Hotel Saxonburg, Miller’s Meats still waiting for buyers via sheriff sales
The person who chooses to buy the Hotel Saxonburg via a future sheriff sale would immediately take ownership of the historic downtown restaurant. However, they would also inherit any liens associated with the property.
Recently, some noteworthy Main Street properties like the former Saxonburg restaurant and the former Miller’s Quality Meats property in Butler, have prompted plenty of conversation, but no buyers. Both are listed for sheriff sale.
“Prior to a sheriff sale, people really need to do their research, even hire a real estate attorney to do a title search,” said Bobbie Jo Walker, deputy officer of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. “They need to do their homework on it to determine if it’s a responsibility they want to take on.”
She explained there’s serious risk associated with the sales, which are mostly homes and occasionally businesses. On March 20, 32 properties are scheduled to go before the gavel via the sheriff sale process, although that number could change before the date arrives. Of those, at least 25 are residential properties.
The Hotel Saxonburg will next be listed for sheriff sale on May 15.
In Butler County, sheriff sales are conducted once every two months, typically on the third Friday of the month. A property — whether a home, business or anything in between — is subject to the sheriff sale process after it is repossessed due to unpaid debts. Ownership of the property reverts to the bank or financial institution that is owed money.
“It goes up for the mortgage foreclosure first, and then after the mortgage foreclosure is the sheriff sale,” said Bobbie Jo Walker, a deputy with the sheriff’s office. “If no parties bid on it, it goes back to the bank.”
Since 2024, all sheriff sales in Butler County have been conducted digitally through an online portal, a change that Walker says was suggested by Sheriff Mike Slupe.
“It offers competitive bidding,” Walker said. “You can be at home, and you can just get on your phone, and you don't have to actually come in person.”
The winner takes it all. They get a building, potential tenants living inside the building and debts associated with the property. These debts might include sewage liens, tax claims, a mortgage, a second mortgage or more.
“If they don’t look into things, they’re still responsible,” Walker said of the sales.
Properties like Hotel Saxonburg or Miller’s Meats may be sitting unsold because buyers are doing their due diligence, she said.
There’s at least a sewage lien on the Hotel Saxonburg, Walker told the Eagle. Miller’s Meats has a sewage lien, unpaid taxes and an amount due to the department of revenue, she continued.
There could be more, but she doesn’t know, she said. Buyers must do their research, she reiterated.
“I haven’t heard any talks about anyone buying Miller’s Meats,” she said.
The downtown Butler property failed to find a buyer through the sheriff sale process in November 2025. The business had closed permanently after severe damage from a fire in January 2024. It’s been vacant since.
The Hotel Saxonburg — a business which endured for over a century and a half before closing in March 2025 — has seen its potential sale postponed twice in a two-month period.
It was scheduled for sale in November. However, shortly before the first scheduled date, the auction was delayed to Jan. 16, at the request of the plaintiff, Northwest Bank.
The week before the second scheduled date, the bank requested another postponement, this time to May 15.
“The plaintiff is allowed two postponements within 130 days. After 130 days or the second postponement they need a court order and can postpone it indefinitely. It’s up to the court,” Walker said. “The plaintiff is not required to give us an answer as to why they are postponing the property. They simply direct us to postpone to the next sale.”
Meanwhile, there are success stories out of the sheriff sales, according to Walker.
Walker said the buyers who do their research can walk away with properties that are worth the investment.
Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy pointed to a Main Street location, the future Hop Car Brewery, as a success. The new owners were able to work on the property right away. Plans to reopen the new brewery this year are well underway.
“Sometimes with sheriff sales or other sales, somebody buys the property, and it just sits there for a very, very long time, if it ever is turned over,” Dandoy said. “But the buyers for the (former Butler) Brew Works are coming in full speed ahead, getting the business ready to take its place again in downtown Butler, where before it was a very vital component on our Main Street.”
Butler Brew Works, a brewpub on Butler’s Main Street that closed in early 2025, found a buyer through a sheriff sale in September.
The group that purchased the former Butler Brew Works was Reed Properties, run by Steve and Donald Reed, who acquired the space for $287,500. Steve Reed, Donald’s son, said this was his first time purchasing through a sheriff sale.
“I’ve looked at some other ones, but this is the first time that we actually purchased something through the website,” Steve said. “It was definitely something I had my eye on for a while.”
Steve said there are major risks to purchasing a property through a sheriff sale.
“Buying in a foreclosure auction brings a lot more risk and liability,” Steve said. “You have to make sure you have a good real estate attorney. You have to do a lot of research on the back end to make sure you know what kind of liens and tax burdens are up against the property. It takes a lot of due diligence.”
Walker highlighted the potential of a second mortgage being something that might surprise a buyer.
“People really have to do their homework on the property because it could have a second mortgage on it,” Walker said. “If people don't do their homework and they buy the house, they have to assume responsibility for the rest of it.”
But if they do the work, the process can bring new life to a property and be a worthwhile investment, she said.
