SCOTTSVILLE — Allen Countians are hoping a former drugstore that was once the center of attention on Scottsville’s square will again be bustling when 1881 on Main restaurant opens later this year.

Heart of Scottsville renovated the two-story brick building, which once housed Carpenter-Dent Drugs, and will lease it for five years to Jake Simic and Robert Stupar of Brickyard of Bowling Green and Franklin fame.

The Laura Goad Turner Foundation gave the Heart of Scottsville organization a low-interest loan to purchase the property for $162,500, and then gave them a grant of $325,000 to rehab the building. Executive Director of Heart of Scottsville Jamie Boler said the final cost of rehabilitation is not yet in but it will be close to what had been planned. The lease for the building should be adequate to make the loan payments, he said.

“This is just beautiful,” said Andee Rudloff, education and visual arts director for Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, who was in Scottsville this week to judge a Christmas decorating contest.

Rudloff has followed the building’s renovation, plans for which began a little more than a year ago.

She said the restaurant’s opening should help further spur revitalization in the town.

“I think it’s just going to be incredible,” Boler said. “When Carpenter-Dent left the downtown (because they needed a drive-through) it was sad. It had been an anchor to our downtown and had been the same business in the building since 1881. It was tough to lose such a business of that caliber. We really wanted to create something in that space that would be that type of anchor for the next 100 years.”

Boler hopes the business will be a drawing card for communities to the east of Scottsville and even in Tennessee. He also hopes it will be a springboard for development of other businesses.

Harriette Fowler works part-time in a gift shop next door.

“We are all looking forward to having them open,” Fowler said. “I love all the work that has been done to beautify the square. I am awfully proud.”

Blanche Carter, who owns Today’s Fashions & Home Decor, said she is reserving judgment as to whether such a restaurant can survive in Scottsville. From her customers she hears that people want more retail on the square.

Stephanie Hood, who owns a hair salon on the square, hopes the community will support the restaurant, where she hoped to have her salon’s Christmas party there but the opening won’t be in time.

“It’s going to be the only place you can go and have a date night,” Hood said. “I’m excited.”

Simic said the restaurant won’t be fancy. It will have a casual atmosphere with good food at an affordable price. He expects entrees will range from $7 to $15 and include steak, fish and pasta and a few appetizers.

Simic agrees that crews have done a great job on the restoration and is looking forward to opening.

He had hoped to open early this month but the building does not yet have electricity. Construction crews as part of a streetscape project are burying utilities that need to be brought to the building. Boler hopes that work can be completed soon.

Boler strolled through the building Wednesday.

“I just love these lights,” he said of some elongated bare Edison-style bulbs that are staggered from the 12-foot tall ceiling on the building’s second floor. The upper floor still has the original heart pine floors. There are new hardwood floors downstairs, but the original tin ceiling has been restored, and some tile work at the building’s two-door corner entrance is still there.

Simic plans to use the upstairs for overflow dining seating if necessary and will make it available for rentals for special events and meetings. He also will put some tables on the wide sidewalk beginning in the spring.

While the restaurant has a bar, it won’t be used to serve alcohol. Boler explained to a person on the street that a restaurant can’t just randomly decide to serve alcohol. The citizens of Scottsville would have to decide to petition for a vote that might allow alcohol sales.

As for parking for the restaurant, Boler said there is parking available on the four quadrants of the square, street parking and some nearby parking lots.

“It wouldn’t hurt us to have a little more signage to let people know where these public parking lots are,” he said.

Simic said he has already booked some parties upstairs. He likely will have five or six employees who will operate the restaurant for dinner-only Tuesday through Saturday. That could change if customers indicate they would come during lunch as well.

“I have had great responses from Scottsville and surrounding communities,” he said.

Meanwhile Simic is also preparing to open La Gala in Bowling Green later this month. There are several private events scheduled for the space at 601 State St. in coming months.

— Follow business editor Robyn L. Minor on Twitter at twitter.com/bowserminor or visit bgdailynews.com.