Halloweeny! :: Retail Therapy Guide 10/29/2021
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Do Good With Chipotle - Fundraiser For Sargent Elementary School 
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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The Roundhouse Requires Proof Of Vaccination At Restaurant, Outdoor Patio Or Lounge
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Photo Credit: The Roundhouse
Announced late in September to prepare people, The Roundhouse in Beacon is requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Published at their Facebook page:
“At The Roundhouse we are dedicated to providing a safe space for all to enjoy, and the safety of our guests and staff is our top priority. "As of October 7th, all adults and children 12 and older must show proof of Covid 19 vaccination to dine in our restaurant, outdoor patio or lounge. Children under 12 that are not yet eligible for the vaccination may accompany a fully vaccinated adult.”
For private events in their other buildings, The Roundhouse has a COVID-19 Event Safety FAQ page that outlines how private events can work, which are in line with how some other event locations have been running.
The Roundhouse is not the only restaurant in Beacon to require vaccinations: Quinn’s is also requiring proof of vaccination. All restaurants, bars and gyms in New York City are requiring proof of vaccination, as is LA.
Stop The Internets - Quinn's Will Reopen, But With New Rules: Admission Price & Proof of Vaxx
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Photo Credit:
The subject line of Quinn’s press release announcing their reopening (again) had a kicker at the end of it: “Joe McPhee 82nd Birthday Kicks Off Return of Live Music at Quinn's in Beacon NY (We Mean It This Time!)” Very cute and real, as everyone flows with the pandemic times.
Days before most people woke up to the raging Delta variant, Quinn’s had announced an aggressive lineup of long awaited jazz performances, including a clever “Joevember” themed month of November featuring musicians named Joe.
Shortly after that, Quinn’s announced a last call for a pause on their being open at all. In that time, the parklets (outside dining on the street) had been picked up, and their loyal customers began dreaming of ways to help them reopen.
This week’s reopening announcement will come with a sigh of relief, but it also comes with a new set of directions: live performances now require an admission price to enter; and there’s a new definition of getting carded - Quinn’s is carding for proof of vaccination. Masks will also be required for admission during all live performances.
Quinn’s will be open for food dining during non-performance days as well. Check with them for latest hours and days.
Quinn’s is the second restaurant (that we know of) to require proof of vaccination. The Roundhouse in Beacon has also imposed this rule, which begins today. All restaurants, bars and gyms in New York City are also requiring proof of vaccination, as are Broadway theaters. The Los Angeles City Council voted to require vaccinations for restaurants, bars, gyms, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and personal care establishments.
Normally, during a pause in a performance, band members go around the restaurant with a donation box, hoping people will give cash. With this new policy, performers are guaranteed a payment. Initiating the new policy, read the press release, “will be a celebration of the 82nd birthday of our dear friend, Hudson Valley legend and internationally recognized multi-instrumental titan, Joe McPhee (pictured above), on his actual birthday: Wednesday, November 3 at 8:30 PM. Admission for this very special event will be $20.”
The next performance will be the iconic Beacon punk band Ate Bit, with special guest Social Standards opening. Making it up as they go along (which is the beauty of running your own business), is a twist to “Joevember” with two musicians not named Joe scheduled to perform: Jessica Jones and Tony Jones on November 15th.
From the press release: “Highlights of Saturday night concerts include a devastating one-two punch from one of our favorite Beacon bands, Knock Yourself Out. First, on Second Saturday, November 13, we present KYO Surfers, featuring members of Knock Yourself Out, Dirt Bikes, and The Nighttimes performing songs by the infamous Texas psych-punk band Butthole Surfers — then, on Saturday, December 18, KYO bids us all farewell with their final performance, joined by special guest musicians Mimi Sun Longo, Daria Grace, Jonny Taylor, and Ken Fox. Other Saturday highlights include the bands 100 and Zero with opener Wall of Ego on November 20, and another Hudson Valley legend, DJ Bill Skillz, brings his Diggin' in the Crates Radio Roadshow back into Quinn's during Thanksgiving weekend on November 27.”
The upcoming schedule is listed below, but do check first before going, as dates and status could change.
MONDAY JAZZ SESSIONS (except for Wednesday 11/3):
8:30 PM EACH NIGHT, $15 CASH ADMISSION
NOVEMBER
11/3 Joe McPhee 82nd Birthday Celebration
11/8 Joe Giardullo w/ Vance Provey, Billy Stein and Harvey Sorgen
11/15 Jessica Jones/Tony Jones and Friends
11/22 Joe Fiedler's Open Sesame "Fuzzy and Blue" Record Release Party, w/ Jeff Lederer, Steven Bernstein, Sean Conly and Michael Sarin
11/29 Joseph Vincent Tranchina w/ Robert Kopec and Don Devine
DECEMBER
12/6 Mike Dopazo
12/13 Eric Person's Music of Ronald Shannon Jackson Project w/ Neil Alexander, Robert Kopec and Dean Sharp
12/20 Karl Berger & Friends
JANUARY
1/10 Iris Ornig
1/17 MLK Day 2022 Celebration w/ Ray Blue
SATURDAY NIGHT CONCERTS:
9 PM EACH NIGHT, $10 CASH ADMISSION (except for 11/27)
NOVEMBER
11/6 Ate Bit/Social Standards
11/13 KYO Surfers: Music of Butthole Surfers
11/20 100 and Zero/Wall of Ego
11/27 DJ Bill Skillz' Diggin' in the Crates Radio Roadshow (holiday open house — no cover, donations requested)
DECEMBER
12/18 Knock Yourself Out Farewell Performance, w/ Mimi Sun Longo, Daria Grace, Jonny Taylor, and Ken Fox
Poof :: Beacon's Parklets Are Gone To Prepare For Repaving And Painting Of Main Street
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Just as swiftly as they went up, the parklets that enabled additional outdoor dining opportunities for restaurants and patrons due to the COVID-19 pandemic have come down by September's end. The parklets are the orange barricades out front participating restaurants. The barricades were filled with water, making them very heavy for increased safety for those sitting on the other side of them. Restaurants often decorated them with flowers and in some cases built patios below them with coverings above them. They first appeared in Beacon in June 2020, but the concept has been in other cities for much longer.
The early take-down is a result of anticipated milling and paving of Main Street, as first announced by Beacon's City Administrator Chris White during the City Council's Meeting on 8/2/2021. He explained that a new surface coat will be going down, with epoxying using a high quality paint that will hold up for many years. He stated that all parking spaces, cross walks, and more will all be repainted. "We are in a state of flux right now," he expressed, "but hoping that by end of October, Main Street is tightened up."
Screenshot of the City of Beacon’s Schedule of Autumn Road Closure Schedule For Milling And Paving as of 9/29/2021.
City Administrator Chris announced again during the City Council Workshop Meeting on 9/27/2021 that the parklets would be pulled to begin milling and paving. On 9/29/2021, the City posted a brief Road Closure schedule through October 5, 2021, which includes some Main Street intersections, but are a fraction of the mile long Main Street that offers dining experiences from restaurants using parklets. It is unclear at this time if this is an incomplete list, or the full list of milling and paving. Additionally, it is unclear if milling and paving on Main Street will be conducted while Main Street is open, but traffic routed around into the other lane in order to avoid too many Main Street closures.
Throughout the summer, Beacon experienced the installation of "bump-outs," which are circular extensions of the sidewalk at corners. In theory, these are easier for people in wheelchairs (but if you're in a wheelchair, let us know in the Comments below if Beacon's installation is helpful to you!), and getting pedestrians more into the street at crosswalks to be seen by passing cars (deep breaths as you step out).
Construction of these bump-outs lasted throughout the summer, causing moving drive-arounds as different intersections on Main Street were worked on. Completed work to the bump-outs will happen once the street is milled and paved, to match the street paving to the end of the sidewalk for a smooth transition. Currently, there is an unfinished drop-off between the bump-out and the street.
Last Call At Quinn's - For Now - The Restaurant And Music Venue Pauses To Reassess
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One month after the announcement of an aggressive and celebratory live music lineup, Quinn’s has announced they will be closing temporarily to reassess how to move forward in a COVID-19 era with the current variant, Delta, circulating.
As posted on their FB page on September 10, 2021: “Quinn’s will be taking a big ol’ breather as we assess how best to venture forward. We adore this community and are hopeful to return. That being said, stop by tonight for a drink (or several) as we all say “see you later.” We will be closed tomorrow and onward. Stay tuned for updates”
First indicated on September 2, 2021, the venue announced that their music lineup would be postponed for September, but the restaurant would remain open.
Just over half of Dutchess County is vaccinated. Vaccinations have proven to decrease the severity of illness for those who do get infected. Non-vaccinated people’s bodies are contributing to the mutation of variants, which is keeping the pandemic alive and dangerous.
Remembering and Seeking :: The Retail Therapy Guide 9/10/2021
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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Quinn's Returns To Live Music - Schedule Set For Saturdays and Monday Jazz Sessions (with a sprinkling of "Joe" Sessions)
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Quinn’s opened under new ownership 8 years ago, keeping the decor and much-loved vibe of the diner-like eatery, but changed the focus to be a destination for jazz music and live performances. The menu also changed to offer renowned Japanese homestyle cuisine, a case of craft beers, sakes, whiskies and much more. When the pandemic shut them down, the music scene stopped as well, starving musicians from the live audience they crave.
Until now….Starting on Saturday, September 11th, Quinn’s is turning on the lights and setting up the stage for an fully stocked musical lineup on Saturdays and Mondays Jazz Sessions, with a sprinkling of performances on those days by people named Joe. Quinn’s is dubbing that “Joevember”
Kicking it off on Saturday, September 11th at 9am will be Beacon punk band Ate Bit, featuring the long-running Hudson Valley band Social Standards opening. The following Monday, September 13th at 8:30pm, the first Monday Jazz Session will be alto saxophonist Mike Dopazo, leading a trio featuring Adam Coté on bass, and Dave Berger on drums.
Quinn’s Is A Destination In The Jazz World & Other Genres
Quinn’s is one of the premier live music venues in the Hudson Valley. Beaconites may not realize what jazz gem is located behind that iconic brown brick wall decorated with pictures of Ramen dishes. To help you realize, we went to one of the - if not the - top jazz critic in the country - Nate Chinen. Nate is a former Beaconite who left this place for Philadelphia in order to have better commute to his radio job as Director of Editorial Content for WBGO 88.3FM, as well as a bigger yard for his family and pandemic dog.
To give you a background on Nate, so that his quote has context: Nate was a music critic for The New York Times for 12 years, and helmed a long-running column for JazzTimes. In addition to his editorial work for WBGO, Nate works with the multiplatform program Jazz Night in America and contributes a range of coverage to NPR Music. He is author of Playing Changes: Jazz For the New Century (buy it at Binnacle Books in Beacon! they can order any book for you), published in hardcover by Pantheon in 2018, and in paperback by Vintage in 2019. Hailed as one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, GQ, Billboard, and JazzTimes, it's a chronicle of jazz in our time, and an argument for the music's continuing relevance. It has also been published internationally, in Italian and Spanish editions.
Nate is coauthor of Myself Among Others: A Life in Music, the 2003 autobiography of festival impresario and producer George Wein, which earned the JJA’s award for Best Book About Jazz.
And while we're gushing, Nate is a 13-time winner of the Helen Dance–Robert Palmer Award for Excellence in Writing, presented by the Jazz Journalists Association, as well as a co-host for the podcast Jazz United for WBGO. Here’s what he had to say to ALBB about Quinn’s reopening for live music:
“I moved to Beacon from the West Village in 2009, and assumed that my days of walking down the street to a world-class jazz gig were over. I got here just in time to catch the tail end of Quinn’s as a diner (great blueberry pancakes!) — and then, after a dormant period, it reopened as a music venue. To my great and pleasant surprise, it became a go-to stop for improvised music, often featuring the very same artists I would see in the city, like Mary Halvorson, Matt Wilson and Joe McPhee.
“Beyond the extraordinary quality of the booking, Quinn’s is remarkable for its atmosphere — what’s probably best described as a “vibe.” The no-cover policy means that anyone can enjoy the music, and it creates a festive feeling in the room. If every American city the size of Beacon had a room like this, you wouldn’t hear so much about the plight of jazz in our culture. I wish the best to the club as it reopens, and look forward to my next hang there.”
Other artists who have performed at Quinn’s include: “Wilco guitarist Nels Cline to Japanese pop-punk icons Shonen Knife; from the Malian Tuareg rockers Mdou Moctar to Czech avant-garde violinist/vocalist Iva Bittová; from psychedelic free guitar freak Eugene Chadbourne to MacArthur ‘genius’ grantee Mary Halvorson; from Captain Beefheart/Jeff Buckley guitarist Gary Lucas to Downtown jazz legend William Parker; from otherworldly power trio Sun of Goldfinger (Tim Berne/David Torn/Ches Smith) to the Colossus of Poughkeepsie himself, multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee, among many other outstanding artists. Mike Faloon's celebrated book The Other Night at Quinn's details many of these unforgettable performances.”
COVID-19 Cautions: Quinn’s Is Monitoring
While we are in Year 2 of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and some people vaccinated, restaurants are trying to avoid shutdowns, and their customers are just as eager to have the option to continue to dine and dance inside. They state in their press release: “Please note: we are closely monitoring the ongoing COVID Pandemic and, based on guidance from the CDC and state health authorities, may be forced to revise our schedule without notice.”
Keep up with their changes and announcements, as well as food features at Instagram and Facebook.
The Musical Lineup
Quinn's is located at 330 Main St. in Beacon, NY and its phone number is (845) 202-7447. All listed concerts are no cover, but donations for the artists are requested and greatly appreciated. Bring cash, as the artists walk around to collect from everyone in attendance.
As of today, Quinn’s schedule is as follows:
SATURDAY CONCERTS:
9/11: Ate Bit/Social Standards
9/25: Knock Yourself Out — final KYO performance (!!!)
10/2: 100 and Zero/Wall of Ego
11/13: KYO Surfers — Butthole Surfers tribute w/ former Knock Yourself Out members + special guests
MONDAY JAZZ SESSIONS:
9/13: Mike Dopazo Trio — w/ Adam Coté and Dave Berger
9/20: Eric Person's Music of Ronald Shannon Jackson Project — w/ Neil Alexander, Robert Kopec + Dean Sharp
10/4: Two Sisters, Inc. — w/ Claire Daly, Dave Sewelson, Dave Hofstra + Michael Sarin
10/18: Pete Levin Trio — w/ Mike DiMicco + Jeff "Siege" Siegel (the last musicians to play Quinn's in March 2020!)
10/25: Adam Lane Trio — w/ Nick Lyons and Vijay Anderson
12/6: Matt Pavolka Band w/ Ben Monder, Santiago Leibson + Allan Mednard
12/13: Ted Daniel's International Brass + Membrane Corps — w/ Charles Burnham, Joe Daley and Newman Taylor Baker
12/20: Karl Berger Group
JOEVEMBER!!!
All Mondays in November to be led by musicians named Joe, including:
11/1: Joe McPhee 82nd Birthday Celebration
11/8: Joe Giardullo
11/15: Joe Daley Exploratory Project
11/22: Joe Fiedler's Open Sesame — w/ Jeff Lederer, Sean Conly + Michael Sarin
11/29: Joe Hertenstein
Other Live Music Venues In Beacon
Other established eateries have turned on the microphones as well. Towne Crier Cafe has reopened their famous stage for live music, and on the other side of town, the stage is also lit at Dogwood. Open Mic Nights are abound, including on the back patio of Beacon Bread Company.
HIRING! Homespun Foods is looking for a Sous-Chef
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Homespun Foods is looking for a Sous-Chef (preferably with pastry experience)
Key Duties
Team Player with experience
Reliable with great attention to detail
Positive attitude
Ability to teach & help lead a crew
How To Apply:
Email joe@homespunfoods.com
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
