Before the Village TeaRoom, the building used to house the village tailor shop in the late ‘80’s.
The Village TeaRoom Restaurant and Bake Shop resides in a 200-year-old building, which adds to the classic feel of the place. The atmosphere changes from a bustling village to one of warmth and intimacy as soon as you walk through those vine and fairy light covered arches.
Once through the door, the heavenly scent of sugar surrounds you and you’re met with a wide array of baked goods. This scene is something that almost everyone in New Paltz is familiar with, though one that won’t be around for long since the restaurant will be closing their doors on April 14.
Agnes Devereux and her family moved to New Paltz in 2000 from Brooklyn. Devereux already had a 3-year-old and was pregnant at the time. Thinking of their children, Devereux and her husband decided to relocate for the Mountain Laurel Waldorf School.
When they arrived in New Paltz and bought their house the historic building was something that came with the house, and something they didn’t really touch for their first few years living here. Once Devereux’s husband retired from his job they started to think of what they could do with the building, and soon decided to turn it into a restaurant.
Devereux hadn’t always had a career in baking. Back in Brooklyn she was an interior designer, but had always loved baking growing up and had done some catering during her time in Brooklyn.
“From when I was little I always baked. Growing up in a hotel we had a lot of demand for desserts and things like that and my mother always let me do the dessert on Sundays,” Devereux said.
Growing up in Ireland, tea was an everyday thing for Devereux, and she wanted to bring that to America.
Once the demolition of the old house began, Devereux expanded her idea from just a tearoom to include a full restaurant as well.
Though the TeaRoom is still wildly popular, running the restaurant is “very all consuming.” Devereux’s youngest child is graduating high school, giving Devereux and her husband a chance to live an easier lifestyle.
Devereux said it’s been a really busy couple of weeks, “we can hardly keep up because people are just so eager to have their favorites.” She specifically noted the demand for the bee cake, as the TeaRoom is the only place that sells it.
“It’s been a pleasure working for Agnes and with my lovely coworkers. Honestly we’re all emotional about it [the restaurant closing], 14 years in the restaurant world is a long time,” said employee Nicole Bressi.
Many people visited the TeaRoom at significant parts of their lives, and the restaurant hosted and catered many weddings and private parties. The TeaRoom was such a big part of New Paltz and the culture here that many people are sad about the closing.