Kids Classes Guide Update: Beacon Recreation Building is Open and Useful!

As if inspired by the mantra of Thomas the Train and Friends, whose goal is to always be useful, the Beacon Parks and Recreation Department has posted the following message to their Facebook page. This has been updated in A Little Beacon Blog's Kids Classes Guide:

SPRING STORM UPDATE:

From the Beacon Parks and Recreation Department:

Wednesday, May 16: "We are open, with running water, three bathrooms, power, wi-fi... and coffee! Community hours until 2 pm. Need to charge your phone? Need to get out of the house? The Rec Center at 23 West Center Street has power, wi-fi and big blue blocks/playground for the kids. We'll be open until 2 pm"

Adults, we've got your backs too! Specialty classes are listed in A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide for both lifestyle, business and sports. So do check it out, and if you have a specialty class to submit to either Guide, you can do so on our Event Submission Page!

Beacon Youth Police Academy Recruiting for Summer Camp 2018

From the Office of the City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero

The Beacon Youth Police Academy is pleased to announce our 4th annual summer program, July 16 to 20, 2018. This free weeklong program, for students in the Beacon community entering grades 9-12, will provide an introduction to law enforcement, interactions with officers and field trips. A variety of locations will be used to host the program, including Beacon High School. Trips will include visits to local training centers, police academy, court and correctional facility. The goal of the academy is to help participating youth understand the role police officers play in the community, job duties performed and the requirements of becoming a police officer.

This program was organized by Joe and Christine Galbo in cooperation with the Beacon Police Department, Beacon Recreation Department, Beacon Mayor's Office, City of Beacon, Beacon PBA and Beacon School District. Our Youth Academy is funded solely by donations from the community. We greatly appreciate the generosity of our local businesses, community organizations and residents for their continued support.  

An online application can be found here or by emailing beaconyouthpa@gmail.com.  

Get Involved in the 2018 Beacon High School Career Fair!

With the huge success of last year's Beacon High School Career Fair, the school is currently seeking presenters for the 2018 Career Fair. It is a great opportunity to network with other businesses and share your knowledge with the students. The event will be held on Friday, May 25, from 10 am to 3 pm at the Beacon High School gymnasium. Presenters are asked to set up at the high school at 9 am. 

The fair will be set up in the gymnasium, where each presenter will have their own table to display information and items that represents the person’s career/profession that can serve as talking pieces with visitors. Students are invited to walk around and speak to the different presenters of their choice.

The career fair is seeking people who work in the following professions: 

• Crime Scene Investigator
• Forensic Scientist
• Professional Athlete
• Professional Actor/Actress
• Fashion Designer/Model
• Sports Management
• Surgeon
• Music producer
• Nurse
• Professional Photographer
• Film Director
• TV/Film Camera man
• Interior Designer
• Stock Broker/Hedge fund
• Psychiatrist
• Social Worker
• Video Game Designer
• YouTuber

If you are interested in participating, feel free to contact Michele Polhamus, School Counselor, by email at polhamus.m@beaconk12.org or by phone at (845) 838-6900.

Mother’s Day on Main Street - Gift Ideas

You know where to find ‘em... Mother’s Day cards, gifts and flowers on Main Street. There are so many options! The most unique, easy-to-get flowers, cards, jewelry, bras! Anything. Find ideas and pictures in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide!

www.alittlebeaconblog.com/shopping-guide

Second Saturday! Art Gallery Openings for May 2018

Happy Second Saturday, Beacon! From a fundraising music festival down by the river to a shop/gallery grand opening up on the mountain side of town, there's no shortage of exciting things to do in Beacon on this chilly, damp day. Warm up with an ambitious tour up, down, and beyond Main Street. We've got it all covered in Beacon's most comprehensive Art Guide. 

Find a last-minute present for your motherly friends and family at Common Ground's plant sale or the Etsy pop-up, or consider gifting some art! By our count, there are about three dozen places around town to purchase art. Today, you'll see work by prolific Beacon artist Erica Hauser at three of those locations! Check our Art Guide for more on Erica and all the other artists you can see.  

Happening This Weekend - 5/11/2018

May's Second Saturday weekend will have the added jubilation of celebrating Mother's Day, which could be as simple as giving Mom a few hours to herself! Festivities should definitely include brunch, either in bed or out on Main Street, so check out A Little Beacon Blog's Brunch Guide (recently updated and includes a chocolate pancake!) for ideas. Loads of gift ideas await you on the streets of Beacon, so do visit our Shopping Guide for a full list of shops organized by category (think Kids, Foodies, Men, Women, etc.) For a list of all of the galleries, with a sampling of what is showing in each gallery, head to A Little Beacon Blog's Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide. Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. NEW SHOP! Artifact Beacon Opening Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Location: 17 East Main St., Beacon, NY (near Dogwood) Remember that Pop-Up Shop that was in A Little Beacon Space last fall? The one with the cool copper rings, pottery and paintings? They loved their retail experience so much that they opened a permanent shop in Beacon in the former Gwenno James storefront (near Dogwood) featuring jewelry, pottery and paintings from the original trio! Featured in the Highlands Current, you must stop in to their new store at 17 East Main St. to see the copper rings, which have been fused to rocks in a process called electroforming. Watch their big reveal of the window signage (looks a little bit like a ghost...) Thanks Artifact for advertising your Opening Day in A Little Beacon Blog! Information > 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Day: Thursday to Monday, May 10-13, 2018 Time: 7:30 pm Location: Beacon Performing Arts Center Studio Theatre, 327B Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Psychic Fair Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: Noon to 6 pm Location: Chill Wine Bar, 173 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Rootstock - Local Craft Beer & Farm Fresh Fare Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: Noon to 6 pm Location: The Red Barn at Long Dock, 8 Long Dock Road, Beacon, NY Information >              Find this art and so much more in Beacon. We have sleuthed all of the galleries for you. Your map to Beacon's Second Saturday Art this weekend is here! An Afternoon of Music with John DeRosalia Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: 1 to 2 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Common Ground Farm Spring Plant Sale Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: Noon to 3 pm Location: Tito Santana Taqueria, 142 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Rootstock Farm Fest Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: Noon to 6 pm Location: The Red Barn at Long Dock Park, 23 Long Dock Road, Beacon, NY Information > Garden Party and Botanical Drawing with Artist Erica Hauser Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: 5 to 7 pm Location: One Nature Garden Center, 321 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: 7 to 8 pm Location: Binnacle Books, 321 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.   Psychedelic Sunset Vintage Pop-Up Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: 10 am to 7 pm     Location: Echo, 470 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Mid Hudson Etsy Makers Pop Up Market Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: 1 to 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >   Sewing - Absolute Beginners with Toni Maeck Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018, or Monday, May 14, 2018 Time: Saturday, 10 am to 1 pm; Monday, 6 to 9 pm Location:  Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide. For a full list of upcoming classes, visit our Kids Classes Guide.   Rhinebeck Hudson Valley Full & Half Marathon Day: Saturday, May 12, 2018 Time: 6 am start for the full marathon; 8:30 am for the half Location: Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6550 Springbrook Ave., Rhinebeck, NY Information >   Thank you to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide!     BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END   Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company) Clarity comes from the clearest lenses, and that is what you will get from Luxe Optique. In addition to creating the high quality lens inside the frame, the team at Luxe Optique can adjust your glasses so that even those with the trickiest astigmatism can see straight. Go see them today and ask them what it means to adjust your glasses perfectly.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) This Grecian goddess you see here at Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique is wearing an Allure Bridals bridesmaids gown in Azure Blue. It looks stunning on this model, and because it can be converted into several different styles, it'll look great on you too. Also: It's amazing with gold. Go in and see it! Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Wares, Luxe Optique, and Lambs Hill. The next big update is happening to our Beauty Guide! There are new barbers in town, and we're catching up on all of it. A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency There are only four spots left in this Defensive Driving class with Susan Pagones! This is your chance to possibly reduce points on your driving record, thereby lowering your car insurance payments. This two-session class is only $30. Call them to reserve your spot at (845) 831-4300. Days: Monday and Wednesday, May 14 and 16 Time: 5:30 to 8:45 pm Location: Antalek & Moore office, 340 Main St., Beacon, NY Rhinebeck Bank Rhinebeck Bank has a new blog! One of the first articles covers How to Save For a Summer Vacation. Best tips: Set a Goal Curb Unnecessary Spending Set up Automatic Transfers to Savings Open a Dedicated Savings Account Get all of the tips here!   Katie James, Inc. Private Training and Group Classes are available for: MailChimp Newsletters Squarespace Websites (training in both design and writing copy to help your Google visibility and help get customers to do what you want on your website) Social Media Strategy Keep your eyes on this space for when class dates are set, though Private Training is available anytime. Want to book a Pop-Up Shop at A Little Beacon Space? Do it! Our Pop-Up Shop Package includes promotion for your weekend. Learn more here. Tin Shingle Starting a new business? Maybe you're rebranding. You'll need to pick a business name and website name that match, are memorable, and are different from your competition. Tin Shingle has four tested tips for you to get started. Get the full article here > BeaconArts Windows on Main Street is one of the best public art displays to sponsor and/or participate in as a storefront business, artist, or sponsor business. Details here on how you can sponsor or participate > Beacon Chamber of Commerce Beacon Chamber of Commerce and local officials join Wyld Womyn, 378 Main St. Suite C, for a Ribbon Cutting! Ribbon Cutting: Friday, May 11, at 2 pm Grand Opening Celebration: Saturday, May 12, from noon to 8 pm SPONSOR OPPORTUNITY Reach the readers of A Little Beacon Blog, who are the most interested in art, culture, and exploring cities and towns to find art. Our Second Saturday Guide has openings for lead sponsors of this Guide. See A Little Beacon Blog's Media Kit for details.   NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog A Little Beacon Blog receives over 14,500 views per month, with over 3,100 followers at Facebook, 2,700 at Instagram, and 1,100 newsletter subscribers. The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of making it happen, and get your business in front of the community. We have designed the most integrated advertising packages in the Hudson Valley to work for your business. Click here to reach our readers > Until next week!

Updates Made to Brunch in Beacon Guide - Chocolate Pancakes Anyone?

There's been a lot of movement on Main Street since we first started our Brunch and Breakfast Guide. We've captured the available French Toast options here in this latest update of this Brunch in Beacon, NY Guide. The Guide also includes spots you can find breakfast sandwiches, and cocktails to kick off your day on a festive note.

Favoritest Phlox in Beacon, 2018

This is my most favoritest phlox in all of Beacon, requiring a walk down Cross Street to experience it. Cross Street is by Hudson Beach Glass. So stop in there for a little blown-glass marble or miniature animal collectible, and then walk by this ocean wave of phlox before it’s gone...

Main Street Closure Update After Sewer Collapse at Main Street and Tioronda Avenue

Main Street One-Lane Update from the City of Beacon

The City Administrator for the City of Beacon, Anthony J. Ruggiero, M.P.A., has issued this update:

There has been a sewer collapse at the intersection of Main Street and Tioronda Avenue. 

MAY 10: Starting Thursday, May 10, Main Street will be one lane of traffic from Tioronda Avenue (Howland Cultural Center) to Brothers Restaurant to allow the contractor to start the sewer bypass. 

MAY 14 - 16 (approx.): Starting on Monday, May 14, Main Street will be closed to through traffic from Schenck Avenue (Ella's Bellas) to East Main Street (Dummy Light) for approximately three days, until Wednesday, May 16.  The contractor will be working through the night to limit the disturbance on this section of Main Street. Parking in this area will be limited. 

Sidewalks will remain open.
 
Notices have been distributed to the business and property owners and appropriate signage will be placed.

New Musical Production Holding Auditions May 21st and 22nd at Howland Cultural Center

The Hudson Valley Theatre Initiative will be holding auditions at the Howland Cultural Center on Monday, May 21, and Tuesday, May 22, from 5 to 8 pm for their upcoming pop musical production, "#QueenE The Musical." They are seeking eight women and two men and encourage all actors, singers, and dancers to come out - no experience necessary. 

Who Is The Hudson Valley Theatre Initiative?

The Hudson Valley Theatre Initiative's mission is to integrate professional theatre into the community experience of living in the Hudson Valley through music-focused, family-friendly theatre, by developing and presenting unique shows that push forward the art of live storytelling performance.

All Ages Welcome!

Whether you are 4 years old or 100, all experience levels are considered at these auditions, and non-traditional casting is encouraged. This is your chance to be a part of a musical production, if this is something you've always wanted to do but never had the chance.

Cupcake Festival in Beacon, NY 2018 - Reached the Cupcake Mecca

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Streets were packed on Beacon's east end of town for the Cupcake Festival 2018.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

Did you reach the mecca? The Cupcake Festival? The east end of town was thick with cupcake celebrators, but in our journey to walk all of Main Street from the train to the mountain, we got to duck into a few favorite local businesses...

Luxe Optique (where we helped a friend buy some glasses!), American Gypsy Vintage while waiting for a to-go chicken wrap from Ziatun to eat on the way, NFP Studio (got a personal demonstration of how to wear their architecture-inspired sweaters!), Utensil Kitchenware (bought some nesting containers at last!), Jeffrey Terreson Fine Art (always love seeing that guy and he had a stunning, ginormous print on the floor ready for shipping out the door). And at last, we decorated this cupcake from Tops, and indulged in a generous chocolate cupcake with a lot of vanilla frosting from The Chocolate Studio. Alas, we ate it before the camera could capture a picture.

We Shopped at American Gypsy Vintage on the way down to the Cupcake Festival, while waiting for a takeout chicken wrap from Ziatun.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

How many cupcakes should you bring if you're a cupcake vendor? A lot. This is just a fraction - 1/279th - of the cupcakes that were for sale.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

Finally Stopped into NFP Studio to experience the sweaters!
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

During Last year's Cupcake Festival, no one ventured down to 1 East Main, which is literally Just down a grassy hill from the Happenin' Event. This year, Since Trax Coffee Roasters Has moved in, Cupcake Aficionados Were Happy to venture down the hill.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Happening This Weekend 5/4/2018

Does your phone have a cupcake emoji? Because ours does not, and you'll need one this weekend! We're expecting thousands of people to come into Beacon on Saturday to see the Cupcake Wars and experience the Cupcake Festival, happening on the East End of Beacon near the mountain. Read our full report, with pictures, on how it went last year. If we had an emoji message for you, it would be: 🍡 🍰 🦄 ☕️ 🌷 😍 That you'll eat lots of cake, maybe feel like a unicorn with all that colorful frosting, at which point you'd need coffee from nearby Trax in the new 1 East Main area (read our interview with co-owner Katy Bell Behney here!). And a tulip because Beacon is still in glorious bloom. Whether you find yourself indulging in some cupcakes at this year's Cupcake Festival or burning them off at the Hard Cider Run in Warwick - it will be a good weekend to be outside, especially with the Spring plant sale, river cleanup and food events happening! See everything below. Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. Beacon Waterfront Cleanup Day: Saturday, May 5, 2018 Time: 11:30 am to 2 pm Location: Beacon Sloop Club, 2 Flynn Drive, Beacon, NY Information > K104.7 Cupcake Festival Day: Saturday, May 5, 2018 Time: 1 to 5 pm Location: Main Street, Beacon, NY (between Route 52/Teller Ave. and E. Main St.) Information > Stony Kill Spring Celebration & Plant Sale Day: Saturday, May 5, 2018 Time: 11 am to 3 pm Location: Stony Kill Farm, 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY Information > Hudson Valley Film & Television Industry Mixer Day: Saturday, May 5, 2018 Time: 3:30 to 7:30 pm Location: Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Landing, Kingston, NY Information > Beacon Farmers Market Opening Day Celebration Day: Sunday, May 6, 2018 Time: 10 am to 3 pm Location: Veterans Place, Beacon, NY Information > Apple Blossom Day Day: Sunday, May 6, 2018 Time: 10 am to 3 pm Location: Fishkill Farms, 9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction, NY Information > An Intimate Concert with Dar Williams Day: Sunday, May 6, 2018 Time: 2 pm Location: Winter Hill, Garrison, NY Information > Sound/Peace (Seeking Harmony in Dissonant Times) Day: Sunday, May 6, 2018 Time: 6 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.     Easy Peazy Pajama Pants with Katy Hope Day: Friday, May 4, 2018 Time: 1 to 5 pm Location:  Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Walking Foot Quilting with Melanie Tuazon Day: Saturday, May 5, 2018 Time: 1 to 3 pm Location: Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Relax and Restore Acupuncture and Essential Oils with Erika Forsell, LAc Day: Sunday, May 6, 2018 Time: 4 to 6 pm Location: Beacon of Light Wellness Center, 4 S. Chestnut St., Beacon, NY Information > For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide. Card & Board Games Club Day: Friday, May 4, 2018 Time: 3 to 5 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > For a full list of upcoming classes, visit our Kids Classes Guide.   The Hard Cider Run: New York Days: Saturday, May 5, and Sunday, May 6, 2018 Time: 10 am (both days) Location: Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, 114 Little York Road, Warwick, NY Information >   Thank you to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide! BIG UPDATES MADE! There've been many recent changes, so get the full Restaurant Guide to Beacon here: CLOSED: Harry's Hot Sandwiches CLOSED: Pleasant Ridge 2 OPEN: Enoteca Ama OPEN: Melzingah Tap House (in the former Hop location) OPEN: Big Mouth Coffee Roasters OPEN: Trax Coffee Roasters     BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END   Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company) Recognize this face? It's Julia from Luxe Optique! When she's not working your paperwork and finding you frames, she's the star of much of Luxe Optique's fashion photography. These Thom Brownes are one of her favorite styles. Stop by any day of the week to try them on. 😎   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) This bride is wearing a Lillian West gown, as its simple elegance against the mountainous backdrop of Lambs Hill makes a big impact. You'll find Lillian West gowns at Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique at 1 East Main - near Trax Coffee Roasters! Come in to take a peek inside the boutique.   Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Wares, Luxe Optique, and Lambs Hill. Look for our friends - The Blushery - at this year's Cupcake Festival! The owner, Stephanie, will have a table outside on the sidewalk. See her for your makeup needs and brow waxing! For more, check out A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Book it and forget it. Let Antalek & Moore worry about your wedding venue insurance. They can do the research to find you the best rate. Check that off your list! Click here for details or call them at (845) 831-4300. Rhinebeck Bank When you buy a home, it's common to experience feelings after the initial baby step excitement, like "Ohmygosh, I love this home!" which (fingers crossed!) turns into "Ohmygosh, they accepted my offer!" Working with Rhinebeck Bank to finance your home can help set that nervous excitement at ease once you move forward with purchasing. Just hear what these happy homeowners had to say after closing on their home: "What an adventure this whole crazy home-buying process has been! You calmed the wild mortgage jungles with grace, patience, and expertise, helping us navigate through the financial waters... Thank you for everything!" Read about their success story here >   Katie James, Inc. Private training and group classes are available for: MailChimp Newsletters Squarespace Websites (both design and writing copy that helps you in Google and gets customers to do what you want on your website) Social Media Strategy Keep your eyes on this space for when the class dates are set! Though Private Training is available anytime. Want to book a Pop-Up Shop at A Little Beacon Space? Do it! Our Pop-Up Shop Package includes promotion for your weekend. Learn more here. Tin Shingle Sometimes you need a little wild eyes to keep you going! Check out the encouraging words from this artist who was featured in The New York Times for her work. If you're doing your own PR, she has words you need to hear. Tin Shingle offers the resources available to you to make feature stories like this possible, with our easy-to-use Media Contact List Database, Editorial Calendars, and Training webinars called TuneUps. Learn more about membership here. BeaconArts One of the most connected memberships in Beacon. If you are an artist, have a business or need to connect, this is a membership-based group you'll want to join. Beacon Chamber of Commerce Is your business new in town? Schedule your ribbon-cutting! Did you move and reopen somewhere? The Beacon Chamber of Commerce wants to help your business start out on the right foot. Reach out to them to schedule. SPONSOR OPPORTUNITY A Little Beacon Blog's monthly Second Saturday Guide is seeking lead sponsors to have their logo at the top of the Guide for the month. All Second Saturday Guides are archived and live forever to help preserve our memories of which artists were showing what. Packages start at $350 and can include newsletter and website exposure. See A Little Beacon Blog's Media Kit for details, and contact us with questions. STATS 14,500 views per month on this website 3,100 followers on Facebook 2,700 followers on Instagram 1,100 newsletter subscribers NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog Over 14,500 views per month happen at A Little Beacon Blog, with over 3,100 followers at Facebook and 2,700 at Instagram, as well as 1,100 newsletter subscribers. The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of what makes it happen, and get your business in front of the community. Click here to reach our readers > Until next week!

Trax Is Third Business in Beacon for Owners Buddy and Katy

Photo Credit: Trax Espresso Bar & Coffee Roasters

It's an iconic Beacon experience: Wrapping up the day with coffee or beer on the patio, under tree branches strung with twinkling lights, or imbibing on a balmy afternoon as breezes gust through the outdoor tables of Bank Square Coffeehouse, set between the Hudson River and Mount Beacon. Being the first storefront on Main Street off of 9D (aka Wolcott Ave.), up the hill from the train station, Bank Square's location is prime. Main Street parades often begin there, and overall, the coffee shop is an easy landmark when people are meeting up or discussing something going on in town.

The Bank Square Coffeehouse experience is partially responsible for the many happy walkers, diners and shoppers down on the West End of Beacon, toward the train station. Owners of boutiques, art galleries, and other shops down on the other end of town (aka the "East End") near the mountain continuously wish for more foot traffic, and think longingly of Bank Square. They had been overheard, wishing aloud: "If only we had a Bank Square down here..."

Two-Time Beacon Business Owners Open Second Coffeehouse on East End of Town

That dream came true when Trax Espresso Bar & Coffee Roasters opened in the newly renovated factory building at 1 East Main. Trax is the third business from Beacon business owners Buddy Behney and Katy Bell Behney. They own Bank Square Coffeehouse, which opened in 2009 in the longtime Muddy Cup space, and they can be found almost any day of the week across the street at their retail shop, Mountain Tops Outfitters, which opened in 2006. We reached out to Katy to learn more about the inspiration to open Trax.

ALBB: Had you considered opening a second location earlier?

Katy Bell Behney: "Yes, it’s always been in the back of our minds, whether it be in Beacon or a nearby town. We had been roasting more of our own beans. Having a new space gave us a new venue to do more of that. We hired our manager to help with the roasting: Kurt Balogh. We knew him from Coffee Labs, where we get our coffee for Bank Square. Kurt had worked for a roasting company down in Brooklyn, and was interested in working more with us. He lives in Yonkers and makes the commute up here to act as manager and roaster of Trax."

ALBB: Did any of the shop owners from the East End of town beg you to open up down there?

Katy Bell Behney: "We were approached about putting a coffee shop in there. We looked at the space, not thinking that we would. But once we saw the space, we fell in love with it. Seeing all of the activity going on at that end of town, we thought it would be an interesting opportunity to try a second location. We knew that they wanted a coffee shop there, so we figured we would give it a try. We were flattered that they approached us about it. That encouraged us."

Editor's Note! We dug a little deeper to find out who planted the seed in Katy and Buddy's mind, and learned that it was Charlotte Guernsey, another three-time Beacon business owner. Charlotte says: "Yes, it was me! I wanted their coffee and the foot traffic!" Charlotte owns Gatehouse Realty, the office of which is located on the East End of town, as well as Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, located in the 1 East Main building with Trax, and also designed the wedding venue Lambs Hill on Mount Beacon.

ALBB: The decor is quite different from Bank Square - what was your thinking there?

Katy Bell Behney: "We wanted to make it a little simpler and stay true to the old building, with the beams that were already there. We wanted to play off of those. We have the old Tuck Tape Industries sign (more about Tuck here) that we salvaged a while back that we didn’t have a place for, and then we found this place. We also have an old billboard sign that came from a local shop. The bar in the window is used from the building next door - from the 1800s."

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

Parking is available on the side of Trax.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

ALBB: The logo of the train spike is interesting - who came up with it?

Katy Bell Behney: Credit goes to Buddy on the logo. He and his friend who is a designer came up with the logo. We wanted to play off of the location. Bank Square is called Bank Square because it’s located in the Bank Square part of town. Being on the tracks, we came up with the name Trax. We just thought it looked cool.

Picture of an actual railroad nail that serves as the inspiration for Trax's logo.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Beacon Still in Bloom: Chain Link Fences of Beacon

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

Beacon is still in bloom for what is shaping up to be a long floral season, with the healthy doses of rain we’ve been getting. The lilacs, dogwoods, and magnolias have just started opening up. There was a time, for two or three seasons in a row I seem to recall, when it did snow on the new magnolia buds. But so far... well, I won’t say more and jinx us. :)

Meanwhile, Beacon is famous for its chain link fences, and to be honest, the biggest benefit of the chain link fence is that you can see through it, letting in light which is good for plantings, and it doesn’t fall down as easily as soggy wooden fences do. (Though I love a good, soggy, mossy wooden fence. So atmospheric.)

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Sponsor Opportunity: Fundraiser for Episcopal Church of St. Mary’s Golf Outing

The Episcopal Church of St. Mary’s in the Highlands in Cold Spring.
Photo Credit: Google Images. Graphic Design: Katie James, Inc.

From time to time, we hear laments from business owners who saw an opportunity to be involved in an event, or to sponsor something, but didn't know about it in time to apply. Therefore, when we are able to and if we know about it, we'll share a sponsor opportunity with our readers in case you might be interested. A Little Beacon Blog is not affiliated with this event; we just thought you might like to know about it, as we are advocates for local businesses getting the word out, and for fundraising for a good cause.

Sponsorships for Golf Outing at Beekman Golf Course

Stinson’s Hub is fundraising for the Episcopal Church of St. Mary’s in the Highlands in Cold Spring. They "are in desperate need for funds to keep their doors open," says Wendy Stinson, owner of the hub. Stinson's Hub is holding its annual golf outing on Friday, June 8, 2018 at Beekman Golf Course, and is looking for businesses who are interested in sponsorship at different levels. You can learn more about the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church here. The church's parish hall is also home to the Philipstown Reform Synagogue.

The sponsoring establishment’s information would be posted at the outing, and signage would be posted on the hole/tee that is sponsored by the business. According to Wendy, "Every year our golf outing grows bigger and bigger, and we are very excited to see what this year will bring." 

If you are interested in sponsoring a hole or tee, please call Wendy at 845-234-8807 or email wendelrina69@gmail.com.

Sponsor Options:

• Sponsor a $200 hole or $100 tee.
• Sponsor the purchase of golf balls with your establishment’s logo on them to be given out at the outing
• $200 per 5 dozen golf balls with your logo on them (taken)
• Sponsor for 15 dozen golf balls with your logo on them
• Sponsor the Par 3 Challenge - $300 (taken)
• Sponsor the Par 5 Challenge - $400
• Sponsor the Hole in One Challenge - $600 (taken)
• Sponsor a Car Giveaway (Car Dealership)
• Dinner Sponsor - $800
• Lunch Sponsor - $300
• Sponsor Refreshments Station - $200
• **All sponsorships will have their establishments advertised at the event