About two weeks ago, an ownership group bought the Snack-N-Pack at 353 E. Jefferson St. They hope to reopen in July as a family-friendly eatery.

The Snack-N-Pack has changed hands.

An ownership group comprised of Erik Hulick, Ryan Covert and Kelly Schnur bought the convenience eatery at 357 E. Jefferson St. about two weeks ago from longtime owner Karen O'Donnell.

Hulick and Covert are owners of the Butler Hot Dog Shoppe, across the street at 127 N. Monroe St. Schnur is the hot dog business' general manager.

Hulick said the Snack-N-Pack has been closed since it changed ownership and renovations are under way with hopes of possibly opening some time in July.

He said there has been no structural renovation, but the bathrooms and kitchens have been redone.

“We've gutted the kitchen and are bringing new kitchen equipment in,” Hulick said.

The business' history in Butler was the inspiration for the purchase, Hulick said.

“It's kind of like the Hot Dog Shoppe was. It's kind of like an institution around here,” he said. “Everybody's routine was to go to Snack-N-Pack once a week.”

Karen O'Donnell said it was time to lessen her workload and ease into retirement. She plans to continue tutoring percussionistsand directing church choirs.

“I'm going to do my music in my senior years,” O'Donnell said.

Hulick said the change in appearance will be coupled with a change in the dynamic of the restaurant, which will be a family-friendly eatery, rather than the sports bar-style business it had been for the past 20 years.

O'Donnell sold the liquor license before Hulick bought the business, and for now the plans are to implement a “bring your own beer” policy.

He said as part of this shift, many classic favorites will remain, but the future of the eatery's menu will be simple: keep it fresh.

He said a key will be providing the east side of town a place to get a full-service breakfast, which the Snack-N-Pack will begin serving at 7 a.m.

“All the restaurants in town provide lunch and dinner, but only a small portion of those provide breakfast,” Hulick said. “On the east side of town, it's kind of limited, and the people (who) are downtown don't have the parking that we have.”

O'Donnell said the new owners have the right mindset to move the business forward.

“I think they're very ambitious and hard-working,” she said. “I think they're going to do very well there.”