“It’s going better than we could’ve ever hoped for,” says Kevin Kopacko, manager of the Lemon Squeeze, which opened its doors in New Paltz in early December. “We're keeping a wait list just about every weekend night. This past Saturday we were so busy that we just told people to try another day because we couldn't put any more people on the waitlist. The biggest response that we get is ‘This is exactly what New Paltz needed.’ I hear that 10 times a night from all different types of people.”
Excitement had been building ever since the announcement that two ’80s-era New Paltz grads, Ed Carroll and Gina O’Brien, intended to open a piano bar in the former Murphy’s Irish Pub. A month in, it seems clear that the establishment has struck the right chord. “We had the goal of making it a place for everyone,” says Kopacko. "So our crowd ranges from well-dressed college kids on dates to older folks who live around the corner coming in early for a cocktail and dinner, and everyone in between. It’s well-rounded, it’s diverse—exactly what we were aiming for.”
On Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:15pm till 8:15pm, house pianist Steve Scholz plays a variety of dinner music. “That part is more of an accompaniment to your meal,” says Kopacko. “There’s a wide variety of tunes, and you can make requests, but there’s generally no singing or anything like that.”
On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, after Scholz finishes, what Kopacko calls the “piano show” revs up. “We have a variety of pianists that come in and play everything from show tunes to Billy Joel and Elton John and modern pop. Think of it as a dueling piano show, with requests. We have guest singers, people will come up and sing favorites. Our late-night piano players are adaptable to the crowd—they play it all, and it’s really about the mood and what the audience wants to hear.”
The couple worked with local firm Allen Ross Architecture to modernize the building, update the aesthetics and kitchen, finish the basement space, and add the heated deck with its two firepits. While the building was being renovated, Carroll and O’Brien spent many nights scoping piano bars and players in Manhattan and elsewhere. “Now that we’re getting established, we’re discovering musical and vocal talents who’ve moved up here to make it their home, and they’re gradually finding us,” Kopacko says. “They can't believe it’s actually here; they're so excited for what we're doing and they just want to be a part of it. So we're constantly interviewing and trying people out. Our rotation will expand as we find new people.”
Kopacko’s adventures in the restaurant business began with dishwashing at age 14, continuing with work in everything from sprawling nightclubs to intimate fine dining establishments up and down the Jersey Shore. “This job, I think, is a passion project for everyone involved,” he says. “Ed and Gina wanted to give something to New Paltz from their hearts. They wanted to create a landmark.”
Executive chef Jerusalem Marston-Reid, a Newburgh native who apprenticed under a French master and most recently worked as executive chef at the North Plank Tavern, has crafted a menu rooted in fresh, local ingredients and house-made touches. “It’s chef-driven comfort food with a continental twist,” says Kopacko. “And you can dine any way you want here, whether that’s a burger and a beer or a giant steak and a seafood tower—you can spend $30 or $200, and you’ll find the flavor just as exceptional and the service just as warm. Jerusalem has the relationships with farmers and producers to make it happen. And I’m careful to make sure every person here gets to have a good work-life balance, because happy servers make for happy guests.”
There’s a full bar and a wine list that’s expanding as Kopacko discovers regions and varietals and takes suggestions. “The whole endeavor is organic and customer-driven,” he says. “The customers suggest, and we give them what they want.”
Piano rave-ups are scheduled till 11pm, but if the crowd’s on fire and the players energized, the fun goes on, fueled by a late-night bar menu. Future plans include brunch, wine dinners, and theme nights. “The most important thing for people to know,” says Kopacko, “is that we built this for everyone. It’s a place for all walks of life to come together and just have a wonderful time.”
