. | 7:30 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway E., Lancaster | $79 / $99 / $109 / $129

hemlock & Lamplight with Bad Hints | Alt-folk (Carolina Chauffe's phone-fi project + Ian Hatcher-Williams) plus Lancaster's own "Mom Rock" openers | 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM | West Art (Sanctuary), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | $15 advance / $20 door (all ages)

Live at McCleary's Pub | Rotating local acts — check McCleary's for this week's lineup | Evening | McCleary's Public House, 130 W. Front St., Marietta | No cover

Friday

STOMP | International percussion sensation — matchboxes, brooms, garbage cans, the works | 7:30 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway E., Lancaster | $44 / $54 / $64 / $84

First Friday Live Music at South County Brewing (Lancaster — outdoor season opener) | Local artists. First and third Fridays of the month. Outdoor performances start tonight. | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | South County Brewing Co., 26 W. King St., Lancaster | No cover

Corty Byorn & The Light | Indie / Singer-Songwriter (local Lancaster artist with full band) | 8:00 PM | Tellus 360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | No cover

High Fever: Babes On Bikes | Rock / Alternative | 8:30 PM | Tellus 360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | No cover

FILTH! with Inferious and Monochromatic Black | Hip-hop-influenced extreme metal | 7:00 PM doors | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St., Millersville | $5 to $25