After years of rumors that the Beacon Falls Cafe was looking to sell, it has finally closed. The owners, Bob and Linda Nevelus, shared on their Instagram and laminated sign posted on their door that they were retiring. “Closing the doors of the Beacon Falls Cafe is truly bittersweet. We are excited to begin this next chapter and grateful for the opportunity to slow down and enjoy retirement. At the same time, saying goodbye to a place that has been such a meaningful part of our lives is incredibly emotional.”

The announcement came on September 21th, 2026, with their projected final closing date being October 3rd. On September 28th, they were closed for staffing shortages, but picked back up for regular breakfast cooking, which regulars came back for again and again. “The Cafe has been so much more than a business to us. It has been a huge part of our lives - a place where we worked, laughed, celebrated, built friendships, and created countless memories. Over the years, so many of you walked through our doors as customers and became cherished friends and part of our extended family.” The sidewalk tables outside of the Beacon Falls Cafe were regularly packed with diners.

The owner, Bob Nevelus, is a retired police officer who pursued his dream of becoming a chef via training at CIA. He is a vocal supporter of ICE and goes by a pseudonym, Neve Bob, in Facebook, where he used to troll A Little Beacon Blog’s ICE reporting with a photo of a yellow highway sign of a man tackling another man, which says: “Watch For Falling ICE.” Because of Bob’s persistent trolling of ALBB’s Facebook page, persistent anti-DEI statements, and insults, he has been banned from ALBB’s Facebook and Instagram pages. He will remain banned, as these men tend to get more regular and verbose with more time on their hands in Retirement.

Repost of the Parking Ticket that Beacon Falls Cafe Owner got. He posted His Own Parking Ticket To Their Instagram as a Final Goodbye.

The times when Bob did express unity with ALBB was when we published about traffic and city government issues. In one of his parting messages on the Beacon Cafe’s Instagram account, he threw up a parking ticket he received in the final days of the restaurant’s Open Hours, confirming that the Beacon Police do in fact, still issue parking tickets. The Instagram account said: “My going away gift from the city of Beacon after 18 years of serving the city. a parking ticket issued four minutes before the limit. lol.”

A Realtor, Yameil Nunez, reported on the closure of the Cafe. In her report, she mentioned how longtime restaurant BJ’s Soul Food has also closed, as well as Homespun, both staples of Beacon’s Main Street. It needs to be noted that both of those businesses retired. Barbara Sims of BJ’s owned the building the restaurant was in for 47 years, and sold the building after listing it for $1.1 million. She had made investments in it over the years, with a recent renovation. Saigon Pho has opened in its place to rave reviews.

The original owners of Homespun sold the business to a new owner, who then shepherded the business through forced COVID closures, parklets, potentially selling the business, and eventually let it go when he moved on to pursue his former career of teaching. The business that is there now is Dave the Butcher, who has painted the exterior a different color.

UPDATE 10/22/2026: Saigon Pho Beacon is temporarily closed. Read more here.

Yes…The wait is over…Saigon Pho, the restaurant that is in the former spot of BJ’s Soul Food at 213 Main Street, Beacon, has opened.

Homage To BJ’s

But first, an homage to BJ's founder and former building owner, Barbara Sims, who ran her soul food restaurant for 47 years. Founded while she was a nurse at the VA Hospital in Montrose, Barbara worked with her mother, Thelma, who made the donuts in the morning, which brought in $50 day, according to this article capturing her history.

Named for herself, Barbara Joan, and her daughter, Brenda Joyce, who worked on the weekends and then full time, the family added fish fry to the menu, and then chicken wings, oxtails, fried chicken, corn bread, potato salad, mac and cheese, three-layer cakes, and more. The restaurant served as a community destination, where 75% of their orders were takeout, Barbara told the newspaper.

Barbara sold the building in December 2025, which was listed for $1.1 million. She said she originally bought it out of foreclosure, and that the restaurant that had been there was Greek.

Barbara cited her age and health as the reason why she sold. She owns 6 other properties in Beacon, and told the newspaper that she intends to stay busy maintaining those. “When you go to bed at night," she told the reporter, "you need something to make you want to get up the next day. Some of my basements need to be cleaned out!”

The first night of the soft opening, the soft lights glowed from inside the new restaurant painted in a smooth shade of gray as the storefront begins its new history.

Saigon Pho’s Soft Opening - Expanding From Cornwall

The “Now Hiring!” sign hung in the window for weeks as workers transformed the space inside. A tipster spotted a worker wearing a Pho Rush t-shirt from Cornwall and sent it into A Little Beacon Blog to investigate if the Vietnamese restaurant from across the river was opening in Beacon.

Indeed, an employee named Phat confirmed to ALBB when we ducked in on Friday to pick up their first menu. “We are so excited to be here in Beacon,” Phat exclaimed. “For our soft opening, we really want to focus on what we do the best. Then go to more vegetable later.”

The menu is opening up with Pho Chicken (Pho Ga), which is steamed chicken in their signature beef broth with rice noodles. Pho Steak (Pho Tai), which is thinly sliced rare steak in their signature beeth broth with rice noodles, but cooked steak is possible. Pho Brisket (Pho Chin) and Pho Beef Meatball (Pho Bo Vien), and even Pho Shrimp (Pho Tom) are starting entrees on the menu.

“Phogeddaboutit!!” cheered Emily of Artisan Wine and Dave the Butcher. “I’m can’t wait to have their Vietnamese coffee. I haven’t had it in so long.” Also known as Ca Phe Viet Nam, Vietnamese coffee is served hot or iced with rich flavor and sweetened condensed milk.

Steamed Dumplings are available served with Saigon Pho’s signature sauce. “We make our dumpling sauce with soy sauce, rice vinegar and shallot,” Phat told ALBB. “We will have our Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich in Phase 2.”

This menu is To Be Continued. and seating is open now…