The former Merrill Magee Restaurant and Inn at 3 Hudson St. in Warrensburg will be re-opened under a new name by a local entrepreneur.
Ash Anand of the Lotus Group of Companies has acquired the property and will oversee the reopening through his group’s Hospitality Division.
That group ran the Grist Mill, which was recently damaged by fire. Plans are to use that staff to work on the new venture the Grist Mill , 100 River St., Warrensburg, is renovated and rebuilt as needed. The fire happened in November.
The Bond, 1786 will be dedicated to serving creative, original and affordable cuisine along with hand crafted cocktails, local brew selections and homemade desserts, Anand said in a news release.
The entire property will be called The Bond and the restaurant will specifically be known as 1786, Anand said.
The Merrill Magee House boasts several smaller private dining spaces, a rustic but elegant bistro area and a main dining room with cathedral ceilings, intimate beam work and several fireplaces. Anand said he has plans to cultivate the entire property into a destination vacation spot.
The house is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
He and his wife Jaime came up with the new name as a tribute to the first settler in the area, William Bond, who settled in the area in 1786.
Anand plans to be open by mid March, serving dinner seven nights a week in the restaurant. Discussions about adding lunch and/or breakfast are under discussion. A full operating schedule will be evaluated once the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, he said.
“Business expansion has been a natural progression for the Lotus Group, as it increases our ability to provide something unique and exciting, that has been missing in the communities we serve,” said Anand. “I am extremely excited with our acquisition of The Bond, 1786. We love preserving and restoring history, adding economic benefits to our local community and keeping our existing team working.”
The Lotus Group currently owns Ashes Pub & Ocho Cinco Cantina, along with The Grist Mill.
Anand said he saw an opportunity to keep his Grist Mill staff employed, knowing they would accept the added challenge of operating a banquet-style facility along with the restaurant at 1786. Both The Grist Mill head chef Henk Schonoveld, and sous chef Paul MacPherson will relocate to 1786.
Grist Mill head server Joyce Wolf will be charged with streamlining the processes for the front of the house team. The culinary team expects to feature a variety of locally sourced products and feature Adirondack spirits and craft beer selections.
“We have several other qualified Grist Mill team members that will be transitioning to the new restaurant while the rebuild takes place,” Anand said.
“We are so excited that our core team has all agreed to come on board at the new place, their expertise, versatile skill sets and customer driven service will continue to be an asset for Lotus. Friendly faces will only make the guest experience better and help us drive business from the beginning,” said Lotus Director of Hospitality, Kate Belden.
Lotus plans on embracing the historical value the inn and restaurant have to offer while presenting a variety of bistro styled cuisine and American fare. The wedding venue will be tented with a permanent floor, with an “elegant and timeless” theme.
It will host events up to 200 people and is not limited to just wedding celebrations. It will host banquets for groups as small as 20 and service a diversification of guests needs, from birthday parties, baby showers and rehearsal dinners to full scale weddings or corporate events.
The grounds at the property will include additional garden areas, paved pathways throughout and a new gazebo area along with a wedding arch for ceremonies on premise.
Lotus plans to install privacy fencing along the property lines.
The inn’s rooms will have their fireplaces transitioned to gas for guest safety and ease. A hot tub installation is planned for the future as well as “a small decorative overhaul of the inn,” Anand said.
The Lotus Group of Companies is based inWarrensburg. Its phone is (855) 568-8787 and thew website is www.lotusus.com.
