Jim DeMayo in his own words
Jim DeMayo owned or operated The William Henry on Pittsfield-Lenox Road (was the Old Rivila Inn), now Yankee Candle; Candlelight Inn (was old Tobby Jug), now a private home; Painted Lady Restaurant in Great Barrington – now a law office; and Lenox 218 (was Log Cabin), now Keater Investments.
“I think I saw turn on fine dining in the middle 90s. It’s not so much the fine dining stopped in the Berkshires there is still a few places doing it.
“If the demographics of business, which still be in the Berkshires where income was at the high-end of the spectrum, fine dining would be back in vogue.
“The problem is cycles changed, but mainly the incomes of the Berkshire workers has declined. We get an influx in the summer residence, the 2nd home market and they dine out more often because they can afford it.
“Affordability really dominates the fine dining market. Boston and New York the restaurants are packed because you are in a Mecca of high income workers.
“Chain restaurants are producing much better quality of food and their ambiance is improving, it’s faster like the Internet age we live in.
“People want to go in order a meal and leave what a lot of hoopla that takes place in the fine dining restaurants.
“You have to keep in mind the generation grew up in McDonald’s, so going out to a chain restaurant is fine dining to them.
Most restaurants have a seven-year cycle, and that the latter part of the seventh year, you must change your format with the new, or you will be out.
“Dakota restaurant was definitely a large player in The Berkshires.
“The food was consistent, and ample. Service when it was in its prime meant all standards.
“The next big question will be who would like to reopen that space? Example if Olive Garden, an Italian restaurant opens it will generate a replacement for the workers who worked at that location.
“Most restaurants, remain restaurants when one business moves on, I say most because of all the restaurants I started in The Berkshires are now changed to other businesses or private homes.”
Posted by George C. Jordan III
on May 2, 2013. Filed under Editorials,Opinion.
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