Stirling Mansion was built in 1892 for James Hervey Sternbergh, a local iron and steel mogul. It remained a private residence for more than 100 years with Gertrude, the youngest of James’ 11 children, as a lifelong resident. In 1998, the mansion was converted into a 15-suite guest hotel with banquet facilities to host a variety of events. The newest owners are partners PETER SUTLIFF, a former teacher now working in the title insurance field and putting in many hours at Stirling, and TJ SOPHY, who worked for National Penn Bank for 10 years and is now at Stirling full-time, booking and coordinating the events.
Were you looking to take over Stirling?
TJ: The former owner, Kaj Skov, is a good friend of ours. He was looking to retire, and one evening at dinner he said, “I think you should buy Stirling.” We thought he was kidding. We started considering the idea, and in July of 2009, we sat on the porch here and talked it through with Kaj. We wanted a seamless transition, as there were numerous weddings and events previously booked. We started working here as servers and dishwashers to get a better sense of how things worked. Then one day, Kaj announced to the staff, “These are the new owners.” And we stepped out of the crowd. The staff was floored. We kept everyone in place.
Have you always resided in Reading?
Peter: I am originally from the Poconos and TJ is from Pottsville. We had moved to Delaware and would often drive through Reading on our way north. We fell in love with the city and particularly the architecture. We bought our first property in Centre Park in 1999. We love the sense of community. We are big supporters of the city, and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to purchase a business here.
Although you were friends with Kaj and guests at Stirling, is there something you didn’t anticipate once you took over the business?
Peter: I am surprised by the various events people want to have here. One day it is a masquerade ball, then a wedding and then a baby shower. We hold all types and tones.
TJ: And different size events from intimate dinner parties to weddings up to 125 people. We host holiday dinners, including one for Valentine’s, and in March we participate in the Good Thyme for Life fundraiser.
When you have visitors, how do you show them a good time?
TJ: We normally entertain at our home. And we like to go out downtown. We take people to GoggleWorks’ hot glass studio to see glass blowing.
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
Peter: I enjoy cooking. It calms me. I like to experiment. But I don’t cook here. We have a wonderful chef, Ron Liszcz. (Check out one of Ron's recipes on page 56.)
TJ: Peter likes building menus. That is one of the things we did here. We talked with Ron about the best dishes we offered and what we could change. We added different appetizers, hors d’oeuvres and a wider variety of combo dinners.
Peter: And we introduced chef’s tasting dinners, which are perfect for us. No one else in Berks County was hosting something like this. Ron selects an eight-course menu. We accommodate about 100 people and the dinners sell out. They are a good opportunity for future brides to understand the chef’s fare.
TJ: We also like to garden. We have planted more than 40 trees on the grounds here. And there are tree specimens from all the previous owners, James, Gertrude and Kaj.
If you could spend one night anywhere in the world, where would you go? Peter: Somewhere in Asia to a major city like Hong Kong or Tokyo. TJ: China. I’d like to spend a night in Beijing.
What are your favorite travel destinations?
Peter: We enjoy Montreal, Canada. The people are very welcoming.
TJ: It’s a quick trip but feels a world away. It’s like Europe on training wheels, so it was the perfect primer before we traveled to Europe, which we also really enjoy.
What is your personal decorating style?
TJ: Our home is very eclectic, with new items that juxtapose antiques. It is more pared down from the Stirling. Much of what you see here is the original furniture.
Guests will often see a four-legged friend here in the mansion or on the grounds. Who is he?
TJ: That’s Gianni. He is a full-grown Italian greyhound. He is here with me each day and gets to meet the brides. During an event, he has his own bed downstairs. But guests often do request to see him. He has a little silk bow tie for the formal events.
The Stirling Guest Hotel | 1120 Centre Avenue, Reading | 610.373.1522 | stirlingguesthotel.net
Kristin Kramer | photo by John Secoges
