Photo via Blackbird Cafe
While Dana and the Pub may serve up some delicious meals, it’s not surprising that students some-times need different food from other sources. There are only a few restaurants within walking in town to choose from: the Club, the Partridge Café, Hot Tamale, the Bagelry, and the forever-beloved Sergi’s. However, this past school year has seen the “de-arching”of McDonald’s and the demise of Blackbird Café.
As of this past Friday, April 8, students, faculty, and townies alike can no longer enjoy the saucy, yet to-die-for, Brie quesadilla filled with spinach and topped with a raspberry drizzle or skip Sunday brunch at Dana to have a breakfast panini at Blackbird Café. Sadly, the closing of Blackbird could be attributed to the lack of love St. Lawrence students, faculty, and neighbors had for the quaint café. Blackbird had to close due to the very slow and desolate business that came through their doors. Without consistent business, Blackbird just could not stay afloat.
The owners of Blackbird, Ken and Katerina Hebb, also own the Parkview. The Parkview, above the Blackbird, was a spot utilized for drinks and live music. Along with Blackbird, the Parkview has also closed. Ken Hebb explains that the overall sales were fifty percent lower in March than they had been a year ago. After surviving the great recession, this business just could not survive the significantly lower sales. Mr. Hebb attributes much of the sale decline to the competing business in the area. For breakfast or brunch many people seem to flock to the Bagelry or Partridge and for dinner many people have found other options.
One thing the Hebbs tried to do to save the business was to sell the building. This should come as no surprise since there has been a for sale sign outside the building for quite some time. Mr. Hebb ex-plains that the space was originally listed at $400,000 but had since dropped to $225,000 in only a year.
The announcement of the closing seemed sudden and surprising to many people. When talking with Julia Callahan ’16, a former employee at Blackbird, she explained, “I feel most upset that our community is not in an economical state to support a locally-minded and conscious business like the Blackbird. Some ingredients are sourced from local farms, local art is displayed for sale, and local bands can play at the Parkview bar upstairs. This kind of business gives character and heart to the North Country!” Callahan elaborated on one of her fondest memories at Blackbird as well, which was a big Easter brunch that Ken, the owner, and Julie, the manager, hosted. “It was stocked with delicious food and libations for the extended Black-bird family. That is an encompass-ing reflection of what the black-bird is all about,” said Callahan.
Blackbird was a place full of friendly faces, smiles, and delicious food. Unfortunately, their focus on the community, as well as their relaxing and happy atmosphere were not enough to keep the business go-ing. Blackbird was a great place for St. Lawrence students and faculty alike to have a meal. It is a place that will be sorely missed