The drop in temperature made getting a shovel in the hard dirt for the official groundbreaking of Shippy’s (36 Windmill Lane, Southampton, 631-283-0007) new and improved biergarten a little tricky, but the green light from the town and county is paving the way for a smooth move into the next incarnation of the 70-year-old business.
(L to R: John Betts outside Shippy’s on Windmill Lane; Shippy’s current outdoor seating; a crowded fall evening at Shippy’s. Photo credit: Doug Young)
“We’re going to make something really special here,” says owner John Betts, who took over the beloved Southampton German-fare staple in 2022. “We’re doubling the size of the kitchen.”
There’s much more to the plan than that, though. The area that currently serves as an alfresco annex will be part of three-phase renovation that includes construction of a new section attached to the 1930s era building that will make more space for not just the kitchen expansion, but more bathrooms, a roof deck (which is part of the final phase and awaiting final approval) for private events, plus, in front of that, a proper biergarten with a louvered top that can be open on sunny days and closed when the weather is less forgiving.
In the rear of the present building, Betts is also adding a lounge for his employees and bathroom for them as well, in addition to a take-out and delivery window to meet the growing breakfast-to-dinner demand for on-the-go food, which Betts acknowledges has been robust.
“Not only is it a great sign of a business doing well in the village, but it furthers the growth of the western part of Southampton Village, which includes the now very busy Windmill Lane,” says Southampton Village mayor Bill Manger, who was on hand for the groundbreaking, with shovel in hand for and a hardhat atop his head, along with village trustees Roy Stevenson, village trustee and deputy mayor Len Zinnanti, project architect Lisa Zaloga and general contractor Lance Nill.
The expansion, projected to be completed by spring 2025, has been met with support by the village.
“It’s about a labor of love,” says Betts, “for our village and for Windmill Lane.”
