MILLBROOK — Three longstanding downtown Millbrook businesses, two on Franklin Avenue and one on Front Street, celebrated changes in ownership last week with a joint ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The new owners of Babette’s Kitchen, Village Wine & Spirits of Millbrook and the Millbrook Antiques Center gathered with friends, family members and Millbrook Mayor Peter Doro to mark the occasion.
“Taking over an established business is a wonderful way to invest in one’s local community,” said Mayor Doro. “You get the opportunity to respect what came before while bringing your own ideas and energy to the future.”
All three businesses have become local staples. Babette’s Kitchen, at 3293 Franklin Ave., opened in 2005 as a lunch destination and catering company. Its new owners, Jennifer and Michael Burgen, have worked at the restaurant for several years.
With an emphasis on local produce and a menu sourced from nearby farms, Babette’s has gained regional acclaim for its inventive menu and extensive pastry offerings. Its buttermilk biscuits, frittatas and seasonal rotations have made the 20-seat café a weekend favorite for locals and weekenders alike.
Like Babette’s founders, the Burgens graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, a culinary school based in Hyde Park. When Babette’s founder Buffy Arbogast attended in 2004, she was at the forefront of a gastronomic migration.
The Burgens are part of the second wave, and are committed to keeping Babette’s core menu intact.
“We’re not doing any changes for the first couple of years, but in the long term, we’d love to bring some family recipes out,” Burgen said last month. “My grandmother was a great cook, and Mike’s grandmother was an amazing baker.”
Village Wine & Spirits, at 45 Front St., has operated in Millbrook since the 1980s. The new owners, Rick and Shreya Kumar, say they’re looking forward to continuing the legacy. “It’s a really nice neighborhood,” said Rick Kumar. “There are really good people here, and we’re so happy to be here. We’re immigrants from India, and we couldn’t imagine being in a better place than Millbrook. Everything is perfect.”
The Millbrook Antiques Center, at 3283 Franklin Ave., has been a village fixture for more than 40 years. The shop offers vintage clothing, jewelry repair, furniture and much more. New owners Michelle and Keith Del Valle were effusive in their praise of the former owners, Tom McGeady and Richard Del Valle — Keith’s father.
“We’re continuing everything that they did, but we’re introducing new things too,” said Michelle Del Valle. “We’re planning a sip and shop and a Halloween party, and are finding other ways to collaborate with the other businesses on Franklin.”
Michelle worked at the shop for about five years before Tom and Richard floated the idea of passing it along. “It already felt like we were running something like a family business,” she said. “We love the small town charm of Millbrook. It’s a charming, community-centric place to live.”
Mayor Doro sees the transfers as emblematic of Millbrook’s sense of history. “On behalf of the Village, we owe these new owners a debt of gratitude,” he said. “For investing in Millbrook and for helping keep a little bit of Millbrook’s history going.
“Having new ownership invest in these local businesses is a sign of confidence in Millbrook and helps maintain the vibrancy of our downtown.”
The early September sun greeted students as they stepped off their buses at Webutuck Elementary School for the first day of classes Tuesday, Sept. 8.Photo by Leila Hawken
