Poughkeepsie has seen a culinary cluster spring up near a key downtown crossroads and officials are seeking to create further momentum by showcasing an empty restaurant they say could become another foodie success story in the Queen City.
The former Silver Spoon Café is in the middle of Poughkeepsie at the intersection of Main and Market Streets. Described as the Times Square of Dutchess County, the intersection sits a block north of the Bardavon theater, across the street from the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel and the Civic Center and two blocks from the county office building.
While success is not assured, several restaurants have opened in the area over the last few years, including the Artist Palate, Bull and Buddha, Nuddy Bar and Grill and Main Street Pizza.
The closed Silver Spoon café was a cheerful and crowded place Oct. 21 at an informational luncheon for entrepreneurs looking to open restaurants in the city, a gathering hosted by Chamber of Commerce and city officials highlighting the many forms of assistance city and state and banking officials can provide.
The city needs people with “guts and a few bucks” to utilize the Silver Spoon and other available turnkey establishments, said Charles North, CEO of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. And while the entrepreneur must provide the so-called guts, an array of outlets are poised to help provide startup capital, including the city of Poughkeepsie, the Small Business Administration, SCORE and other small-business lending and support programs.
North said that in the historic central city, “there are a number of vacant, ground-level commercial spaces that are perfect for retail, cafes, restaurants and other food-related businesses.”
Mayor John Tkazyik cited three municipal resources that could help an entrepreneur get started ”“ a facade improvement grant of up to $7,500, a rental subsidy for new tenants that landlords must match and the city’s Economic Development Loan Fund with extended repayment terms and fixed interest rates below prime.
Tamara Underwood of Community Capital Resources, said an SBA-backed microloan of up to $35,000 is the right amount of capital needed to take over a move-in ready restaurant. She said about a quarter of community Capital Resources loans are in the food industry.
Among those attending the event was Kyle Andrew Kupiszewski, dressed in chef”™s whites from the Culinary Institute of America, where he is a student. He was also a winning contestant on the Bravo television show “Chef Academy,” and said he wanted to open a restaurant in Poughkeepsie after graduation next year.
Asked to assess the Silver Spoon as a potential café, he said, “You could do anything on this corner and be successful.” For himself, he said, “My forte is soups,” and he envisioned opening an eatery specializing in soups and salads. And noting how well equipped and set up the former café is, he added, “I could open this place in a week.”
City officials hope he or someone like him will take up their offer.
