Parke's Place to close on Sunday after nearly 20 years in business
Preston — Parke Spicer and his daughter, Beverly Choti, were planning a 20th anniversary celebration for Parke's Place — the Route 12 breakfast-and-lunch restaurant that Spicer, the former first selectman, started in May 1997 — when they were hit with a surprise on Thursday.
A state marshal delivered a “Notice to Quit” the premises by the end of March, stating “lapse of time” as the reason for the order.
Former landlord John Stuart Jr. died Dec. 30, the day before the restaurant's lease expired, Choti said. He was a daily “fixture” for coffee at Parke's Place, his obituary in The Day stated.
Choti said she had paid the ownership company, Pine Plains Greenhouse Inc., now run by Stuart's son, John Stuart III, month to month. Choti said that when she asked for a new lease, the younger Stuart told her he preferred a month-to-month arrangement but initially told her the restaurant could stay. Choti said she paid for two months in advance and that her latest payment was returned to her.
John Stuart III could not be reached for comment Friday.
Choti said with only a week before the order takes effect, the restaurant will have to close Sunday to allow them time to move their equipment into storage in the hope of finding another location in the near future. Choti said she has looked at two properties, but costs were too high. She remains hopeful of eventually finding a new location.
Parke's Place will be open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, the last day of business.
“It wasn't our intention to shut down,” Choti said Friday afternoon, “but we got the notice to quit.”
Choti's main goal now is to alert as many regular customers as possible that this weekend will be the last for the restaurant.
“I'm so sad that it has to end so quickly,” Choti said. “We won't be able to say goodbye to some of our customers. We've had customers who have been coming here since day one.”
Parke's Place, with its nondescript shack-like building and signature 1950s-style marquee sign out front, has become a mainstay for customers who wanted to grab a bite to eat on the way to work, or before a morning of fishing in spring. The restaurant has held benefits for local causes, including Relay for Life.
Some customers might have stopped in just to gripe about local politics with the longtime former first selectman, who still shares his opinions readily.
Spicer said the closing will come “almost to the day” 20 years ago, March 27, when he first worked at the building to get the restaurant open after retiring from the first selectman's position he held for 12 years.
“It was one thing I had wanted to do for a long time, and I did it,” Spicer said.
Spicer, 79, started having health problems five years ago and turned over ownership of the restaurant to his daughter. Now, he said, he can't let himself get upset at the closing.
The restaurant has been a family business over the years, with Spicer's children, daughters Donna Milnarik and her son Phillip, Michele Spicer, and Choti, with her son and daughter and their spouses all helping out. Family members cooked, cleaned and served meals.
In addition, the restaurant has had longtime, dedicated staff, including Dawn Doty and dishwasher Lenny Radziewski of Norwich, who worked there for 13 years before he left for health reasons. The restaurant currently has three employees.
“They've been the best employees,” Choti said of the restaurant staff.
c.bessette@theday.com
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