16 October 2026
Beacon Loses Four Mainstays No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works @ 469 Main St. Marion Royael Gallery @ 159 Main St. The Pandorica @ 165 Main St. The Beacon Falls Cafe @ 420 Main St.
Highlands Current Audio Stories
About
The owners of four longtime businesses — two galleries and two cafes — recently announced they were closing.
Artists Paulette Myers-Rich and David Rich operated the gallery as an extension of her book arts studio, Traffic Street Press. "I'm a trained librarian, and I love to talk to people who pop in," Myers-Rich said after the 2017 opening. "I want people to be able to handle the books. The 'so precious it can't be touched' thing does not apply here."
The couple is relocating to Chicago's West Town neighborhood and will open a gallery there. "We are right-sizing our lives as we're now in our seventh decade and need to live closer to kin and friends," Myers-Rich wrote online. "We want to thank all of the lovely people we've met and want our neighbors and fellow citizens to know that we're grateful for the time we've lived here."
Steve and Barbara Riddle closed their gallery, which opened in 2010 and was named for her late mother, at the end of September. It began on the east end of Main Street and later moved west, working with a stable of about 25 artists.
"We consider the gallery one piece," Steve Riddle told The Current in 2017. "All of the artworks are players in the piece." This week, the couple said: "We're calling it 'retirement' for now, but as you know, artists never retire. We'll just keep painting and keep an eye out for any doors that may open. We had a great run — now, onto a new adventure."
After seven years running The Cup & Saucer Tea Room, Shirley Hot reopened in 2014 as a theme restaurant devoted to the BBC series Doctor Who. After 26 years in the space (she began as a server at The Cup & Saucer in 2000), she announced the restaurant will close in mid-November.
"The thought of leaving not only the restaurant but also the wonderful people I've met here and those I have yet to meet fills me with sadness," she said. Hot will host a final Wibbly Wobbly Whovian Wholloween Cosplay Bash on Nov. 1; see dub.sh/pandorica for tickets.
Bob and Linda Nevelus, who opened the cafe 18 years ago, announced their retirement in September. "We can never fully express how grateful we are for every breakfast, lunch, cup of coffee, conversation, celebration and visit you shared with us," they wrote online. "Closing the doors of the Beacon Falls Cafe is truly bittersweet. We are excited to begin this new chapter and grateful for the opportunity to slow down and enjoy retirement."
Shortly before opening the cafe, Bob Nevelus retired as a Sleepy Hollow police officer. During his final two years on the force, he also studied at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.
Artists Paulette Myers-Rich and David Rich operated the gallery as an extension of her book arts studio, Traffic Street Press. "I'm a trained librarian, and I love to talk to people who pop in," Myers-Rich said after the 2017 opening. "I want people to be able to handle the books. The 'so precious it can't be touched' thing does not apply here."
The couple is relocating to Chicago's West Town neighborhood and will open a gallery there. "We are right-sizing our lives as we're now in our seventh decade and need to live closer to kin and friends," Myers-Rich wrote online. "We want to thank all of the lovely people we've met and want our neighbors and fellow citizens to know that we're grateful for the time we've lived here."
Steve and Barbara Riddle closed their gallery, which opened in 2010 and was named for her late mother, at the end of September. It began on the east end of Main Street and later moved west, working with a stable of about 25 artists.
"We consider the gallery one piece," Steve Riddle told The Current in 2017. "All of the artworks are players in the piece." This week, the couple said: "We're calling it 'retirement' for now, but as you know, artists never retire. We'll just keep painting and keep an eye out for any doors that may open. We had a great run — now, onto a new adventure."
After seven years running The Cup & Saucer Tea Room, Shirley Hot reopened in 2014 as a theme restaurant devoted to the BBC series Doctor Who. After 26 years in the space (she began as a server at The Cup & Saucer in 2000), she announced the restaurant will close in mid-November.
"The thought of leaving not only the restaurant but also the wonderful people I've met here and those I have yet to meet fills me with sadness," she said. Hot will host a final Wibbly Wobbly Whovian Wholloween Cosplay Bash on Nov. 1; see dub.sh/pandorica for tickets.
Bob and Linda Nevelus, who opened the cafe 18 years ago, announced their retirement in September. "We can never fully express how grateful we are for every breakfast, lunch, cup of coffee, conversation, celebration and visit you shared with us," they wrote online. "Closing the doors of the Beacon Falls Cafe is truly bittersweet. We are excited to begin this new chapter and grateful for the opportunity to slow down and enjoy retirement."
Shortly before opening the cafe, Bob Nevelus retired as a Sleepy Hollow police officer. During his final two years on the force, he also studied at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.