HARMONY — The landmark Harmony Inn will be sold soon, but the owner wouldn't say to whom, for how much or when.

Reports had swirled around the borough for months that the restaurant would close. But owner Gary Barnes said Friday that he's reached an agreement with someone to buy the property, although nothing is finalized yet.

Barnes cited the preliminary nature of the agreement as the reason for why he wouldn't divulge more information. He's owned the restaurant for 28 years.

“I can't say right now,” Barnes said about the new potential owners. “But they've committed.”

Barnes added that the business will remain the Harmony Inn, and that he will help in the transition with the new owners.

He said the inn might close for several days during the transition.

Jim Hulings, Harmony borough council president, said Friday that he was happy to learn about the sale. While he is not happy for Barnes having to sell the restaurant, he is happy that it isn't permanently closing.

“That would have been a really sad day for Harmony,” Hulings said. “The entire community depends on the inn for a meeting place, for entertainment, for a place to bring out-of-town guests.

“It's a landmark, a hub of Harmony.”

Hulings added that the closure of the Kaufman House restaurant in Zelienople was bad enough. Adding the Harmony Inn as another closed restaurant would have been bad, he said.

“It would have just really hurt the community,” he said.

Harmony Mayor Cathy Rape said she too is happy to hear the news that such a staple business in the community isn't going away.

“If they found a buyer, then I'm thrilled,” she said. “The Harmony Inn is an icon here. Certainly we would try to go on (if it closed), but we wouldn't want to.”

The inn at 230 Mercer St. was built as a private residence in 1856 and may have been the first home in the area with indoor plumbing. The owner eventually sold it to the Ziegler family, who converted the house into a hotel and tavern.

The Zieglers later sold the building, and it went through several owners. Barnes bought the building in 1985.