By ALISON HAIN
The Café, a new restaurant, café and bakery, opened in Westport with a flourish on Thursday afternoon, April 23. A steady stream of visitors dropped in as Café attendants greeted the curious and friends and the first patrons with smiles, platters of h'ors d'oeuvres and glasses of punch.
Although officially titled "Me and My Girls Café and Bakery," the owner and manager, Marsha Wright, the staff and general public simply call it The Café.
The Cafe replaces an empty storefront. Wright hopes it will jump start other commercial activities in the town center. Her hopes are echoed by others. Westport town officials and many residents credit The Café's arrival as a likely and sustainable addition to the town's commercial or "target" center.
In Westport, the center stretches across a broad, tree-lined grass green hemmed in on the west by the historic 19th century library building and on the east by a dozen or so shops. Nineteenth-century homes and a small inn grace the northern and southern perimeters of the green.
Several doors away from The Café is The Bessboro Shop, a 75-year-old select gift and clothing store. Owner Julianne Sherman describes the arrival of The Café as fabulous. "I'm thrilled," she said. "The food is wonderful and moderately priced. The Café is open all year and does take-outs. There has already been an occasional line of people waiting to get in. It's perfect. Someone who comes to town to shop for a gift can now go to The Café for lunch."
The planning and opening of The Café in Westport represents an opportunity to continue the culinary profession that Wright loves and an opportunity to return to the North Country to be with family and friends. "I missed the Adirondacks when I worked in North Carolina. After my youngest child finished college in the south, we decided to head north. I am from this area. I love Westport, and I realized that there was a real need for a place like this.
"I also hope that The Café will jump start other commercial activities here in the town center," she added. Her expectations are echoed by many residents and town officials.
"Most of my family is involved in this venture, including my 82-year-old mother, who is here every day to help," she said. "We have several generations of my family helping out at The Café."
But then Wright explains that there are also other members of The Café staff. The rapport is close as capable friends complete The Café "family."
Wright describes the first week of The Café's operation as really busy. "I was concerned that it might be too fancy," she said. "But it isn't. The locals and year-round residents love it. Everyone seems to be happy and appreciative. I've found that there is a real demand for take-outs as well."
Town of Westport officials and many residents concerned about the viability of the downtown are pleased that The Café opened on Main Street. Daniel W. Connell, town supervisor, sees The Café opening as an ideal indicator of welcome and positive change in Westport. "The center of the town must be strong," he said. "It needs to attract visitors on a year-round basis. Because the demographics of this area are changing, we have fewer young people and more seasonal residents. We need to attract and keep year-round residents. The perception of the Town of Westport is that the commercial center is dying. It must be revived."
George Maffey, until recently vice president of the Westport Chamber of Commerce, endorses Connell's point of view. Born in Port Henry, Maffey received his college education and professional experience elsewhere, but came back to Westport to retire. Following a number of other civic works and contributions, Maffey helped organize the Future of Westport, a volunteer committee established last year. A key goal of this committee includes the revitalization of the commercial center of the town.
Connell endorses the fact that the Future of Westport Committee, founded by volunteers, is widely supported. "The meetings have been very well attended. We're clarifying what is needed and wanted by all the townspeople. A Steering Committee guides and motivates the subcommittees and meets every two weeks," he said.
"Westport needs to be revitalized," Maffey emphasized. "We need more people, young people. The Future of Westport Committee has 17 vital subcommittees. We're working on all the concerns. Check our Web site. It's all grass roots. That's how it has to be done. A professional planner doesn't work for us."
Heritage House represents another effort to enrich and attract people to the center of Westport and to serve the people of this area. It occupies a formerly unused church building and is the location for area arts activities and cinema.
Connell believes that the Heritage House will also help revive the arts. It adds to the presence of another organization located in Westport, The Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks, which annually collects, publishes and helps distribute the data on all the varied cultural attractions in the North Country.
What stimulated all this concern and activity? A year ago, Westport's bank, The Champlain National Bank, announced that it would be closing two days a week for lack of business, Connell said. "That was the stimulus, the motivating factor for all the subsequent action. The Future of Westport Committee was set up. We've even come up with a logo for Westport, a flexible one that can reflect a distinct organization or business."
Among the challenges faced by Westport is the fact that some of the envisioned needs and proposed changes do not correspond with Adirondack Park Agency zoning requirements. George King leads another organization called the Blue Ribbon Committee designed to work with the APA on mutually recognized needs and changes. These concerns are as basic as acknowledging that the sewer line must be extended to enable the Town of Westport to grow, with higher residential zoning closer to the commercial section of the town.
Such a change will bring in more affordable housing, homes for year-round residents and children to help increase the school population.
"The Café is a perfect fit for Westport," agrees Rick Rockefeller, a resident and an active member of The Future of Westport Committee. Rockefeller emphasizes that the people of Westport are meeting on a regular basis to help facilitate and ensure success. "There is even a Quadricentennial Committee to ensure Westport representation in the 400th anniversary of Lake Champlain celebration."
Vic Putnam, director of Planning for Essex County, acknowledges that Westport, "like every Adirondack community, has significant and similar challenges ahead. Fundamental to virtually every community is the attempt to build a hamlet internally and to make each community people friendly."
Basically, he adds, "We are seeking sustainable communities that are economically self sufficient."
Putnam underlines the fact that although the park has a lot of challenges, "it also has phenomenal resources. We have great people and an outstanding environment. You have to have hope — clear, recognizable goals and an ability to bring in grants and other financial aid to initiate some of those efforts."
In his years with the Planning Department, Putnam has attracted more than $150 million to bring in funds for the most basic needs, Essex County water and sewer projects.
Putnam emphasizes that Adirondack communities need a greater ability to ensure that the money they make stays in the county. "Beyond that, we need more committed volunteers. And we need more recognition for our efforts."
Putnam stopped in The Café recently just for a cup of coffee. He liked what he found and recognized the planning and effort that went into it.
The arrival of The Café in Westport has already attracted locals, visitors from other villages and this year's earliest seasonal residents. To Maffey, "The Café is a social center. It works for all the people. It is the glue that holds this community together."
