Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. Liverpool’s most prominent publican, John Gormel — the man with the mile-wide smile — has expanded his already significant holdings on the Basin Block. Down by the Salt Museum, the Basin Block is bounded by Lake Drive, First Street and South Willow Street adjacent to Onondaga Lake Park.
A couple months ago, the Gormel family purchased the property at 110 S. Willow St., next door to their own Barking Gull tavern, at 116 S. Willow.
The 110 address is where the White Water Pub has operated since 2009 by tavern-keeper Mary Kay Manns. The British-style pub buzzed during the summers when its outdoor patio bar attracted plenty of patrons. Mary Kay confirmed that she sold the bar biz in February to hopeful first-time restaurateurs Daniel Nye and Matthew Scott. That deal has apparently fallen through, since the Gormels purchased the property.
Last fall, Gormel purchased two strips of village-owned land, small parcels abutting the Barking Gull, on the corner of Lake Drive.
Re-opening in 2019?
Sometime around the end of 2016 or the beginning of 2017, Gormel made an offer to buy the property at 110 from Valerie and Dennis Kosdrosky, the heirs of late Liverpool property owner Val Lamont. Gormel declined to follow through at that time although he’d also reportedly offered to buy the pub business from Mary Kay Manns.
Now that he owns the 110 property, Gormel and his two sons — Adam and Josh — will take their time deciding how to proceed with two side-by-side lakeside bistros and a handful of other properties on the Basin Block.
Good bet they’ll revamp and re-staff both now-dark venues and prepare to open both up for business as springtime draws to a close in 2019.
Gormel and his family also own two of the most popular eating-and-drinking establishments in the village — The Retreat and The Cobblestone.
Dancin’ on the patio
Meanwhile, up at The Retreat, they’re dancin’ on the patio again this summer.
The eatery on the corner of Vine and First street hosts blue-eyed soul singer Mark Macri from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday, July 2; singer Shawn Halloran, Wednesday, July 4; and songwriter Mike Powell on Thursday, July 5.
Chris Taylor and the Custom Taylor Band performs on the patio on July 11. Macri returns July 12 and July 21, and the Lisa Lee Trio makes its Retreat debut on July 16.
Live music continues there through Sept. 9. Admission is always free at The Retreat; (315) 457-6358.
Live Lizard
Ride the wild reptile at 201 First St. when the Limp Lizard Barbecue host the band called The Rules on Saturday, June 30. Rhapsody rhapsodizes there on Thursday, July 5, and Hold the Air breathes freely on July 20.
And the joint is jumpin’ every Tuesday night when Edgar Pagan and Richie Melito host a well-attended jam session starting at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is free at the Limp Lizard and the barbecue is bodacious; (315) 451-9774.
Where’s the public?
Don Fellows, who lives in Liverpool on lower Vine Street, often attends village trustees and planning board meetings. He’s one of a very few who do.
At the trustees’ June 18 meeting Don pleaded with Mayor Gary White to change the order of certain monthly agenda items. Specifically, he asked that public comment period and a review of outstanding issues be moved up to the top of each meeting, so that residents could speak their minds about ongoing village projects.
On July 18, 2016, the Village Board of Trustees had approved meeting procedures which included moving the public comment period from near the top of the agenda to next-to-last. “But participation has dropped off,” Fellows said.
Fund transfers and DPW reports are generally not very fascinating, he suggested. “That kind of stuff turns people off.”
White told Fellows they’d give it a try…
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