Winter is usually the season for hibernation. People rarely go out. They dress in big coats and cover up their faces. People walk as fast as they can from the car to wherever they are going, shivering against the cold. It was cold Monday night to be sure but the people I saw seemed to saunter and smile. They stepped with a laugh and moseyed, they didn’t run to their cars. Let me explain.
Monday night, Dennis McDermott, held a party to celebrate the announcement of his new restaurant here in Riverhead. Dennis is the guy who created the Frisky Oyster and FOB in Greenport, two of the East End’s more successful restaurants. Dennis just took over the old Chase branch on East Main and he is going to create a great new eatery right across from the Aquarium. When you entered the former bank you had to expect it would be a cold setting, hey, they haven’t begun construction, so it’s still a bank, but instead the room was aglow with the warmth of well placed candles and chairs. Completely professional wait staff passed delightful tidbits, elegant cocktails and champagne. You got the feeling that if this guy can hold a party this good in an empty building I can’t wait to see what he can do when he opens.
The mood in the room was festive and light, the speeches and greetings were brief and filled with laughter. Everyone had a smile beaming. All of Riverhead was in a good mood. I believe that’s because people in this town is ready to believe again. I think people in this town are excited by “what comes next”? Think about it, these are pretty lousy economic times, banks just aren’t lending and money is hard to come by. Yet, Riverhead is building. In addition to Mr. McDermott’s venture, we have seen the start up of Dark Horse restaurant at One Peconic, Sandi moved the Blue Door to Roanoke Avenue and seems to be doing fine, Haiku was born and serves great sushi and now a taco place is going in behind Haiku, The Red Collection furniture shop has already become quite popular for browsing and buying, Casa Rica, thankfully, is finally gone and in its place will be a family style restaurant on Main Street. The new Hyatt is springing up faster than a teenager in a growth spurt, The Suffolk Theater is actively being rebuilt, Liz Strebel just reopened Riverhead Grill and dare I even speak the words? It appears we may have a movie theater coming to Main Street.
What’s great about this rebirth is it is real. No Apollo projects, no Wilpon deals. No Ski Mountains, the people creating the new Riverhead are people we know. People we can trust. They are neighbors, they are friends and they care. As Supervisor Sean Walter says “block by block, store by store” Riverhead is on the move.
Monday night was a good start, I felt a bit of spring in winter.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.