The Maker Lounge Is A Dazzling Hideaway In Hudson
The cultural identity of Hudson, New York is, at present, impossible to define. The appeal of the city’s architecture and design language is draped in history but its personality is hip and modern.
The Maker is taking full advantage of Hudson’s past-and-present allure to forge ahead with a hotel/lounge/restaurant/gymnasium/etc. project, at 302 Warren Street, that appeals to Hudson’s resident and visiting tastemakers... and to the rest of us, too.
“The overall concept is celebrating people,” said General Manager Eryn Gnall. “There’s a level of detail that shows we really value craftsmanship and what people do and make. The attraction of Hudson is you can be seen and stand out, and you can still impact the community in a way that can get lost in a bigger city.”
The hotel is set to open in the summer but The Maker Lounge is open now. The space has the design detail of the Gilded Age yet a level of restraint that makes it feel clean and fresh. Using gorgeous antiques, the existing historic details of the building and the expert eye of local craftspeople, The Maker has created an atmosphere that simply wows.
The Maker is owned by Alina Roytberg and Lev Glazman, the founders of Fresh cosmetics, and Damien Janowicz. The trio are also the partners behind the restored Bartlett House bakery and café in Ghent, New York.
“The owners travel a lot and find these amazing things,” Gnall said. “A lot of the furnishings and details have been reclaimed or restored. There’s intention to everything. Not a single thing wasn’t considered, down to the hinges. There are things you’ll never notice but as a package, it comes through.”
When the complete Maker Hotel is open, it will include a café in the lobby, a restaurant we’re already making reservations for, and the latest addition to the project, the gymnasium. The Maker recently took over significant square footage of the former supermarket-turned-antiques store that abuts the hotel building. The plan still being developed is to create a gym that would be open to hotel guests and local members alike.
For now, The Maker Lounge is a strong first move. It’s relaxing in a way that makes it easy to lose track of time. As much as that’s a design trick, the food and beverage aid mightily in the magic. Nicole Craft, head chef at the Bartlett House, has created a menu of original snacks and small plates.
“The menu, in general, is straightforward,” Gnall said. “But we made it our own and it is also a little indulgent.”
If you're feeling peckish, try the gougères with Churchtown triple crème ($10), the Japanese sweet potatoes with apples, pea tendrils and hot sauce butter ($12) or the soft-boiled duck egg with Ossetra caviar and French fries ($18). Larger plates include roasted cauliflower with beet muhammara ($12), steak tartare with pickled green beans, cured egg yolk and Bartlett House sesame toast ($19), and a decedent double cheeseburger made with Consider Bardwell Farm Pawlet, shredded lettuce and special sauce on a duck-fat toasted Bartlett House English muffin ($20).
Of course, the bar program is as top shelf as everything else. Along with a wine list, there is a selection of historic cocktails fitting for a town where they say the word cocktail was first written. Among the unique old offerings are the Adonis, a Fino Sherry cocktail from the 1890s with sweet vermouth and orange bitters, named after the play "Adoni" ($12) and the more complex Tuxedo No. 2, made with London Dry Gin, dry vermouth, Maraschino and absinthe ($13).
“Vintage cocktails were something the partners have been talking about for a while,” said Gnall. “They're classics you just don’t really see anymore.”
While its historic cocktails are as good as they are novel, The Maker has also recently launched its first eight signature, literature-inspired cocktails. Just a little more gilding on the lily, yet somehow never too much.
Impressive on its own, The Maker Lounge is but a portent of much more to come. We look forward to following (and updating) its progress.
The Maker Lounge
302 Warren Street, Hudson, NY (Entrance at N 3rd St. & Prison Alley)
(518) 509-2620
Open Monday, Thursday & Friday 5:30 p.m.-midnight; Saturday & Sunday, 3:30 p.m.-midnight
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