Cold Spring has no Starbucks and it has no McDonald”™s.
Cold Spring”™s formula instead is infused with charm and history in a setting other towns dream of: hugging the Hudson River in the shadow of Storm King Mountain. The result is a bustling, scenic Main Street/Route 9D corridor, open for business on the coldest day of the year with a homegrown crop of some 175 businesses in its chamber of commerce.
When he first arrived from New York City in 1971, chamber President Robert Lomino was facing a very different future in Cold Spring than the one he has come to embrace via Robert”™s Total Care Salon on Chestnut Street, which is also Route 9D.
“The plan then was to build a big hotel in town and to widen Route 9D,” he said. “They shot it down. Cold Spring chose a different path.”
Lomino said of his first hairdo in 1971: “That was the dawn of cut and blow dry. Vidal Sassoon had originated the geometric style of haircutting and that was pretty much what was going on in the ”™70s.”
Lomino now accommodates about 200 clients per week, offering a variety of beauty services. He has been in the same spot since 1971, although, he said, “we have grown steadily.” Laura Weiskopf has been at the salon 23 years and Wendy Dugain has been there 20 years.
“I like to think we have a good relationship with most of the businesses in Cold Spring and if we don”™t have one, I like to think we”™re building a better relationship,” Lomino said of the chamber. “We”™re here to help with whatever challenges arise. New this year, we are going to have a speaker at all of our eight mixers.” The next mixer is the end of February, followed by the chamber”™s awards dinner in March. The Jan. 27 mixer was expected to feature a presentation on health care.
As for chamber services beyond networking, said Lomino: “We offer group health insurance. For a sole proprietor, that”™s a biggie.”
Cold Spring has consciously embraced a “smaller is better” mindset, according to chamber Treasurer Cathryn Fadde, who is working on an update of Cold Spring”™s zoning.
Fadde is now on the committee tasked with revising the comprehensive and waterfront revitalization plans. Those looking for that four-lane under her stewardship should look elsewhere.
“One of the things the comprehensive planning board noted and that we are striving to preserve is the local character ”“ not just the architecture and the visual character, but the volunteerism,” Fadde said. “It”™s really a special community.” With a nod to not fixing what is not broken, Fadde said, “You don”™t want to do too much.”
Fadde”™s Cathryn”™s Tuscan Grill has expanded twice during its 14 years on Main Street. The restaurant seats 60 ”“ 80 for special occasions ”“ and is open seven days for lunch and dinner and for Sunday brunch followed by a full Sunday dinner. “The only days I close are Christmas and Thanksgiving, or if there”™s really hideous ice,” she said, preparing to open amid single-digit temperatures.
March 14 to March 27 is Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. Fadde will participate with prix fixe offerings. “I always strive to be local, but during those two weeks, I use almost nothing that is not Hudson Valley if I can help it.” Examples include local eggs in her frittatas and micro-herbs grown in local greenhouses. Fadde is on the Restaurant Week board of directors, as well. Restaurant Week at press time had 141 participating eateries, including several in Cold Spring in addition to Cathryn”™s Tuscan Grill.
Fadde has been with the chamber since July 1997, one month after she opened her restaurant. She was board member for four years, president for three years and, her current job, treasurer for three years. “It says you support other local businesses and you”™re asking for their support,” she said of the chamber”™s mission. “It”™s like using Hudson Valley foods for Restaurant Week ”“ it”™s grounding yourself in your community.
“There was a time when restaurants in town would alternate and shut down for a week or two in the winter, but that”™s no longer the case,” Fadde said. “Some might have abbreviated hours, but generally speaking everybody”™s open fairly normal business hours. And there are a number of stores that are open. It”™s less crowded. That”™s a great reason to come.”
Gesturing down Main Street from in front of Le Bouchon restaurant (open for business), Fadde said, “You can”™t make this place up. You can”™t create a Cold Spring. It”™s a community that holds the flavor of another era.” And that era is: “Victorian, the 1800s.”
And if they did not have traffic lights in Victorian villages, Cold Spring today still only has one.
Said Lomino: “It is a unique community. There is no Starbucks in Cold Spring. There are no major chains.” One reason: In 1971 the town said no to Hilton Hotels, which wanted to build a facility on Route 9D. After that fight, Cold Spring approached the federal government and succeeded in having 9D designated a historic highway.
“You can bet if Hilton came to town, Route 9D would be a four-lane highway now,” he said.
“I had never been here before,” Fadde said, recounting Cold Spring”™s special allure for her. “I was on my way to the Culinary Institute (of America) to have dinner with a friend. I drove into town. And I rented a place that day.”
Cold Spring truly is a charming town and great dining destination–especially during Restaurant Week (Mar 14-27), when 4 delicious restaurants all within walking distance offer special three-course menus at an amazing price ($20 lunch/$28 dinner). Diners can choose from Tuscan-inspired fare at Cathryn’s, fine American at the historic Hudson House, new American at Riverview and French bistro at Le Bouchon. Plus, the Hudson House is also offering special overnight rates. All good reasons for a Cold Spring getaway in March.