Westchester’s famed food stand, Walter’s Hot Dogs, is interested in operating a food truck out of Rye Town Park to fill the opening left by Seaside Johnnies’ exit.
Katharine Warrington Woodward, the public relations and events manager of Walter’s, told the Review this week that the family-owned company is anticipating a discussion with the Rye Town Park Commission about an opportunity to operate at the beginning of 2017. “We’re definitely interested in bringing a food truck to [Rye Town Park],” she said.
Walter’s interest comes on the heels of the owners of Seaside Johnnies, John Ambrose and Sam Chernin, the park’s current restaurant tenants, rejecting a new deal to continue operating the restaurant for one year with an option for a second year. On Nov. 15, the park commission offered Ambrose the new deal by adjusting its previous offer of just a one-year extension. That latest proposal also offered a refund of 25 percent of the fees in rent charged—approximately $25,000—to Ambrose if he was not brought back for a second year.
Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat and president of the park commission, said that despite Walter’s interest, there are a number of questions remaining before the commission determines its next plan of action. “There might be community opposition to a food-truck operation at the beach,” he said. “I don’t know yet for certain if the other [park] commissioners would be in favor of that.”
Even with Walter’s now a possibility at the Oakland Beach area, Ambrose, who has operated Seaside Johnnies at the park since 2000, told the Review there is still hope to work out a deal with the commission before year-end. “The door is ajar at this particular time,” he said.
Ambrose, who has rejected two proposals to date, added that there’s enough time to salvage his relationship with the commission, and certainly an adequate amount of time to submit a counteroffer, which he plans to do urgently. Ambrose would not reveal any details about his potential proposal.
However, according to Zuckerman, it seems unlikely that the two parties will reach a conclusion before Seaside Johnnies’ license agreement expires at the end of December. “When one door closes, another always opens,” Zuckerman said. “If our time with Seaside Johnnies is in fact over, we must move ahead and look forward to other opportunities; [Walter’s] can be one of several opportunities.”
Walter’s Hot Dog Stand, which is located on Palmer Avenue in the town of Mamaroneck, was founded by Walter Warrington in 1919. The family business, which can easily be identified by its pagoda-style copper roof with dragon lanterns, is a nationally registered historical landmark.
A food truck operation at the park could help minimize the economic loss of as much as an estimated $200,000 as a result of the absence of Seaside Johnnies and no substitute able to step in to fill the restaurant on such short notice.
“We’re in a good place right now; I love Walter’s as an idea for a food truck,” said Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican and member of the park commission. “But before negotiating with anyone, there’s still some stuff to work out.”
Rye Brook Mayor Paul Rosenberg, a Democrat and member of the park commission, could not be reached for comment, as of press time.
