Weekend Guide Roundup For Beacon & Beyond | Retail Therapy | 6/4/2021
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Meyer's Olde Dutch (MOD) Opens After Planned Renovation - Patio! - New Order-From-Table App!
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Meyers Olde Dutch Owner/Chef Brian Arfnoff, standing in front of his newly renovated restaurant.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Meyers Olde Dutch, your favorite burger shop for beef and vegan burgers, has been seemingly closed during much of the pandemic (spoiler alert: it was open the whole time). Some saw the boarded up windows and assumed the worst - fire. Others saw the boards and assumed the whole place was closed. Not so! Die-hard fans read the sign out front and knew that MOD set up shop at their sister restaurant down the street, Kitchen Sink, never skipping a beat flipping those burgers and dirtying those fries.
Was the renovation planned? Was the pandemic the perfect time to break ground? Yes and yes, as we discovered in our interview with Owner/Chef Brian Arnoff, who bought the little building in 2017 from the prior burger joint owner, Paul Yeaple of Poppy’s.
As did all restaurants in Beacon and the nation, Brian worked hard to figure out new ways to keep serving customers using an order-by-table app so customers can dial in their food/drink order straight to the kitchen/bar, keep his staff employed, keep live music every now and then, and keep the air healthy for when the doors could open again to the public.
We love hearing stories from the people themselves, so read how Brian tells it below:
ALBB: After you bought the building in 2017, had you always considered renovating it?
The new HVAC unit to improve air quality when the doors and windows are closed, lifted in before the big opening.
Photo Credit: Meyers Olde Dutch
Yes. There were a number of issues with the building that always needed to be addressed, like a leaky roof and very outdated/undersized HVAC system among other problems.
ALBB: Did the pandemic shutdown push you over the edge to take the time to dig into the renovation?
“Basically yes. We had been working on the plans, which went though several iterations for a while. As you know, going through the Planning Board process takes time especially when you’re in the Historic District and need variances. After the initial shock of COVID-19 passed, it started to become clear this was basically an ideal time to try and complete this renovation.”
The new covered patio and fan at Meyers Olde Dutch, a COVID-friendly improvement made during the pandemic.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
ALBB: What improvements did you make to make it COVID-friendlier?
“We updated our HVAC system with Merv-13 filtration. The system turns the air over more often and filters significantly more of the particles COVID-19 is known to float on. Additionally, we added some windows that can be opened for more fresh air, and covered our patio to give guests the option to sit outside all the time.”
ALBB: Were you able to retain some of your staff team?
“I’m very lucky to say yes! We have many staff who have been with Meyer’s Olde Dutch for a long time, including our kitchen manager Adam and bar manager Jesse, both of whom started at Kitchen Sink before MOD even existed, as well as Emily our lead bartender who has been with us at MOD since basically the first month we were open back in 2017, among many other staff.”
ALBB: What did you grow appreciative of during the pandemic shutdown?
“My time. I started working for myself in November of 2010 when I opened a food truck in DC and haven’t had a lot of down time since. The pandemic definitely gave me a different perspective on that and how I want to ‘protect’ my time and use it wisely.”
ALBB: Did any new offering emerge from the pandemic shutdown when you were in survival mode?
“Delivery for one. But also an increased focus on making new specials at MOD because we wanted to keep the menu fresh for our local customers who were so supportive during COVID.”
ALBB: What has been a huge struggle during the shutdown?
“Obviously there were many struggles, and those changed over time, but the energy at times enforcing masking last summer was really tough. No hospitality-minded person wants to constantly tell their customers to do things, and then occasionally have to fight with them about it. That was hard on our staff.”
ALBB: We are hearing from other restaurants that there have been struggles with 3rd party apps and delivery. What do you want people know about delivery? As convenient as it is, there are a lot of people involved from the ordering of the food, to the delivery, and the problems are aren’t always coming from the restaurant. What struggles have you faced there?
“So many things! Every restaurant has a different story and perspective on this, as we all used and did different things. Overall, I would just say, if you can avoid ordering through a third party app and instead order direct through the restaurant’s website, that is the most helpful/supportive thing the general public can do. Also, get vaccinated and just go sit at restaurants because more than anything, hospitality people want to have your real life presence back in the restaurant.”
ALBB: There was recently a report on Marketplace that one of the ways restaurants streamlined to survive was to introduce ordering-by-table, where a unique QR code is placed on the table, and a person can scan it with their camera app, and the menu pops up - for their table only. The customer can order a cocktail, beer or burger without telling a server, but the server brings it out and makes sure it’s OK. I see you have unique QR codes on your tables - how has this been going?
“Good! It cuts down on the wait time for the customer a lot. I was bar-tending the other night, and people who were outside were able to order drinks without me having to leave the bar to check on them. People are basically opening tabs for themselves. If they are in a group at one table, each person can open their own tab, and pay down when they are done.”
ALBB: Genius! This solves the problem of splitting the check 10 different ways!
“Yes (Brian laughs sheepishly). It’s all so new, we as staff aren’t used to guiding people to use it. But it is going well!”
Photos of the New MOD:
Editorial Note: Meyers Olde Dutch is an advertising client of ALBB, and a branding client of Katie James Inc. This article was produced independently of that partnership.
Parklets Are Here! And Homespun Is Open On Mondays
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Just months after Homespun’s new owner and sommelier, Joe Robitaille bought Homespun from its former longtime owners and founders, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, and businesses and restaurants were forced to close. The rollout of Unemployment Insurance was rocky and overwhelmed almost every state in America including New York State. The subsequent business bailout, known as the PPP Loan, was a moving target in terms of who could apply and how the money could be spent if the business owner wanted the loan forgiven, leaving restaurants owners and staff in precarious situations between the PPP Loan and Unemployment Insurance but not both, with initial penalties to restaurant owners who could not bring all staff back (if staff stayed on Unemployment Insurance).
After the long, cold spring of 2020, the City of Beacon followed the trend of allowing street-dining in sectioned off “parklets,” where patrons, hungry for in-person dining, could come to gather around a table, and inspire a new round of photos prompting mask-judging as patrons could go mask-less as masked servers waited on them. The judgement passed, and diners continued to come, well into the fall, bundled in coats and all. Some speculated as to the safety of the parklets, but no reports of accidents emerged from the June - November season.
Homespun was one of the most cautious restaurants and delayed their opening, focusing instead on building their wine selection, to sell bottles of their highly researched wine selection. They invested in an online store to sell the wine, reflecting Joe’s training as a sommelier. Homespun eventually opened from Thursdays - Sundays for outdoor dining only in the patio out back, and just last week, announced that they had opened their small dining room for some indoor dining, and were adding Monday as an open day. This is great news for locals, who can enjoy Beacon without the weekend rush, and a win for businesses who need more business than just weekends.
City of Beacon Receives More Parklet Requests This Year
The parklet at Max’s On Main, which arrived this week to kick off the warm season.
This year, Councilmember George Mansfield announced the parklet applications, stating that the City had opened them to more business types, and for no fee. “I just wanted to let everyone know that for businesses on Main Street, we're accepting applications for the parklets for Dining or Hospitality or Retail. Applications are being accepted at City Hall. No Costs. Hope you use it because it was a successful attempt to assuage business last year. Looks like we're going to have a good spring. For now, the City is trying to do what we can to help those businesses on Main Street.”
Councilperson Mansfield is also a business owner in Beacon, having opened Dogwood. In December 2020, George temporarily closed Dogwood for the winter, and at the end of April 2021, re-opened on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at 2pm.
During the April 19, 2021 City Council meeting, Mayor Lee Kyriacou stated that there had been more applicants this year, and that he supported no-fee. “More applications [came in] this year than last year. They should be without charge. We considered a charge, I will be coming to Council. We may need approval for additional funds. I think it's the right thing to do.” It is unclear at this time what those additional funds would be for the parklets.
During Tuesday Business meetings last year during the shut-down, where business owners could call in and discuss issues with the former City Administrator Anthony Ruggiaro, discussions were had on the purchase of the parklets by the City of Beacon, and how they would look in the street.
Parklets Arrive To Main Street Parking Spots
Business owners who applied for the parklets arrived at work today (Monday) morning to see them positioned out front of their establishments in the street. Some parklets occupy 3 on-street parking spots, which have some residents questioning how parking will be impacted in Beacon. On Sundays, the currently free municipal parking lot at the DMV, owned by Dutchess County, will be occupied by the Beacon Farmers Market, who was moved there by the City of Beacon for the 2021 season, years after a contentious and confusing negotiation to stay at their usual Veterans Place location in 2019, during which they encountered resistance from the Towne Crier, yet had overwhelming support from other surrounding businesses.
The DMV municipal parking lot is occupied by visitors in cars on Saturdays and Sundays, and has 2 electric car chargers. The small municipal parking lot across the street across from the gas station is also usually full on weekends, despite comments made during City Council Meetings that both parking lots are under-utilized. Below are photos of the parking lots taken on the past two Sundays, mid-day.
The Windows And Doors Stay Open
In order to have a safe and successful indoor dining experience for everyone involved, including staff and patrons, several restaurants are opting to keep their windows and doors open. Reports have come in that some patrons are requesting to have a window be shut, but the preference is to remain open for ventilation. The same practice is happening in Beacon schools, in addition to upgrades to ventilation systems.
Several restaurants on Main Street made upgrades to their ventilation systems, including Meyers Olde Dutch (currently under renovation, to open soon in May), and Dogwood. Owner George Mansfield says that Dogwood cannot take advantage of the parklet option because they have no on-street parking outside of their building. “We’re just trying to make our inside air as good or better than the outside air,” owner George Mansfield told A Little Beacon Blog. “We installed a high tech ventilation system that scrubs the air of 98% of pathogens. Hoping for the best.”
Editorial Notice: As a notice, Homespun and Meyers Olde Dutch are advertisers with A Little Beacon Blog.
It's Time...Ice Cream Shops In Beacon!
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The weather is getting warmer and you know what that means… it’s time for ICE-CREAM (although we are truly big fans all year round)! A reader already wrote to us about it on Thursday: “Urgent question: When is Ron’s opening?” By Friday afternoon, the Beacon Creamery had happy patrons sitting outside of it on their carved wooden bear bench.
People are gearing up to stand in socially distant lines (remember, don’t over-crowd!) to begin practicing how to order ahead from an ice cream shop, if they offer it. It is time to revisit Beacon’s ice-cream shops, as the spring weather has everyone itching to get outside in the sunshine.
Pictured: Mocha Crunch
Photo Credit: Beacon Creamery via Yelp
The Beacon Creamery
The Beacon Creamery is located at 134 Main St in Beacon, NY and they have mouth-watering flavors that you need to try now! Some include, “New York, New York” which includes cappuccino Kahlua, hot fudge, whipped cream, and raspberry sauce. They also have floats, ice cream sundaes, specialties, tipsy shakes, and regular ice cream with an option to add WINE ice cream for $2.00!
Pictured: Blue Panda
Ron’s Ice Cream
Ron’s Ice Cream is located at 298 Fishkill Ave in Beacon, NY and they have all of the fun flavors you want like Birthday Cake or Cookies and Cream. And always sprinkles. Some special flavors include Chocolate Moose Tracks, Graham Central Station, Crazy Vanilla, Cookies n Cream, and many more! They also carry sundaes, specialty sundaes, flurries, milkshakes, slushies, and more. Oh, plus, they have hotdogs, burgers, snacks, sandwiches, and sides!
The parking lot is small for line crowding during a pandemic. Last year, Ron’s initiated a call-in service with no walk-up service. ALBB does not have word yet on how they will do it this year. Stay tuned!
Zora Dora’s
Zora Dora’s Micro Batch Ice Cream And Paletas is located at 201 Main St in Beacon, NY, and makes ice creams and sorbets in the form of paletas! If you don’t know what a paleta is, it’s a frozen treat on a stick! Their handmade products are produced in small batches every day and they source and handpick the freshest seasonal ingredients available. They also offer catering and cart rentals!
Pictured: Vegan Chocolate Orange
The Chocolate Studio
The Chocolate Studio doesn’t only have delicious chocolates and signature treats, but they also have ice cream! Vegan flavors too. You can pick-up vegan and gluten-free treats (or nonvegan/gluten-free) OR they ship nationwide! Sadly, ice-cream is excluded from the shipping part so you will have to stop in the store for that! But you’ll want to! So many flavors, you might have to get a few.
Yankee Clipper Diner
You can also stop in the Yankee Clipper Diner for ice-cream! They have a few sundaes on their menu, including the Waffle Sundae, which is a freshly baked Belgian waffle with 2 scoops of ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, walnuts, and a cherry on top! I mean, this could be your breakfast! Add additional toppings for only $1.
Beacon Restaurant Owners Respond To 10pm Alcohol Curfew: The Grill Is Hot
/As coronavirus cases surge across the country, with states like North Dakota declaring that their hospitals are 100% at capacity and they don’t have enough nurses who are not infected, while Ohio warns that their hospitals may soon be over-capacity, and every day the United States out-does itself with the next highest record, Governor Cuomo nipped it by nixing late night drinking after 10pm at bars and restaurants. They can continue to cook for to-go orders, but in-person service will stop. Gatherings at home are limited to 10 people, and gyms must also close at 10pm.
At first blush, this seems to target canoodling. As one 8 year old observed: “Everybody knows that COVID cases are coming from people kissing at bars.” The truth may be that infections are spreading at home as people get lax in their social circles. With Thanksgiving coming up, Governor Cuomo just decided for you on if you were merging with another family, depending on the size of yours. Which may be good, as family table talk could get fiery with the election still in the rear view mirror.
For some restaurants in Beacon, the surge in take-out, delivery, parklets (seating in the street) and new safety measures have helped keep their businesses alive. We checked with business owners in Beacon to see how this curfew will impact them, interviews with some are below.
The eateries most impacted will most likely be Hudson Valley Food Hall, with the limitation of the Roosevelt Bar, Barb’s Fry Works, who just opened a stall inside HV Food Hall to cater to the late night drinking crowd, and The Beacon Hotel, who is known for their late night lounge service.
Max’s On Main, one of the original a late-nighters in the game, pivoted already to focus on food and take-out. The Eat Church Food Truck used to be hunkered down at Industrial Arts Brewing on Rte. 52, but long ago pulled up the pins and was serving from Marbled Meat Shop in Cold Spring, and will bounce to Kingston next. Sadly, Joe’s Irish Pub, announced their permanent closure and retirement in early November 2020.
We interviewed several owners below, and heard from others as well.
Some Restaurants Already Started Closing At Or By 10pm
MEYERS OLD DUTCH
Meyers Old Dutch (MOD) owner and chef Brian Arnoff used to have a weekend late night crowd, but stopped when he re-opened during the pandemic. “Since COVID started, we’ve been closing by 10pm anyways. We used to stay open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Thankfully, this shouldn’t impact us. At least for now anyways.”
CHILL WINE BAR
Jim Svetz, owner of Chill Wine Bar, is also able to proceed, saying: “Thankfully this won’t impact us that much, since we reopened with already limited hours Friday and Saturdays, from 5pm-10pm. So no change here. I think most places with limited indoor seating will have a difficult time this winter. But we will get through this together.”
HOMESPUN
New owner of Homespun, Joe Robitaille, who is a wine expert (aka sommelier), has increased the amount of wine bottles and specialty beer they sell from the store, which “has helped us so much,” he told us when mulling over Thanksgiving and catering options. Look for a possible fire-pit and heaters in the back garden, but that is not confirmed yet.
BANK SQUARE COFFEE HOUSE
Bank Square Coffee House is a coffee house that caters to a beer crowd for day-drinking and lightly into the evening. Says their manager: “I do believe it might impact our weekend crowd. Now with winter coming along, we depend a lot on our weekday regulars and our occasional busy weekends. Now with not many people being able to stay out late, I think we might see a little less of a weekend crowd. Fortunately, we close at 8pm even on weekends, so we won’t get too impacted.”
Late Night Bars With Food Who Pivoted With The First Re-Opening
QUINN’S
Quinn’s was one of the last restaurants in Beacon to re-open, waiting until summer. For this latest restriction, Quinn’s manager, Stamper, was feeling prepared: “After our hiatus between May and August, we re-opened understanding that we would not be a late night place again for a long while. With this in mind, we shifted our hours to incorporate lunch and closing at 9pm. With the removal of Main Street parklets, losing our outdoor dining, we’ve recently opened up indoor at an exclusive capacity, and with new hours: 5pm-11pm. This change was so fresh, that most customers still assume our kitchen is only open until 9pm, and so orders taper off around then. Ultimately, we’re losing an hour, but the bulk of our business is kept between the 5pm-9pm hours, and I’m certain as word spreads, folks will hang at Quinn’s until 10pm. Thank you!”
MAX’S ON MAIN
Max’s on Main is where you go where everybody knows your name, at practically any time of the day. You need a Blondie dessert at 11pm after having a great dinner at Dogwood? You go to Max’s. However, after the re-opening, they too shifted their late night bar scene to be heavy in food. We caught up with Jesse Kaplan, son of co-owner Richie Kaplan, and bar tenders Stephanie and Mary.
Said Jesse: “We were one of the business that served food the latest. Our customers know that we are available here later than some other places, and they have been very supportive of that. We are going to take a hit for that. But, we care about everybody being safe. If this is what we have to do to help the community be safe, then we are all in favor. I would never want to put the community at risk. We have been very careful here about everything. Face masks. Sanitation. Temperature. If we have to close at 10pm, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Will alcohol sales hurt Max’s? Jesse explains: “Our identity changed a little bit as a result of the pandemic. We made the decision to operate the business more as a restaurant once the pandemic hit, with an understanding that we would lose those alcohol sales, but our customers and our staff would feel more safe.”
Delivery is now available at Max’s. Right now, the crew is driving. “We all have been pitching in. Richie takes a delivery. I have been known to take a delivery or two. Stephanie (a bartender and former reporter and student in cyber crime) will take one one the way home at the end of her shift. The staff has really stepped up to pitch in.”
Stephanie chimed in to say that right away after the pandemic started, the community was very supportive and ordered a lot of food. Jesse recalls phone-in orders, where people will say: “Hi, I’m calling in an order, and I ordered from Brother’s earlier, and the Diner yesterday. I want to do my part to support restaurants in town. We are very thankful for that.”
True Late Night Bars Are Digging In
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL VIA THE ROOSEVELT BAR
Owner of the Hudson Valley Food Hall (HV Food Hall), Marko Guzijan was cruising right along with the bar business at the Roosevelt Bar until 1am, which was doing so well that Barb’s Butchery, who enjoys popping up on Main Street at the Farmer’s Market from time to time from her home base of Spring Street, had just opened a stall inside the food hall called Barb’s Fry Works, which catered to the hungry late night crowd. HV Food Hall is very spacious inside, with tall ceilings, and has a generous patio on their corner lot.
Said Marko, who was looking forward focusing on his 40th birthday: “The late night crowd has been very good for us. Barb’s Fry Works just opened, and her business model is based on staying open with the bar. So it’s a big hit. Everyone in the Food and Beverage business wants to do the right thing. If shutting down helps end the pandemic, then let’s do it. But it feels like the Governor just keeps punching down and hurting Food and Beverage businesses.
“We try to follow the rules. We implement new business models, and then the Governor changes it all up and offers us nothing in return. We have to help out with overhead and bills. Central Hudson still charges the same rate, Optimum charges the same rate, our insurance is based on the size of the business, but our business is cut by over half. I think all small businesses will do what is best for the greater good, but it feels like we are the ones taking the larger hit on our business.”
What new things has HV Food Hall done to accommodate the pandemic? Marko describes: “The food hall bar business model for us is fast/casual and self-service. With the new restrictions, we have had to hire more staff (2 hosts, 2 servers, a barback, and 2 busboys). Now we need to figure out if we need that staff anymore. I really don’t want to lay people off in a pandemic, but might not have a choice.
“We have limited our seating because of the 6 feet rule, which has forced us to turn people away at times. Because of the food rule, the bar will buy food for patrons instead of forcing them to spend more money on something they don’t want. We have 25+ staff in the whole food hall, and have not had a single positive test. When someone doesn’t feel well, they stay home and close the stall. We then pay for a commercial cleaning company to come in and deep clean everything, at a cost of almost $1,000. Five guys in hazmat suits spend 4-5 hours going over every inch of the food hall. We do these things and we’ve never had a staff member test positive.
“As the rules keep changing, we start running our business in fear. At any point, the Governor can send people in and take away the liquor license. I would love to have live music for Saturday and Sunday brunch, but can’t get clarification on if it is allowed or not. So I don’t let it happen, even though a few of the chefs have pushed for it.”
THE BEACON HOTEL
The Beacon Hotel was fully renovated a few years ago by a different ownership team. Jon Lombardi started as the general manager there, and is now co-owner. Under his management, The Beacon Hotel has become an eatery for all times: brunch, lunch, dinner, and operates as a lounge in the evening. Jon was walking past his restaurant when we caught up with him. When asked about the change, he didn’t flinch. “We’re ready. I’ve got my flyer. I’ve got my to-go glasses.”
Jon is never one without ideas, and has inspired his pandemic survival package with a “Last Call: 10pm” theme. Patrons can order to-go shots with group discounts, different cocktails in cute mason jars, and perhaps the best part: if you bring back your mason jar for a refill the next day or days later, you get a discount. Food has always been available to go at The Beacon Hotel, and continues to be, which includes rotating specials and themes for whatever is going on.
There are other bar/restaurants in town, but we did not get their definitive plans in time for this article. Wishing everyone the best, and to keep on ordering.
10 Is The New Number In New York: Establishment With A State Liquor Authority License Must Close By 10pm; Private Gatherings Limited To 10 People
/With COVID-19 cases rising in the nation and in New York, Governor Cuomo announced today via press conference that any establishment with a State Liquor Authority license must close by 10pm. The Dutchess Business Notification Network reported the news quickly. The Executive Order is to come, but you can watch the announcement here.
Hospitalizations in New York are up overall, as are deaths. While the average number of deaths over the summer was at around 4, lately it has been climbing, with yesterday reaching 32. While this is very sad, and overall low compared to New York’s death number in the spring, the increase is notable. Governor Cuomo in his daily emails has been stressing to limit private gatherings, and did remove the liquor license from a wedding venue in Long Island who hosted a wedding that exceeded reduced capacity, and ended up being a super spreader.
From his 11/9/2020 nightly email: “A Long Island country club lost its liquor license after hosting an illegal, super-spreader wedding. As we have seen time and time again, large gatherings can unfortunately turn into super-spreader events. The State Liquor Authority has suspended the liquor license for the North Fork Country Club following a wedding which violated pandemic-related guidance. A total of 113 guests attended—more than double the number allowed—leading to 34 COVID-19 infections, and scores of people in quarantine. New York will not tolerate illegal and dangerous mass gatherings.”
Said Governor Cuomo Tuesday evening: “In the micro-cluster focus areas, the positivity rate was 5.59 percent. Excluding these areas, it was 2.56 percent.” He has always indicated the “tighten the valve” method as numbers increase, and this is one of those measures, without fully shutting things down.
The Dutchess Business Notification Network also reported that while the physical location must be closed, restaurants and bars may continue to serve take-out and delivery options for food items.
Gyms are also required to close each night at 10PM.
Gatherings at private residencies must now be limited to 10 individuals maximum.
35 Restaurant Closures Including Dunkin’, Stewart’s, Bonefish Grill, Cousins Ale House, and Others
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As winter is coming, and extended outdoor dining in parklets (aka designated areas in parking spots on the streets) has ended as of November 1, 2020 in Beacon, restaurants are facing an incredible challenge to stay open. Some restaurants are able to keep their sidewalk dining open, and some have courtyards in the back. Some have been able to succeed through delivery options. Trax Coffee Roasters, based in Beacon, just opened a second location on Rte. 52, at the boarder of Fishkill and Beacon. For a list of which ones, see A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide.
The radio station WPDH, ‘The Home of Rock and Roll’, has shared a list of at least 35 restaurants that are closing in the Hudson Valley. Some that have been in business for over 30 years! Reasoning for some closures are unknown, and others are due to COVID-19. Visit WPDH for more reporting they did on each restaurant regarding thier reasons for closing, most of which are pandemic-related.
WPDH also shared that, “Dunkin' is set to close at least eight New York locations. Dunkin' confirmed plans to close 450 locations, mostly on the East Coast, by the end of 2020. All of the Dunkin' closures are stores located inside Speedway gas stations. In the Hudson Valley, there are Dunkin' stores inside Speedway locations in Highland, New Windsor, Saugerties, and two in Kingston according to Google Maps. In New York, there are also locations in Hudson, Norwich and Margaretville. Click Here to read more.”
Below is a quick list of the restaurants closing. Be sure to read the article at WPDH for their reporting.
Beacon
Dunkin’ Donuts, on Rte. 52.
Other Dunkin’ Donuts inside of Speedway gas stations will also close, as walk-in foot-traffic has diminished.
Fishkill
Il Barilotto (on Main Street)
Wappingers Falls
Stewart’s Shops on Route 9D
Cousins Ale House, which includes the entire brewery, not just moving to a new location.
Michael's
Rita’s Italian Ice
Poughkeepsie
Sweet Obsessions
Nic L Inn Cellar Bistro & Market
Bonefish Grill
Table Talk Diner
Ruby Tuesday at the Poughkeepsie Mall (the Fishkill location had already closed months prior to pandemic)
Amici's
Newburgh
Cena 2000 (on the Newburgh Waterfront)
Waterfront Lounge and Grill (on the Newburgh Waterfront)
Union Square
Wallkill
Zoghby's Blueberry Mountain Ice Cream
Napanoch
White Wolf Restaurant
New Windsor
Sweet Peas Cafe
Kingston
TCBY
Duo Bistro
Dunkin’ Donuts
Irvington
Dexter’s Den
Scarsdale
California Pizza Kitchen
Montgomery
88 Charles Street Cafe
Garrison's Tavern & Restaurant
We Made It! Retail Therapy Guide - 9/18/2020
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Best Sidewalk Sign of the Week and MOD Is Delivering!
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You read that right! Meyer’s Olde Dutch, sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, is now offering delivery through door dash!
Not only is the food beyond delicious, but they use the finest ingredients including local food purveyors such as beef from the Hudson Valley, cheese from NY State and produce from local farmers.
In addition to beef burgers, the menu offers chicken, hot dogs and vegan options with multiple toppings and house-made signature sauces, plus hand-cut fries, salads and daily specials. Their full-service bar features a large selection of NY craft beer, locally produced wine and house-crafted cocktails.
All items are available via counter service and serviced in open seating and a back open-air patio.
Also, did you know Meyer’s Old Dutch is named after Chef/Owner Brian Arnoff’s great grandfather Meyer, who once owned and operated Old Dutch Grocery across the river in Middletown, NY? Brian also owns Kitchen Sink Food & Drink, a casual, fine dining restaurant in Beacon.
Head on in and take a bite of Beacon! OR OR OR, order for DELIVERY!
Restaurants Open On Main Street For The 4th Of July
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Traditionally, Beacon has been a ghost town on the Fourth of July but not this year! We called around and asked who was open this holiday weekend and got the deets for you! If you’re staying local, check out the list below for restaurants on Main St. that are open on the 4th of July. A lot of them are open for takeout but most are now open for outdoor dining too!
OPEN
Bank Square
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Kitchen Sink
Open For Takeout
Artisan Wine Shop
Open For Pick-up & Deliveries
Meyer’s Old Dutch
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Beacon Bread Company
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Tito Santana
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
BJ’s Soul Food
Open For Takeout
Homespun
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Ziatun
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Max’s On Main
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Royal Crepes & European Market
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Glazed Over Donuts
Open - Modified Hours (9-1am)
Yankee Clipper
Open – Modified Hours (Closing at 3pm)
Kennedy’s Fried Chicken
Open For Takeout
The Beacon Daily
Open – Modified Hours (Closing at 4pm)
2 Way Brewing Company
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Fu Xing Chinese Restaurant
Open For Takeout
Enoteca Ama
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Cafe Amarcord
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Vegetalien
Open For Takeout & Indoor Dining
Draught Industries
Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout
Joe's Irish Pub
Open For Indoor Dining & Takeout
Chill Wine Bar
Open For Take Out & Dine-In With Limited Spacious Seating. Outdoor Seating Available (very limited)
Hudson Valley Marshmallow Co
Open 12-4 on Saturday (4th of July) for all of your last minute S’mores-making supplies!
The Roundhouse
Patio 11:30am - 10pm
Smoke on the Water BBQ restaurant 11:30am - 10pm
PENDING CONFIRMATION
The Pandorica
Tito Santana
The Towne Crier Cafe
Big Mouth Coffee Roasters
Oak Vino Wine Bar
The Beacon Hotel Restaurant
CLOSED
Melzingah Tap Room
Roma Nova
Baja 328
Eat Church ( Closed Saturday & Sunday)
Wonderbar
Park Your Tuchus In That Spot. "Parklets" In Beacon's Street Parking Spots Are Filling Up
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Not gonna lie, turning right from N. Walnut onto Main Street has a new obstacle: people. Instead of a parked car blocking your view as you turn out onto Main Street, you now have a clear view, but actual people sitting in chairs at tables! Not that you would hit them, because you don’t normally drive into parked cars, but the new “parklet” option for restaurants in Beacon is bringing a new awareness of car safety, as well as a much pined for dining experience at our favorite restaurants.
Using the parking spaces is optional, and businesses need to apply with the city. They are then given cones to set up around their parking spots, at no cost to the business (provided by the City of Beacon). Ziatun and Max’s both opted in, and Ziatun added a decorative pallet/patio underneath their seating. Says Kamel Jamal, owner of Ziatun: “The additional parking spaces for dining has been a tremendous help in so many ways. We are more visible, and we are able to showcase our services at a different level. Our rush to reopen indoor dining is no longer a priority, so we can help slow the spread and protect our team from getting sick. Sales have been climbing and nearly our entire staff at Ziatun is back at it and loving every minute.”
Ziatune’s “parklet” with additional pallet patio. Max’s On Main is next door. Isamu sushi, also next door, did not opt for a “parklet” as of yet. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Dining at Meyer’s Old Dutch (MODs) offers the “parklet” experience, as well as dining in their back patio (not shown).
BJ’s opted to not do the “parklets” but does offer new outdoor dining on their sidewalk.
Royal Crepes has always offered sidewalk dining outside, but opted into the “parklets.” Find sweet crepes here, as well as salads and meal type crepes with chicken or cheese.
The bar Draught is taking the step outside to the “parklets.” Normally a narrow standing or sitting closely next to someone experience inside, this will be a way to spread out for the little bar.
The Wonderbar is owned by the same co-owners of the Story Screen movie theather, which took a double hit. Movie theater closed (with recent opening news of Phase 4 put on hold due to ventilation concerns in New York) with the totally renovated, back to its bast, Wonderbar. Shortly after its opening, the pandemic forced it to close. Now diners can enjoy the cocktails and food outside on the newly installed picnic tables. Says co-owner Marjorie Tarter about the “parket”: “We’re making it work! It hasn’t been easy, but these city “parklets” will definitely help us serve more folks in a safe way.”
Across the street, The Vault expanded onto their parking lot. The Vault enjoys an outdoor patio, and a parking lot.
Have we ever seen outside dining at Brothers? While they have a healthy delivery and pickup business, tables outside is a welcome addition.
But First, We Break For Cookies. To Refuel.
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Cookies. Batches of cookies. And sermons. Then coffee… (maybe…but it’s too hot.) While we are blogging about police brutality, exposures of racism, and racial targeting of black people by the police, the Phase 2 Reopening is happening, which has business friends on Main Street very excited. Chocolate chip cookies are very important fuel for the Phase 2 Reopening Weekend.
A Little Beacon Blog has been updating our Restaurant Guide with new offerings and ways of working for the restaurants. In the works are more outside dining opportunities, that the City of Beacon and Dutchess County have been clearing red tape on to make it easier on restaurants to spread out more safely.
By the way: Kitchen Sink Provisions is live. They have products to help make your weekend meals more Kitchen Sink-y. They also have a number of prepared foods coming online later today (6/11), including their famous brisket grilled cheese.
Weekend meal planning has started.
A Little Beacon Blog
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The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.