Aces of Trades: Triple P's owners happy with business so far

LANCASTER − After opening in March, Shaun and Felicia Hale said their Triple P's restaurant has gone well so far.

"Great," Shaun Hale said. "Really good. Everybody in Lancaster has been really welcoming. It's a great community with lots of support. We've got great customers, and they return and let us know what they like and the things that maybe they don't. That just gives up little tips. We love the feedback."

The restaurant at 117 S. Columbus St. specializes in panini sandwiches. Felicia Hale said the Italian panini has been the most popular with customers.

Shaun and Felicia Hale own Triple P's restaurant at 117 S. Columbus St.
Shaun and Felicia Hale own Triple P's restaurant at 117 S. Columbus St.

"The most popular (non-panini) sandwich has been the chicken bacon ranch," she said. "We get all of our meats and cheeses and some of our produce from right here in town from Bay's (Bay Food Market). We try to keep everything local as much as possible, freshly made bread and sweets and all that kind of stuff. When we first opened we didn't have roast beef. But we added roast beef several weeks ago and it's kind of taken off."

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Triple P's is the first restaurant the Hales have owned. Shaun Hale was a truck driver for 25 years, owning his own trucks.

"This was always a dream," he said. "I've always wanted to open a restaurant. I've always enjoyed culinary arts. I never went to school for it or anything like that. I was just backyard barbeque dad. I just kind of crafted it over the years and thought, 'Man, this is something I want to do.'"

Shaun Hale is from Newark and Felicia Hale, who has experience running restaurants, is from Perry County. While opening a new business is not easy, Felicia Hale said Destination Downtown Lancaster, the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, city officials and the Fairfield County Health Department have been helpful.

"That took a lot of stress off of us," Shaun Hale said. "We thought we knew what we were doing. But there's stuff that we just weren't aware of."

Triple P's is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday and Monday.

The Hale's recently started delivery service to the downtown business area.

Away from work, Shaun Hale is plays guitar and is the lead singer for the Columbus-based rock band, Red Light Go. Felicia Hale is a singer and is part of a duo with her husband called Taking Back August.

They are also into motorcycles and also enjoy boating.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Aces of Trades: Downtown business Triple P's is doing well