Aces of Trades: Jamie Brumbaugh fulfills lifetime dream of owning his own restaurant

Jeff Barron, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
Updated ·2 min read

LANCASTER − Jamie Brumbaugh had a lifelong dream of owning his own restaurant. That dream came true in 2018 when the former Fairfield Medical Center executive chef opened JB's Downtown Grill in 2018 at 111 N. Columbus St.

He owns the business with his wife, Beth, in the spot that once housed Diamond Jim's Pizza.

JB's Downtown Grill owner Jamie Brumbaugh fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning his own restaurant when he opened the business in 2018. He said 2023 was his best year so far businesswise.
JB's Downtown Grill owner Jamie Brumbaugh fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning his own restaurant when he opened the business in 2018. He said 2023 was his best year so far businesswise.

"The first year went really well," Brumbaugh said. "COVID did not help me at all. But I think we hung in there just as good as all the other businesses. We did close for about a month and a half or so when they did away with the dine in. At that point we weren't sure at first whether we were going to reopen the doors or if we could still get any of our staff back."

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But the restaurant did reopen and Brumbaugh said business has gone well ever since. He said this year's has been his best.

"If we could make it through COVID we could make through anything at this point," he said. "We have a ton of repeat business. We always have, but it's more so now. And, also, we're constantly getting new customers."

JB's Downtown Grill features food like burgers, appetizers, beef and pork sliders, onion rings, fries and more. The restaurant also offers a Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Brumbaugh said the menu is his favorite part of the restaurant.

"Because I spent a lot of time putting that together," he said. "Even when I was just thinking of what we could do, I knew I wanted to try and do everything from scratch or at least as close as possible. We just try to put some care into it and it's been accepted pretty good, I think. We've gotten a lot of great reaction over the years."

Away from work, Brumbaugh said he enjoyed hunting before opening his restaurant.

"But right now we just really focus on the restaurant and trying to get together with our friends as much as possible, and our family," he said.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Aces of Trades: Jamie Brumbaugh fulfills dream of restaurant ownership