LENOX — The Candle Light Inn has closed for business after being sold to a Connecticut couple for $1,015,000 on Tuesday.
William and Suzanne Dakin bought the landmark property at the corner of Church and Main streets from long-time owner Rebecca Hedgecock of Lenox, according to documents at the Central Berkshire Registry of Deeds.
William Dakin, reached yesterday at the inn, said he preferred not to comment on his plans for the building, but it is believed he will return it to a private residence, which it was when it was originally built in 1885.
Hedgecock who will maintain her private residence in Lenox, said she plans to take a few months off and visit her children.
“Then I’m going to clean out my garage,†she said.
A Lenox landmark for many years, the large white building was originally built and occupied by the Bishop family. They moved on to grander estates in the Lenox area in the early 1900s, and since then the property has been used for a variety of purposes. During the 1950s, General Electric Co. housed bachelor workers for its Pittsfield plant there. Later, the building was sold to people who put it to use in the hospitality industry.
Beginning in the early ’60s, it became a restaurant known as Chef Carl’s. It then became the Toby Jug restaurant and bar and later was run as an inn by Jimmy and Lynne DeMayo, who named it the Candle Light and turned it into a hotspot for tourists. The DeMayos made many improvements to the building, enclosed the porches and constructed an outside courtyard to accommodate a steadily growing number of guests.
During the mid 1980s, the Candle Light received much attention as a highly regarded destination for tourists and was frequently reviewed by big-city food editors, who gave glowing reports on the quality of the food and accommodations. Robert Redford and other stars could be occasionally glimpsed enjoying a meal on the porch or having a drink at the bar.
In 1988, the DeMayos sold the historic building to Hedgecock and went on to open the Lenox 218 restaurant on Main Street, which remains open for business and is still owned by the family. Hedgecock continued to run the Candle Light as an inn and restaurant for the next 16 years, until she sold it Tuesday.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
North Adams Officials to Revote School Committee Members
Staff reports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City and school officials will meet a second time to vote in two new members of the School Committee.
The joint convention of the City Council and School Committee will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Hall conference room and via Zoom.
Damon Grimes and Paul Moriarty were jointly elected on Monday to fill two seats vacated by resignation. They were two of four candidates standing for election.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey, chair of the School Committee, said she had received in inquiry about the votes, which were done by secret ballot.
"I have been advised that voting by ballot was not permissible in this circumstance," she said, after consulting the School Committee's attorney Adam Dupere and city solicitor KP Law.
To ensure the validity of the votes and conduct of the election, the joint convention will reconvene and formally confirm the selection of Grimes and Moriarty.
"I apologize for the inconvenience of having to reconvene," the mayor said in a statement. "My intention in using a ballot was to address concerns raised following our previous convention, when some members expressed discomfort with publicly voting for or against individual candidates.
Senior Patrick Holland Saturday finished in fourth place to lead the Mount Greylock boys cross country team to a Western Massachusetts Class B Championship at Stanley Park. click for more
In a news release posted on its website tuesday morning, the Northwestern DA said, "prosecutors determined that no criminal conduct occurred," citing Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269, section 17. click for more
Everett Bayliss scored a pair of goals and Lukas Burrow had two assists in Sunday's Mount Greylock win in the Western Massachusetts Class C Championship Game. click for more
Gabe Thomas carded an even par round of 71 at Stockbridge Golf Club Monday to finish two shots clear of the field and claim the first county individual championship for the McCann Tech golf team. click for more
The Cooperative Hoosac Valley football program will resume football related activities on Monday, Sept. 28, after being on “pause” for the past nine days. click for more
Hoosac Valley High School has postponed this weekend’s football games following a reported alleged hazing incident involving a large number of football players, the athletic director announced Friday afternoon. click for more
