Hank Dietle's Tavern Owner Hopes To Reopen In Summer

ROCKVILLE, MD — The owner of Hank Dietle's Tavern is hoping to reopen the roadhouse this summer, after it was destroyed in a heartbreaking fire on the morning of Valentine's Day.

The bar is the oldest in Montgomery County and has served residents for over 100 years. It was set aflame after someone threw a cigarette butt into a flowerpot.

The fire caused about $500,000 in damage and was reported just before 3 a.m. Feb. 14, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer told Patch.

Owner Tony Huniak told Bethesda Magazine he doesn't know how long the rebuilding process will take, but he's aiming for a summer opening.

Huniak said he and his architect met with Montgomery County planning officials Monday. The officials approved a preliminary plan to restore the bar, instead of classifying the project as a total rebuild.

“Our main thing is making it exactly as it used to be,” Kiti Gartner, a local musician who runs Hank Dietle's marketing, told Bethesda Magazine.

See Related:

• Community Fundraising To Restore Hank Dietle's Tavern After Fire
• Decades-Old Hank Dietle's Tavern Destroyed By Fire

Gartner created an online fundraising campaign to raise money for the restoration. About $15,000 has been raised to help with cleanup, reimburse lost equipment and fund weekly stipends for the staff.

A fundraising event is being planned to raise money for the bar's restoration.

Photo via Pete Piringer