By PIP KLEIN
As you drive to Pine Island from Warwick you reach the crest of a hill shortly before reaching the intersection of County Route One and Glenwood Road. Slow down and be treated to a visual feast. With the spire of High Point creating a slim spike in the sky to the west, you experience a rare panorama: hundreds of acres spread out like a vast ocean the color of dark black coffee grounds. And when you reach that crossroads you are at the site of the Jolly Onion Inn – a complex that is about to witness a rebirth, renewal and renaissance that will literally return the heart to Pine Island, the heart of the Black Dirt.
“I was starting to wind down my career,” says Andy Field, a real estate developer with decades in the business. “But I love this property and it was just too tempting for me to pass up.” Field, who owns the Drew Building on County Route One and a large warehouse on Transport Lane, teamed up with his neighbor, economist Will Brown, whose Amity-based Lowland Farms specializes in grass-fed cattle. The dynamic pair recently closed on the purchase of the Jolly Onion Inn, a deal brokered by Geoff Green, of Warwick’s Green Team Home Selling System. “Andy and Will have the know-how to make the deal appeal to the right person,” says Green. “And this is where real estate becomes creative. I know that they will find the right tenants who will take their same visionary approach to the property’s potential and that when fully developed, it will be a boon to the area, reviving local employment, encouraging tourism and bringing a sense of wholeness back to the community.”
The site first began in 1960 when local farmer Vincent Kosuga, known as “The Onion King” and his wife Polly decided to start a simple truck stop, a small eatery and inn where tired truckers could get a bite and a bed for the night at a reasonable cost. Over the next four decades, it evolved into a “destination” restaurant, the Jolly Onion Inn, run by the talented Walter Greiner and his family. The complex itself
eventually housed the Pine Island Post Office and Sally and Bob Scheuermann’s gift shop, “Little Bit ‘o Pine Island.”
“The Jolly Onion was part of our life,” reminisces Bob Scheuermann, who also owns Scheuermann’s Farm and Greenhouses on Little York Road. “It was the same as Cheers — everybody knew your name. People came from all over – not just Warwick – I mean they came from hours away. And if you asked somebody – do you know where Pine Island is? They might not know. But if you said – Do you know where the Jolly is? They did!”
Field agrees with the importance of having that kind of cache. “When I fist moved here 20 years ago, everyone used “the Jolly” almost like a compass when they gave directions,” says Field, “And any building that is used in directions is simply good real estate and has high value.”
Local celebrities like Jimmy Sturr were often seen there and it was a popular place for events and weddings. Over the years, the Scheuremann’s saw the result of having a place like the Jolly Onion anchor their town. “Kids who worked there might have been shy at first,” remembers Sally. “But by the time they would work their way through high school, they had blossomed because of their exposure to the people and the community.” The restaurant was more than just an employer and a place to eat the tasty fried “bloomin’ onion and thick prime rib. According to Bob Scheuermann, it was also a great place to meet people, network and build your business.
Going forward, there is no doubt that the Jolly will once again return to its roots and promote the “locavore” aspect of the area. “We are very into the concept of having local products,” explains Field. “I know that any kind of food establishment will capitalize on the bounty of the fields that surround us. Another possibility that has been suggested is something like a micro brewery with visible tanks and a great space for live entertainment,” adds Field. “Plus it already has that fantastic fifty-foot bar.” Field and Brown are in the process of planning new landscaping and renovations, and are considering making it a mixed use building with residential apartments. There are several other rental possibilities available, besides the estimated 5000 square foot restaurant and downstairs catering space. “All in all, this is a building that is brimming with potential,” adds Green. “And we are excited that by filling the building with viable tenants we will be adding to the entire economy of Pine Island and the area.”
- Andy Field
Field, a Bronx native who grew up in Queens and lived in Manhattan, owns three stores in New York City and developed the Westgate properties in Goshen. Although he specializes in commercial real estate, when it came to his personal residence, his real estate experience was totally unique. “When my wife Jenna brought me to a property she found in Amity 20 years ago, the realtor didn’t have the key that day,” he remembers with a smile. “But it didn’t matter. I loved the land, looked in the window and purchased it on the spot – without even seeing the inside of the house!”
Field admits that his experience in the business has shown him that you often go back to the drawing board. “Because you create the energy out of some place, the deal comes and that’s how it always works,” he explains. “I’ve seen that on every level of real estate — small deals, big deals — it always comes out of left field. This could end up being a very big profitable entity for the right clients,” adds Field, who is truly looking forward to breathing life back into the space that has forlornly sat vacant for the past three years, a reminder of rough economic times. “I think if everything goes right it could be a real success and just pull a tremendous amount of business into this corner of the County.” The end result: everyone would be talking about the Jolly again – and everyone would know exactly where that was – in the heart of the amazing Black Dirt region. “It’s the epitome of the cliché,” sums up Field. “Location. Location. Location.”
For more information about the Jolly Onion Inn, go to: http://realestate.greenteamsells.com/idx/6761/details.php?idxID=112&listingID=512775or contact John Sala at The Green Team Home Selling System at 845-986-7730 or visit www.greenteamsells.com
Pip Klein is a freelance writer and is also Marketing Director and a real estate agent for The Green Team Home Selling System.