“It’s not lost on us that at a time when so many businesses are closing their doors, we get to open new ones, and for that, we get to thank you.” That’s part of the message that Dan Crocco and Jamie Bishop, co-owners of Mill House Brewing Company in Poughkeepsie, are putting out to the community with the revelation that they have taken over the restaurant in Clintondale that used to be known as the Gunk Haus. They are shooting to open their new satellite business, to be called The Ridge by Mill House, by the end of 2024.
In 2023, after 14 years of operating the Gunk Haus at 387 South Street, owners Dirk Schalle and Elizabeth Steckel decided to retire and put the building up for sale. Prior to their ownership, it had been home to a Jamaican-style pub called the Hollywood Bar that catered to the area’s large seasonal population of migrant farmworkers. “I used to ride my skateboard past the Hollywood Bar,” says Bishop, who lived in Clintondale during his high school years. “It was a lively spot.”
Schalle and Steckel specialized in German food during their tenure at the Gunk Haus, and it had an enthusiastic following; but it also had competition from two other German restaurants in nearby New Paltz: Schatzi’s Pub and the Mountain Brauhaus. While it has kept its original Poughkeepsie location open, Schatzi’s discontinued its west-of-the-Hudson branch at the end of 2023, citing the difficulty of finding staff post-Covid. That was just one of a long list of New Paltz eateries whose shutdowns have been announced in the past year, among them Best Pizza, Village Pizza, Fuchsia Tiki Bar, A Tavola, Huckleberry, Russo’s Deli and Ruby’s (previously Rubirosa).
Not every restaurateur who decides to close their establishment does so for the same reasons, but economic trends often play a critical role. In downtown New Paltz, rents are sky-high, parking scarce and Main Street traffic bumper-to-bumper during peak tourist seasons. The Gunk Haus’ location, by contrast, is in a quiet hamlet surrounded by apple orchards; Clintondale is the southernmost part of the Town of Lloyd, close to the New Paltz town line. But the building sits at the confluence of South Street and Hurds Road — both popular shortcuts from New Paltz to the major thoroughfare Route 44/55, only a couple of blocks away from the restaurant. “There are a ton of cars that drive by here every day,” says Crocco. Their mostly local drivers are noticing the renovations currently in progress, and have already given the new owners “a tremendous welcome.”
The Gunk Haus served its last meal in early September; Crocco, Bishop and their partners closed on the building on September 13 and immediately set to work sprucing the place up. “We haven’t had a day off in 30 days at least,” Crocco told HV1. While there will be no major structural changes, they’re focusing on cleanliness, adding an ADA-accessible bathroom because the existing one was “always a bottleneck.” And they’re buying “all-new kitchen equipment” for the “tiny kitchen.”
There will be subtle design changes in the dining room, downplaying the Gunk Haus’ Bavarian vibe to reflect the change in menu, and bringing the outdoors in as much as possible. “Ultimately, we bought this building because we loved this building,” Crocco avers. “It’s super-important that we do this right for the customers, and not lose the charm. It’s obviously not going to be a German-themed place. We’re bringing it back to nature, with an Adirondack or Catskill style. The space has some nice wood. We’re trying to keep the look, while bringing in some accent touches.”
Bishop praised the 1850 building’s “Old World craftsmanship,” noting, “The owners lived on-site. They put lots of care and love into the structure that we were lucky to inherit.” Both Crocco and Bishop agree that the building’s biggest selling point is its spectacular vista of the Shawangunk Ridge, best enjoyed from the restaurant’s large and sturdy deck, which was added by Schalle and Steckel. But it’s important to the new owners that the interior be equally appealing, for the seasons when outdoor dining isn’t feasible. “When winter comes, it’s cozy inside. It’s an easygoing vibe,” says Bishop.
So, what will the food be like, if not German? Not identical to the Mill House Brewing Company’s, but “very reminiscent of what we do in Poughkeepsie,” according to Bishop. “We’re known for not having the same box to stay in. It’s American cuisine, but eclectic. ‘Fun’ and ‘playful’ are good words for our menu.”
Among the Mill House’s specialties are its home-smoked meats, and for the new place, Crocco, the executive chef, is thinking about adding dry-aged steaks and a raw bar. “We want to showcase local farms that are within five miles of here. We’ll use local ingredients as much as possible without being hyper-seasonal.” Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free items will get a bump up as well. “American cuisine is a melting pot. Our only rule is that there are no rules. It just has to be delicious.” As in the Poughkeepsie mothership, he admits, “We do like to cook with beer.”
And what about the brewpub side of the equation? Bishop, the brewmaster, already has a new formulation under development, to be called Haus Hefeweizen, as “a tip of the hat to the old owners. We wanted to embrace the community that’s been coming here.” While Mill House started off with an on-site seven-barrel brewing system, it has long since expanded its distribution to the point where all the beermaking is now done at a large production facility on North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. So, if there’s a Mill House brew that you especially favor, you’ll likely find it on tap at The Ridge by Mill House.
Many unforeseen delays are possible between now and December, but that’s the target date to have The Ridge open for business, beginning with an extended soft opening and a “friends and family” event. The first phase will offer dinner five days a week, expanding to include lunch and brunch and an additional day or two. “The sooner we open, the less money we lose, but it’s not worth opening before we’re ready. There are lots of things moving at the same time,” says Crocco. “It’s attention to detail that matters in the hospitality and restaurant world, and we want to make sure we do things right.”
For progress reports on The Ridge by Mill House visit www.millhousebrewing.com/the-ridge, www.facebook.com/theridgebymillhouse and www.instagram.com/theridgebymillhouse.
Join the family! 
