CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Long before diners filled its tables and drinks were poured behind the bar, the building now home to The Pour House at Machinery Hall was already part of downtown Chillicothe history.
Located at 25 East Second Street, Machinery Hall dates back to 1881. The building was originally constructed as an implement store, serving as a place for the sale of farming and industrial equipment. Its design complemented the neighboring building at 21 East Second Street, while its interior was built on a scale large enough to accommodate machinery.
The Pour House has became a staple meal for many Chillicothe residents with spectacular online reviews, one of our writes had the opportunity to dine at the establishment and recommended the Bourbon Berger!
The building’s history remains visible today. Its east-facing wall features a historic Mail Pouch advertisement dating to the late 19th century. According to Downtown Chillicothe, the mural was hidden when a neighboring structure was built in 1893 and remained concealed for more than a century before a 2006 fire exposed it once again. The mural, believed to be among the earliest surviving Mail Pouch murals in the country, was restored in 2026.
Over the decades, Machinery Hall served a variety of purposes and housed several businesses, including a record store and an office supply shop. Its next major chapter began in 2016, when the current owners purchased the property with plans to restore the historic structure and transform it into a downtown restaurant.
A seven-month renovation began that December and required significant structural work. A major wooden support beam was replaced with steel to reinforce the second floor, while a roughly 100-foot rear addition was demolished and rebuilt. The reconstructed space became home to a commercial kitchen, along with an area designed for live entertainment and private dining.
The renovation also paid tribute to the building’s original purpose. A 16-foot glass garage door was incorporated into the design as a nod to the large entrance once used to move machinery in and out of the building.
Preserving the building’s history was a major part of the project. Original brick walls were restored, portions of the original wood flooring were refinished, and reclaimed lumber from the structure found new life throughout the restaurant in features including the bar top, tap handles, accent walls and picture frames.
The Pour House at Machinery Hall officially opened its doors on June 30, 2017, bringing a modern gastropub into the more than century-old structure. Today, the restaurant offers chef-driven American cuisine alongside craft beer and handcrafted cocktails.
The property expanded again with the creation of a rooftop terrace. The space opened for service in 2022, adding outdoor dining and lounge seating overlooking the historic Majestic Theatre area.
More than 145 years after Machinery Hall was constructed, the building continues to serve downtown Chillicothe—just in a much different way than its original builders envisioned.
What began as a place built to accommodate farming and industrial machinery now combines dining, entertainment and local history under one roof, preserving another piece of Chillicothe’s past while giving the building a modern purpose.
