Laurie Johnson-Wade sets high expectations for those who will attend the grand opening of the new Sankofa Mansion — formerly the Bloser Mansion — in New Kensington on Thursday.
“They’ll be treated like royalty,” said Wade, who owns Sankofa with her husband, VonZell Wade.
The grand opening will be the public’s first look at the renovated mansion since Lost Dreams Awakening, a New Kensington-based nonprofit community organization addressing substance use and mental health recovery, bought the property in February.
“It’s been a lot,” Johnson- Wade said. “Because of the age of the property, it’s sort of like a Pandora’s Box.”
The mansion, on Sixth Avenue at Fifth Street, was built in 1921 for E.A. Bloser, a prominent businessman who owned Bloser Jewelry.
Plans for it to become a bed-and-breakfast first began in 2019 under the previous owner, with it scheduled to open in 2021. It was then put up for sale in 2023.
A new name was needed because “Bloser Mansion” had been dissolved. The word, “Sankofa” is derived from the Akan language of Ghana, and means “go back and get it.” The name is a reminder of the importance of learning from the past, and embodies Lost Dreams Awakening’s mission of healing, growth and second chances, according to Johnson-Wade.
Over the past few months, volunteers have worked to restore the mansion.
“It’s been astounding to see what people can do to work together for a common purpose,” Johnson-Wade said. “It’s heartening.”
The grand opening will have free food samplings, a coffee bar, guided tours, auctions, live music and more, Johnson-Wade said.
“I’d like people to really connect,” Johnson-Wade said. “Our title is Sankofa Mansion: Where history meets community.”
Sankofa Mansion will operate as a bed-and-breakfast and event space. It offers four suites that are available on AirBnB. The mansion also will host an upcoming event honoring Valley High School’s valedictorian, Janelle Norman and salutatorian, Chase Simmons. Tickets for that event are available on the Linda Louise Foundation’s website.
It also will offer a breakfast and lunch restaurant that will open July 18. Menu items include prime steak sliders, wraps, soups, wing baskets, shepherd’s pie and more, Johnson-Wade said. The highest-priced menu item is the “royal breakfast” at $25, where people can pick between a filet mignon or New York strip, eggs made to order, potatoes or grits, and choice of toast.
“It’s very Americana,” Johnson-Wade said of the menu.
Operating hours for the restaurant are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
New Kensington Mayor Thomas Guzzo said the city looks forward to the new business.
“The Sankofa Mansion will be a welcome addition,” Guzzo said. “It’s a great and attractive building and will be a very good community space. The Wades’ plan to run it as a restaurant and bed-and-breakfast is an excellent idea.”
Johnson-Wade said she hopes Sankofa Mansion leaves a community legacy.
“It’s a new chapter, but it’s for posterity,” Johnson-Wade said. “Hopefully, they will remember all that goes into this space.”
