Colleen Reinhard and Sean Taylor plan to open Taylor's Fine Dining at 34 Holden Street in July. [Photo by Meaghan Cross]
North Adams - They've been a regional restaurant industry force for 15 years and now Sean Taylor and his sister Colleen Reinhard plan to double their city presence with the opening a new eatery at 34 Holden St..
As operators of the Freight Yard Pub, Reinhard and Taylor established a very strong patron base. A well-rounded menu of "pub fare" that delivers a taste-bud wallop at a good price is part of the Pub's success formula, but there's more at work -literally- at the premises.
"Sean has that perfect personality," said Reinhard during a Saturday night interview from the busy, bustling pub bar.
Taylor is most often found working behind the Pub bar and now he is the president of the new Taylor's Fine Dining venture.
Jobs
Reinhard said that plans are to open the Holden Street dining rooms by July. She and Taylor have entered into an option to purchase the restaurant space from property owner Scarafoni Realty Inc. and offered a bit of good news about the staff of the site's previous tenant, William "Bill" Gideon, who operated "Gideon's" restaurant from 2004 until earlier this year,
"We've heard from some of the people who worked there previously and we are going to bring back some of the people who lost their jobs due to the closing," Reinhard said.
Pub staff were offered an opportunity to change server venues but most of the pub's servers, cooks, and additional employees said they prefer to remain at the Western Gateway Heritage Park site. Taylor's Fine Dining will need a staff of about 18-20 people, Reinhard said.
She is very enthusiastic about the new restaurant's goal to offer a more upscale menu at prices just a few dollars more than typical "pub fare" menu, she said.
A chef has been hired and his vision matches hers, Reinhard said.
Polished And Professional
"When I was talking about the concept, I talked a lot about wanting to offer the up-and-coming kinds of things at affordable prices," she said. "I want to be able to fill the seats on a Tuesday night and we love the city and the Northern Berkshires. We want people to be able to come to the [new] restaurant. When I discussed that with [the chef], it was like 'I love that idea.'"
Servers will wear professional attire including crisp white shirts, ties, black pants and long white aprons. The idea is to present a polished image, Reinhard said.
The restaurant plans to open seven days a week, from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. for lunch and 4 p.m.-10 p.m. for dinner.
Lunch And Dinner
Lunch fare will include gourmet-style sandwiches, such as a chicken-encrusted-with-parmesan offering and a variety of upscale salads.
"It's lunch fare, but it's pretty," said Reinhard. "We're planning some really fun salads and it's only going to cost a couple dollars more than something you'd find at the pub."
Dinners will be delightful as well, she predicted. Adding to the more formal atmosphere will be a maitre'd, Taylor and Reinhard's brother Philip Taylor.
Because the two restaurants will offer decidedly different menus and atmospheres, there is no concern about competing against themselves, Reinhard said. As a former owner of the Water Street Grille in Williamstown, she is well experienced in the day-to-day challenges of operating different restaurants, she said.
The Kind Of Thing That Happens In A Community Like This
And the pleasure of being surrounded by area residents, visitors, and "great staff" - times two with the addition of the new restaurant - is a wonderful experience, she said.
"Sean and I both do our best when we are surrounded by people," she said. "And the support that we've received from the mayor [Mayor John Barrett III], the bank [Hoosac Bank] David Carver, and the lawyer [Thomas McHugh of Williamstown] is so great. People have been coming up to us on the street, in the supermarket, and congratulating us. It means so much to us to hear that."
The Holden Street space will not undergo a major renovation, she said.
"The previous owners had wonderful taste and the place looks really nice," she said. "I will add a few of my own personal decorating touches but the restaurant really is beautiful as it is."
The pub is a member of the Berkshire Grown initiative, which promotes the use of locally-farmed produce and Taylor's Fine Dining will follow suit, she said.
Being part of a growing Northern Berkshire community is of the utmost importance to Reinhard and Taylor, she said.
"We started to talk about [acquiring the Holden Street space] and more and more people said it would be a good idea," she said."The bank liked the concept, we liked the concept, and we got all this wonderful support. Things kept rolling and then all of a sudden, it was like 'wow, this is happening!' We believe that we will bring some stability to that space. And Sean and I are so excited about this. When you have so much support....We love this town. We love the area. People have come to us to give their support with such sincerity."
"That's the kind of thing that happens in a community like this."
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 413-663-3384 ext. 29.
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat No Paws Left Behind still waiting for his forever home.
iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. He was previously highlighted but he now has new information.
Grey Boy is 10 years old and is a gray and white domestic shorthair and was previously highlighted on Companion Corner.
The shelter's Executive Director Noelle Howland introduced us to him and his long journey to be ready for adoption.
"He's been here a couple months. He was a transfer from a rescue in Bennington. They were out of space, so we had taken him in with a few other cats. So he's been here a couple months. He came in with what we believed was a respiratory infection," she said. "So it took us a little bit to get him ready, and then he also needed a dental. So he has nice, clean teeth. He had some teeth removed, and then he has to go back in and have one more dental. So he'll be all ready to go."
It was previously thought that he has feline herpes but he was recently diagnosed with a palette fracture because of how bad his dental disease was, which is what is causing his sneezing. He can now go home with cats, a cat-savvy dog and children.
"He has had two dentals since being with us. Due to the palate fracture he will be sneezy for the rest of his life, not contagious sneezing, but that doesn’t stop him from living a perfectly happy life. He should be on wet food with chunks due to this and since he has had many teeth removed," Howland said.
Grey Boy loves to play with toys and enjoy treats. He would also love to have a window to lounge or bird-watch in.
"He is not afraid of anything. He's very curious, so I'm sure he'd love if you have windows for him to look out of. He still plays, even though he's 10 it does not stop him. So any home would be a good fit for him."
Now that he is ready to be adopted, he is excited. When you walk into the room with him he will rub up against your leg introducing himself and asking to be pet.
"Usually, I would say, when you're walking, he'll bonk into you so he might catch you off guard a little bit. He constantly is rubbing against you," Howland said. "He really, I would say he's lazy when you want him to be, and he's active when you want him to be. He'll play with toys. He's usually lounging away. And then when he comes out he'll play. He loves it. So, very friendly, easy going cat."
He is now perfectly healthy with his dentals all done and veterinary care up to date and is ready to find his forever family.
"I would say the friendliest, easiest cat you could have. He's just, he's just gonna be a little sneezy sometimes, but that doesn't stop him from doing anything," she said.
Grey Boy's adoption fee is sponsored by Rooted in Balance Counseling LLC.
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