80 miles north of New York City is the town New Paltz, a historical college town that’s home to about 10,000 students and 1.8 million tourists every year that flock to enjoy the region’s history and natural beauty.

With so many hungry mouths to feed all year long, entrepreneur Richard Colangelo has assembled a veteran team to bring the people of New Paltz what their stomachs have been sorely missing—mouthwatering BBQ in a fun, family-friendly environment. That’s exactly what’s on the menu at The Gunks Smokehouse.

Part BBQ joint, part sports bar, and part nightlife hotspot, The Gunks Smokehouse is positioned serve a growing clientele in ways that other area venues can’t. 

Nestled in the heart of New Paltz, The Gunks Smokehouse is opening up in a large, 8,160-sq. ft. building that sits on 3.5 acres, has 125 lined parking spaces, and an occupancy rating of 700. One of the largest venues in the area, it’s big enough to seat 300 hungry customers—100 more than the closest competition.

It’s a good thing, too. One look at the menu and it’s clear that they’ll need all that room. The Gunks Smokehouse is serving up the classic BBQ staples—ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and grilled chicken, to name a few—along with a few signature twists like the aptly named “Swine-chos.” It’s all messy, delicious, and something that customers won’t be able to find anywhere else within a 45-mile radius.

The Gunks Smokehouse will bring together great food, atmosphere, and entertainment into a family-friendly themed restaurant/sports bar that will appeal to the growing customer base of college students, tourists, and sports enthusiasts.

The restaurant is opening in a large venue ideally located near some of the area’s busiest roadways, commerce centers, and attractions:

Unobstructed frontage on Route 87 with daily traffic counts of more than 80,000 cars and frontage on Route 299 with daily traffic counts of up to 40,000 cars.

Walking distance to 2 of the area’s major shopping centers.

30 yards from a Super 8 Hotel and the approved future site of a Hampton Inn.

200 yards from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation Headquarters.

1 mile from downtown New Paltz.

1 mile from SUNY New Paltz, its 10,000 students, and off-campus housing.

5 miles from the Mohonk Mountain Preserve and its 1.2 million annual tourists.

New Paltz is inundated with Irish and Italian restaurants serving up the same pub fare and pasta staples, and is ripe for a shake-up. The market loves its BBQ—the closest BBQ restaurant of this size is 30 miles away and does $9 million/year. Colangelo and his team are set up for success by delivering something new to New Paltz in a way that’s exciting and accessible to the various demographics of the area. 

The Gunks Smokehouse won’t just be a place to grab a bite to eat—but a nightlife and entertainment hotspot. It’s well on its way, too, as Colangelo has assembled some of New York City’s best television visionaries on the team. He also has commitments from several popular TV shows to shoot episodes at the restaurant, including the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food with Adam Richman and the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri.
 

With the advisory team’s 20-year background in television production, The Gunks Smokehouse has already generated traction in the restaurant’s entertainment component, and will continue to do so at a level that no other area venue can.

The Gunks Smokehouse is very close to becoming a reality—the core concept is developed, the team is assembled, and media attention is growing.

All that’s needed is a final $1.5 Million in capital to fund the final stage of the restaurant’s installation and opening. It is expected that these funds will support the restaurant for 8-10 months after opening. Funds will be used:

to complete construction of the space, including bathrooms
and the bar,

to purchase tables, chairs, flatware, and an opening stock of liquor,

and to hire staff and fund payroll through pre-launch training.