Homespun Foods Announces Closure, Bringing An End To This Iconic Brand

After eighteen years in Beacon, the establishment that is Homespun will bow out, putting the menus away for the last time on Sunday, August 18, 2024. Created by Jessica Reisman, Homespun was known for its cozy and eclectic atmosphere with aromas of daily soups lifting spirits each day it was open. Homespun opened a second location in Dia: Beacon. That café will remain open in Dia during museum hours.

Jessica put the business up for sale five years ago, which was purchased by Joe Robitaille, who moved his family up from Brooklyn to Beacon to attend and participate in Main Street and the Beacon City School District. Joe grew up in Hamburg, NY, just outside of Buffalo (he knows all about the blizzards and Bills football).

Upon opening under new ownership in January 2020, Joe, who was a sommelier (a wine professional) in New York City, had aspirations to introduce a deeply diverse wine and beer selection to the restaurant. As most restaurants do in Beacon, he tried to add dinner hours to the schedule, as well as seven days. Both are hard to sustain in Beacon, with the fluctuating tourist traffic and reluctant local market to dine out frequently for reasons of budget or pickiness.

Homespun owner Joe Robitaille, standing outside Homespun in his new Parklet during COVID 2020.

The COVID shutdown hit two months after Joe re-opened Homespun, where states across the country began shutting down most establishments. Homespun was able to open during the take-out phase, and offered wine and beer by the bottle. They also offered the parklet and had a garden out back for dining. Homespun was a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog through that trying time, as well as through the Black Lives Matter movement that marched through Beacon.

In his announcement email to customers, Joe expressed: “To all of our staff throughout the years, thank you. I am so proud of this team for having pushed through arguably the most difficult stretch that restaurants in this country have known. You all made this place, each and every day.”

The wine selection at Homespun.

Homespun’s investment into the wine direction paid off. Not only did Joe introduce a carefully curated collection of wine through relationships he had from his restaurant days in New York City, he also trained Heather Barr as Assistant Sommelier, who was his first hire. She then advanced to Sommelier/Manager of both locations (Homespun & Dia). Heather was awarded Best Sommelier by readers in Hudson Valley Magazine for 2023 and 2024.

“Creating a diverse wine program with Joe was an absolute pleasure,” Heather told A Little Beacon Blog. “I'm thankful for his mentorship and enjoyed supporting Joe’s vision. Working with a list that focused on both traditional styles and more esoteric-up and coming styles has been a joy sharing with our guests and I hope to continue doing this in my next role.”

For the past year at least, Homespun has been for sale. The team found potential fits of those who wanted to invest in the little restaurant, but none that finalized. Joe announced that new owners will be taking over the space, but not the brand. “In the coming months, a new business will open here in this space, and we are excited for them and wish them the best of luck. May the community rally around them like you did for us.”

Said Heather to A Little Beacon Blog in her final days at the eatery: “I'm proud of the resilience we've shown in these years, and I'm grateful to have worked with such an amazing team that showed up each day with a passion to put out good, consistent food and create a welcoming atmosphere for all. While I'm sad our time at Homespun is coming to an end, I will cherish our time here and look back fondly on having the space to grow as an individual, support our team on their own journeys, and welcome the community into this space. This won't be the last you all see of me and I want to say thank you to everyone I've built connections with during my time here :)”