This is great news. I am going to sign my wife up as soon as your doors open.

Sounds fine on a few levels, but is anyone thinking about how we're happily (or desperately) opening up our business community to franchises? The horse is probably already out of the barn, but it will be interesting to see how this will affect whatever it is we perceive as a 'small town feeling'. Can MacDonald's or Burger King be far behind?

With all due respect, I would much prefer a clean well kept franchise to derelict empty storefronts. We should be thankful for any business willing to add to our community. It's perceived desolation that gives people the sense of dread about worse things to come. A vibrant commercial/retail atmosphere is in everybody's best interest. Small town feel shouldn't be confused with ghost town feel.

Rick- May I respectfully point out that we have had CVS, Dunkin Donuts and Subway for at least several years to over a decade now.You concern is a bit too late- NO? Diane

...because, god forbid the adolescents have any part of town where they can hang out without being chased off... As long as they are considerate of passers-by and they don't litter it shouldn't be a problem. I have, on a few occasions, asked kids to pick up their trash out of consideration for the business owners and the kids always complied. They live here, too.

What is it with this community and skateboards? What's wrong with skateboards? I assume it's some kind of perceived liability issue--"They could hit a crack on the sidewalk, fall and sue us"--but imagine if Cornwall said, "No bicycling! It's dangerous, and you bikers could conceivably sue us if you hurt yourselves on town property! And don't you leave your bike in front of my restaurant, it's an eyesore and somebody could trip over it!"

(Yes, I know, we're not supposed to bike on Town property...so why is there a bikestand in front of the Library? Does nobody rides a bike to the Little League fields? Everyone does ride where they reasonably wish, but bikers vote and spend lots of money. Kids don't.)

Bicycle riders, some of them on multi-thousand-dollar bikes and as privileged as that suggests, of course wouldn't stand for this for a minute. Nor would they ever spend a dime in a restaurant or shop that chased them away. Adults who seem to think that skateboards are the devil's spawn need to get over it.

Rick,
I took a day or so to think about a response to your post above. I would also like to see Cornwall look more like Cold Spring or Nyack. But over time we have seen that private enterprises are not so successful due to a variety of reasons, one as noted in a study completed by Glynwood Center demonstrated that Cornwall is not a pass through Main Street and it does not attract a high enough volume to have novelty stores. Having the blend of franchise retail will provide stability and much needed jobs, especially for our youth. What perplexes me is that we have not as a community been more vigilant and support the condemnation of deliquent buildings on Main Street. No first floor housing. on Main Street.