O'Donoghue's returns to Nyack Locals share their memories and hopes for village mainstay

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O'Donoghue's Tavern in Nyack was a popular fixture for 55 years until it closed last spring. The well-worn tavern was where locals and former locals crowded in on a nightly basis, greeting the bartenders and the owner, Kevin O'Donoghue, by name.

And then suddenly, on a Thursday afternoon in April, it was gone. As the news of its imminent closing spread, dozens of patrons came out throughout the night to raise their glasses and bid a sad farewell to a local institution. "My first beer was here in 1967," said Rob Conant. Bar manager Brian Fitzgerald added, "It's everyone's first beer; they've met here and broken up here."

O'Donoghue's, affectionately known as O'Ds to the many regulars that passed through its doors since 1960, attracted a diverse crowd that seemed always at home in the informal surroundings. Jason Campagna, an anesthesiologist was a weekly patron after moving to town. "We moved here 5 years ago from Santa Barbara, California and we became regulars," he said. "I learned literally all about Nyack sitting at that bar."

So the closing last spring left many wondering what was next. News filtered out that owner Kevin O'Donoghue still owned the building. Then O'Donoghue announced in October that a new restaurant would open in the space.

Today, while partners Dianne Walsh and Geoffrey Torrens are still in the building process for what they describe as a new organic restaurant, the exterior has been painted a fresh coat of white; inside it's an active construction site with a few remnants of the original bar. Walsh and Torrens say they have no firm date yet for the official opening.

Happily, the new spot will be keeping the old moniker.

"It was really important to keep the name because the town identifies with this restaurant," said Walsh.

The new menu will be organic, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, with Brian Birch former executive chef of Hudson House in Nyack tapped to run the kitchen. "We're keeping O'Donoghue's and Kevin will be our guest of honor because everyone is excited to see him," said Walsh.

"I think it's a wonderful thing; it's been a neighborhood place for years," said Sylvia Welch of Piermont. "The pace of O'Ds is really fine if you want to relax with friends and you always meet characters." She said even though Nyack has no shortage of bars, O'Donoghue's was a special spot for those over a certain age and a comfortable place to get a drink. "Even though you go alone you know you'll meet people you know," said Welch.

Ron Virag of Orangeburg said he was happy to see the return of this local spot. "I think it's a good local business, with a nice vibe." Virag said he went to O'Ds just a handful of times but knew it was a central bar for many people. "They supported the community and the community supported them."

The jury is still out on the new O'Ds, but locals like Mayor Jen White are supportive. "I think the whole community was devastated when it closed. We raised our kids there on Friday nights, but it's nice to have something thoughtful, community-minded and tasty going in the same space," she said.

"It was a bar you could walk into and watch the world go by, which is rare," said Campagna. "We're looking forward to the new cuisine and we hope Kevin will be there," said Welch.

Twitter: @krhudsonvalley