The year 2024 was record-breaking for the nation: Record highs in the stock market and global temperatures, not to mention screen time. Here in Ulster County, we may have set a new record for the number of businesses that opened and closed, at least as far as recent memory goes.
Keeping up with it all has been daunting, but that’s the job of local journalists these days. Few stories are as popular as those with FOMO-inducing headlines about beloved area businesses closing shop or opening their doors.
Let’s look back at the most notable Ulster County business on our radar that opened or closed in 2024:
Kingston openings
Nightswim Kingston opened in May 2024 at the former Anchor (or, if you go way back, The Basement, which closed in a heavy-metal riot that caused $50,000 in damages). The decor got a refresh and the cocktails were upgraded, but the space retains similar vibes to its predecessor, which was reportedly their intention.
Also opening in May was Kingston Social, a fancy café, mercantile, and gallery space that combines a European café vibe with a modern-day general store and events space. It’s the Swiss Army knife of upscale upstate lounging, if you will.
In June, Sorry, Charlie burst onto the crowded Kingston pizza scene with ‘thincilian’ pies, and our taste buds will never be the same. The intimate bar and pizzeria was instantly packed and continues to be incredibly popular as a neighborhood haunt, with friendly staff, well-crafted drinks and adventurously-topped pies.
Curious launched in September 2024, and instantly lived up to its name with a sprawling selection of modern and vintage curiosities, publications, art and novelties.
Award-winning pastry chef Angela Pinkerton opened Pinkerton’s bakery in the old Cake Box building. The bakery focuses on nostalgic desserts, pastries, sweet/savory pies, and a small offering of breakfast and lunch items.
Those mysterious geodesic domes on Route 28 finally came to life as Domes Dispensary, unquestionably the most unique-looking weed dispensary in the county and perhaps the whole state. They offer a wide variety of cannabis products.
Catskill Mountain High also came to life as a fully-fledged recreational dispensary in Kingston Plaza after many months distributing cannabis products under a provisional license. They’ve fast developed a reputation for their down-to-earth customer service and reasonable prices.
Bernadette’s Bistro opened at the corner of Wall and John in the high-turnover restaurant space that’s hosted Duo Bistro, Grainne, and Tortilla Taco Bar over the years. Here, Mexican culture meets European technique for an elevated bistro experience.
Opened in December 2024 in the Broadway building Eddy’s Restaurant vacated, Good Eat’n specializes in authentic Southern soul food prepared fresh daily. Menu highlights include fried chicken, baked mac and cheese, grits, and hush puppies.
Luxury bagel proprietors Fantzye Bagels opened in late November to rave reviews for their artisanal, naturally-fermented bagels, schmears, coffee, and other treats. Despite being the highest-priced bagels in the area (nearly four times the price of some competitors), early reviews say they live up to the hype.
Kingston’s new 450-capacity venue Assembly Kingston will debut with shows on December 30 and 31. The Felice Brothers will be breaking the champagne against the ship, as it were. What once was a school gymnasium is now the city’s most exciting new music venue.
Kingston closings
The Secret Vegan Cafe secretly closed toward the start of 2024, and was subsequently listed for sale in June. The business had a roughly two-year run serving a 100 percent vegan menu.
Fat Cat Deli closed in June, penning a bittersweet farewell message after they learned their building would be sold. While it lasted, the deli serviced many of the public workers who used to frequent the location when it was Deising’s Midtown.
After more than 50 years as a fixture of the Kingston counter-service scene, Chris Millouras shut down the iconic Eddy’s Restaurant. Old-school hospitality powered early-morning grilled breakfasts and classic club sandwiches that will be missed by many locals.
Westerlind, Uptown purveyor of luxury camping apparel and gear (perhaps an oxymoron) quietly vacated its premises.
Though they won’t be closing for good, Kingston Bread & Bar will be moving to an undisclosed new location. Considering there was often a long line, sometimes reaching out the door, a considerable number of Uptown breakfast-seeking locals and tourists are none too pleased.
Sissy’s Cafe, another line-out-the-door Uptown breakfast spot, announced it would be selling its operation, though they’re still slinging tasty wraps and sandwiches along with ridiculously delicious baked goods like their scones and glazed croissants.
The Cake Box had a much more epic run (60+ years) in its unmistakable teal-and-white art deco gas station building before its owner retired and passed it on to the aforementioned Pinkerton’s.
Blue Mountain Bistro-to-Go was sold to new owners after 30 years dishing out gourmet comfort food on Route 28. Owners Richard and Mary Anne Erickson are minor celebrities in Woodstock and the surrounding area, thanks to the legacy of their mouthwatering operation.
And who could forget Red Lobster’s closing in the Town of Ulster? HBO news/comedy personality John Oliver’s buying of the contents of the shuttered restaurant touched off a televised tit-for-tat between Deising’s Bakery and Oliver’s Last Week Tonight show that ended with the donation of restaurant equipment and the concoction of a baked good featuring Oliver’s face and large chocolate buttocks (just as Oliver requested).
New Paltz openings
Well before the legalization of recreational marijuana, New Paltz was a mecca for pot smokers, with its head shops, college culture and sprawling natural wonders (including the Gunks, where you could be chemically and literally high at the same time). In April, that reputation was solidified when Big Gas Dispensary (98 North Chestnut Street) became Ulster County’s first licensed marijuana dispensary, offering a variety of cannabis products and a gas-price sign that perpetually reads “420.”
Further enhancing the buzz, The Weedery launched at the former Groovy Blueberry building on Water Street in December. It operates as a unique, vertically integrated cannabis microbusiness.
In January, cheese-lovers’ paradise Melted opened, providing quintessential college munchies in the form of savory grilled sandwiches.
April saw the opening of Gary’s Pickles, a beloved fixture at Hudson Valley markets and festivals for decades. Their permanent storefront at 215 Main Street offers a variety of cold-fermented pickles, sauerkraut and other treats, with ingredients sourced locally.
Pickled Pig Deli took over Russo’s Deli when its owners exited the business in May, continuing a legacy of mouthwatering sandwich and wrap construction.
Also in May, Underground Coffee & Ales opened the sister location to its Highland establishment at 36 Main Street. Visitors appreciated the bevy of carefully crafted and curated beverages, elevated pub food and relaxed patio.
Agave opened in July at 53 Main Street, introducing Mexican/Asian fusion cuisine, tapas-inspired dishes and unique cocktails. The vibe is contemporary, clean and upscale without being pretentious.
Full Circle Gardiner threw open its doors, hosting events ranging from wellness to live music — even including combinations of the two, such as its “Scientific Breathwork and Sitar Party.”
Gardiner Bakehouse became New Paltz’s latest entry into the baked-goods category, and quickly became famous for its fresh sourdough bread and pastries inspired by American and European classics.
In December, Art Attelier Creative Space opened at 68 Mountain Rest Road in New Paltz, taking over the former Unison Arts and Learning Center building. The space focuses on clay arts, offering workshops, exhibitions, and community events.
This last one is cheating a bit, but Bossanova Brazilian Cuisine & Cafe has folks excited for its grand opening on January 4, 2025 at 5 Church Street. Bossanova is going for an “elegant, inviting setting” where “every dish is thoughtfully crafted with the finest ingredients, offering a contemporary twist on traditional flavors.”
New Paltz closings
Ruby Restaurant & Bar served an eclectic mix of modern Latin and international dishes, complemented by a creative cocktail menu. Originally called Rubirosa Cucina & Bar, it subsequently rebranded but never got back off the ground, and quietly closed for good in early 2024.
Italian sandwich crafters Russo’s Deli threw in the towel in May, replaced by the aforementioned Pickled Pig Deli.
In July, KonTiki Trading Post went out of business, listing the entire contents of their operation on Craigslist. New owners took over the eccentric retailer in 2019 after it had already been a fixture for 30 years.
New Paltz lost not one but two pizza shops in 2024. Best Pizza, known for its thin and wide slices, closed early in the year with little notice. Village Pizza, along with its in-house Café Babú eatery — introduced by the Katz family after taking over the business from previous owners in 2019 — shuttered in August.
Jack’s Meats, Main Street Bistro and My Market are all still with us, but each was sold to new owners.
In October, Indian restaurant Krisha Kitchen shut down after three years in business. It was swiftly replaced by the aforementioned Bossanova.
After nine years as a cozy spot for contemporary bar food and patio hangs, Huckleberry reluctantly shut its doors in November. The property owner was reportedly unable to arrive at “sustainable lease terms” — something shared by other closed businesses in our list. White-hot real estate markets have been known to burn small businesses with thin margins.
Other Ulster County openings and closings
Though it had previously been open for a number of years, Bearsville Theater essentially had a grand reopening this year, welcoming dozens of big names in live music performance and the crowds to go with them. The state-of-the-art venue nails everything you’d want out of an intimate venue: great sound and lighting, not a bad seat in the house, and plenty of room to roam around and socialize despite its smaller size.
Highland gastropub Gunk Haus shut its doors after 14 years. The spot was beloved for its signature German fare and jaw-dropping views of natural splendor. Its environs were taken over by Poughkeepsie’s Mill House Brewing.
In tribute to the locally beloved, late Markertek mogul Mark Braunstein, The Mark opened at the Orpheum Theatre in Saugerties as a totally renovated, state-of-the-art small community theater.
In April, Parrillada Family Meals opened in downtown Rosendale, featuring a unique blend of Italian and Turkish-inspired grilled dishes.
The Alternative Baker closed up his Rosendale shop in August. The operation was known for its quirky owner/baker and its ahead-of-the-curve embracing of vegan and gluten-free products.
In September, authentic Uzbekistan cuisine in Highland as Alons Halal Grill opened to near-universal praise from diners. Their menu features stuffed pastry, dumplings, salads, rice dishes and more exotically flavored yet instantly accessible meals.
Montego Bay Restaurant executed a successful under-the-radar opening at the old location of Brown’s Bar in Highland in October. The super-casual Jamaican restaurant primarily serves a local crowd.
Santa Fe Burger Bar couldn’t make it in Rosendale, and closed in November. Though it gained a reputation for juicy burgers and over-the-top milkshake sundaes, there are still three sister Santa Fe Mexican Restaurants remaining in Tivoli, Woodstock and Kingston, respectively.
Bleu Collar Sammies in Saugerties has quickly gained a loyal following for its hearty, high-quality sandwiches made with locally sourced ingredients and a blue-collar ethos. Popular offerings include the Breakfast Bomber and the Cubano, with word-of-mouth and social media buzz shouting out the shop’s fast, friendly service and elevated comfort food.
Well Nice Wine and Lift Cafe became the latest additions to Rosendale’s restaurant renaissance. A wine bar with Eastern European-influenced food and a traditional, healthy-leaning cafe respectively, the locals were quick to adopt them as if they had been there for years.
Open since 1977, Jarita’s Florist has been a Woodstock institution decorating the lives of countless locals and tourists from their center-of-town location. In December, its owners announced their retirement at the end of the year.
Joppenbergh Gap Distilling in Tillson opened in December, offering on-site moonshine and other locally sourced products. Located in a renovated mock Tudor building, the distillery features a cozy lounge, hyper-local goods, and moonshine-inspired cocktails, with food provided by a neighboring food hut.
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