In a surprise announcement, a long-time community staple is saying goodbye to the Four Corners in Delmar while a new owner is being welcomed to the community.
Owner Micky Blanchfield said the decision was a tough one, but he will be closing the Delmar Beff’s this Sunday, June 7, for the last time. He said the Colonie Beff’s on Everett Road will remain open and wished the new owner Dave Swift well.
It was hard, Blanchfield said. `I’ve been running two places by myself and the fact of the matter is I wasn’t doing justice to either. My daughter just turned eight and she plays softball and does plays and it’s just become too hard.`
Blanchfield concluded that the decision was of combination of family, availability, and being able to focus on his business. The new pub will be called `Swifty’s Restaurant and Pub` and is expected to open sometime in June.
Swift comes from a family that owns businesses in the North Country and Adirondacks and he has owned and still operates a business in the Speculator area in Hamilton County. He owns the Mountain Market in Lake Pleasant and formerly owned Swifty’s Downtown Grill in Speculator.
`We moved down here about two and a half years ago, I live right here in Delmar,` Swift said. `My wife’s a nurse at Albany Med and I was doing the commute for a little while but I’m here for good now.`
Swift said he discovered Beff’s when he first got to area and instantly fell in love with it.
`When we moved here we actually walked off to Beff’s to grab a beer and a bite to eat,` Swift recalled. `I said to my wife, ‘I’d love to own a place like this, it’s perfect.`
Swift told The Spotlight that he’s going to keep a healthy beer selection and although he will have a whole new menu, there will still be traditional pub fare.
Some small changes such as Calzones being added pizza menu, but there will be still be burgers and the like, and Swift said he will also be adding some entrees to the menu.
The announcement was originally made on the pub’s Facebook Web site, stating, `Beff’s in Delmar will be closing permanently on Sunday, June 7th. It will re-open under new management/ownership as Swifty’s Pub.`
One of the comments was left on the announcement was, `Is this a joke?`
Blanchfield said it’s no joke and he will miss the community that has supported him all these years but he will still be open for the greater Capital District.
`Delmar is great,` he said. `I want to thank the people here. We haven’t always been perfect, but it’s always been great working here.`
The Delmar location was just a casualty of happenstance.
`The only reason Delmar was sold over Albany was because Albany is bigger and we have a lot of banquets and my catering business is really taking off,` said Blanchfield. `One place had to go.`
Manager Rachel Kayser will be staying on staff through the transition and said all gift certificates and cards can be used at the 95 Everett Road location in Colonie near the Albany City line.
She said the response has been overwhelming only hours, and even minutes, after the announcement was made online on Wednesday, June 3.
`I’ve worked here a really long time and I’m amazed at the interest everyone has in this,` said Kayser. `This is a really great place.`
Blanchfield said he has confidence in Swift, saying, `Dave’s a good guy,` that he will do a `high-quality job.` The Beff’s signature dishes such as its `chicken toes` and `Irish Nachos` are coming with Blanchard and he believes Swift will still have pub fare, but that Swift’s chief has training in New Orleans and will have a menu with some Cajun and Creole options.
`The chief is very well versed, he grew up in Louisiana,` said Swift. `We’re gonna use some of his talents and some of his flare.`
Swift said that Beff’s will still be in business after it leaves Delmar, a notion that Blanchfield touched upon as well.
`The person who bought this place did not buy Beff’s,` said Blanchfield. `He bought this building, the chairs and some of the kitchen equipment.`
Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce President Marty DeLaney said the community will miss Blanchfield and said she looks forward to seeing what Swift will do with the place.
`Although we’ll miss Mickey Blanchfield and his signature menu at Beff’s,` she said, `we’ve met the new owner of Swifty’s and it looks like he has some innovative ideas for the place, so stay tuned.`
Swift said he hopes to tentatively re-open as Swifty’s by June 22 and is looking forward to welcoming the community back.
Beff’s, and soon to be Swifty’s, is located at 367 Delaware Ave. in Delmar.
For updates on this story return to www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Wednesday, June 10, edition of The Spotlight.
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