Antique Car Evokes Old-Fashioned Vibe at Paoli Pub

You may have noticed the polished, jade automobile parked outside of the Great American Pub, evoking a mood of decades past.

Chuck Hemcher, owner and car connoisseur, purchased the 1952 Ford F-150 while sipping on coffee one day at his Florida vacation home. The car caught Hemcher’s eye as it lumbered by, provoking him to pitch a bid to the owner. Hemcher shipped the car home to Pennsylvania, and the rest is history as the antique car rotates between Hemcher’s three pub locations in Paoli, Conshohocken and Wayne.

“Every single thing in here — even the lightbulb — is hand-picked,” said Joe Carr, general manager and Hemcher’s son-in-law. He pointed to the “horse country” atmosphere of the restaurant, ornate with authentic oak walls and furniture, mirrors, chandeliers and brick or stone accents. “He’ll ask our opinion and then do what he wants, and it’s the same with vehicles.”

The car is in its original condition, though Hemcher accented it with a gold-leafed trim, Great American Pub logo and eagle. He also owns a 1968 Cadillac and more modern Bentley, and Carr noted that collecting or admiring classic cars are some of Hemcher’s hobbies.