Murrysville's North Park Lounge purchased by Dee Jay's BBQ; McCandless Lounge to get drive-thru

The North Park Lounge in Murrysville has been purchased by Dee Jay’s BBQ.

Herky Pollock, executive vice-president and northeast director Retailer Services Group for CBRE, owner of the Blue Spruce Shoppes, confirmed Friday that the owners of Dee Jay’s purchased the business.

Brett Folette, director of operations for Dee Jay’s, said as of now the North Park Lounge menu will remain. What will be added is a special featuring Dee Jay’s baby back ribs starting once a week beginning on Nov. 2. He said they are not changing the name.

“It will still be North Park Lounge,” he said. “The ranch dressing there is fabulous and we are now selling it in other Dee Jay’s restaurants because it’s so good. We love the people at North Park Lounge and we love the menu.”

He said they have some of the equipment needed to make ribs but will need to add more.

A Facebook post by North Park Lounge on Tuesday answered questions guests might have about the purchase by Dee Jay’s. Through a video is said it will still be North Park Lounge and the staff will be the same. It also mentioned serving Dee Jay’s ribs on Thursdays and that those ribs will become part of the menu in 2024.

Pine resident Mark Baranowski, owner of North Park Lounge, said he sold the Murrysville location to concentrate on the McCandless restaurant, where he plans to create a drive-thru that will open at 6 a.m. and be used for specialty coffees and cold brews, energy drinks, lemonade, iced tea and breakfast sandwiches. He is going to call it Chillin’ Drive Thru.

He plans to open sometime in November.

“We had such lovely people in Murrysville,” he said. “We had a fantastic staff. I want to concentrate on McCandless. As an owner you always need to re-invent yourself.”

Dee Jay’s has four other locations — Collier, North Strabane, Wexford and Weirton, W.Va.