Era ends as The Colonial closes its doors

By DAVID HULSE

YULAN, NY — A lot of people were left looking for a new favorite restaurant Sunday night when Richard “Dickie” and Cheryl Haas closed the doors at The Colonial in Washington Lake for the last time.

The property has been sold and Dickie said the new owner wants the six acres, overlooking the lake, to build a home and several guest cabins for his family. The old boarding house will be demolished.

Several hundred of the Haas’ closest friends and long-time customers showed up Sunday evening for a combination farewell and clean-out-the-refrigerators party at the restaurant.

While it had never been uncommon for Dickie to welcome friends through the kitchen screen door while he worked, Sunday was unusual even by his standards.

A steady stream of well-wishers snaked through the service doorway, bringing their hugs, kisses and tears, all liberally applied.

“I don’t know where I’m going to go now,” said customer Hank Mahnkopf. “I’ve been coming here for 32 years and I’ve never had a bad meal,” he said.

Hank and his wife Fannie live nearby, but he said coming to The Colonial was a lot more than just a matter of good food and convenience. It was about “the people who ran it,” he said.

Dodging well-wishers and keeping up a steady conversation, Dickie finished out the last batch of fried clams and made sure that one little guest got some of the freezer’s last ice cream treats.

As the cooking ended, Cheryl passed out magic markers and guests started writing parting greetings to their hosts on the walls, shelves and counters.

“It’s been a good run,” he said of the past 33 years.

Dickie and Cheryl started the business in June of 1971, after buying back the boarding house that his grandparents, Lizette and Jacob Hensel had started in 1926.

While business was always brisk, time and traffic began to take its toll on the rambling old frame boarding house building. “We’ve kept up the restaurant and the bar, but we decided back in 1988 that we weren’t going to put any more money into the rest of the building.”

Contributing to the decision was the fact that none of the rest of his family was interested in taking over the business, so it seemed that he and The Colonial would retire together sometime in the future.

However, the schedule got a big bump last month just as the couple was getting ready for their annual trip to Florida. “A guy from Staten Island came in and made me an offer. I told him I was on my way to Florida and he said the lawyers could figure it out. When I got back, the contract was waiting for me on a table in the dining room. So, now I’m homeless and unemployed,” he concluded with a big smile.

Asked repeatedly about his plans, Dickie told well wishers, “I’m going to fish here all summer and sell hot-dogs on a nude beach in Florida in the winter.”

After the punch line, Dickie assured people that he would not be going away. While there won’t be another restaurant, the Haas’ will be building a new home, as Dickie considers his business options. “After 33 years, it was time for a change,” he said.