Foster Family Suffers Great
Loss
The Livingston Manor business community and the well-known
and well-liked Barry Foster family suffered a severe blow last Tuesday afternoon
when a devastating fire destroyed the historic Hoos Building located at the
intersection of Main and Pearl Streets.
The fire comes less than two months after heavy rains
created another round of flooding that Livingston Manor has had to suffer
through for the past several years.
One can't imagine how it is to sit and stand on the
sidelines and watch your dreams and hard work go up in flames.
The over 100-year-old building was purchased by Barry Foster
some eight years ago and housed Barry's own Hot Corner Spots Collectibles store,
his son's Lazy Beagle Pub & Grill and two tenants the Morning-Be-Morning
Coffee Co. Cafe and the Willow and Brown clothing and housewares
shop.
We witnessed Wednesday morning Peter Howley, the general
manager of the Lazy Beagle, as he talked with reporters, his voice quivering,
about all the hard work and efforts that were put into the Pub and what a great
reputation the eating establishment had become for so many people, many who
traveled great distances to enjoy the food and atmosphere offered by the Lazy
Beagle. "It's heartbreaking, my heart and soul was in this place," he
added.
Everyone in the community is mourning this loss and it is
too soon to see if any of these business folks will relocate
elsewhere.
It was learned Wednesday morning that present building code
regulations may very well prevent building on this location because of the size
of the lot and its proximity to the Little Beaverkill River which run directly
in back of the former Hoos Building.
The Hoos Building housed a lot of history, being the
location of the former and famous Hoos Bakery which featured the best Coffee
Crumb cake made and the location of Odie Hoos's Luncheonette a popular breakfast
and lunch eatery.
We want to give high praise to the many firefighters who
risked their lives to protect adjoining properties and people's lives and also
kudos to the New York State Police and fire police in securing the site and
preventing injuries to the many folks that had come out to witness this
disaster.
Prayers go out to the Foster family, healing will take time
but this community always comes together to help.
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