Every restaurant has a few regular customers. The owners of Scott’s by Dam restaurant in Johnstown, Scott and Cindy McLachlan, have a whole team.
Located right down the street from the Cambria County War Memorial Arena, the Johnstown Tomahawks hockey team goes to Scott’s almost every day, before and after practices and games to eat and hang out with friends and family.
“It’s good for our business but we love taking care of the kids. Especially when you have a 16-year-old kid that’s just leaving his mom and dad for the first time ever. You come into a strange city. Not that the team doesn’t take care of them, but it gives them a place they can come and hang out,” said Scott McLachlan, the co-owner of Scott’s by Dam.
Head Coach Mike Letizia said the Tomahawks have been coming to Scott’s ever since the team started five years ago.
“Scott and Cindy are obviously huge hockey fans and huge supporters of the team, but they’re also good friends and like our family. It’s something that we really value as an organization that our players can go somewhere and enjoy themselves and also get taken care of by good people.” said Mike Letizia, the Tomahawks head coach.
Scott said helping out the team helps the city too.
“It helps drive the economy, not just my business. When you put 3-4,000 people in the war memorial, it drives the economy quite well. But you’re also bringing 25 young men here and their families follow them. They’re here and they’re spending money on a regular basis in this town too,” said McLachlan.
The Tomahawks have their first playoffs game on Friday, April 14 against the New Jersey Titans at 7:30 p.m. at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. Scott has only missed one game in five years and says he’s not going to miss a second.
“I’ll be there Friday screaming and hollering. Gotta support my boys,” McLachlan said.