Rye Rallies To Save Town Dock Tavern In Wake Of Con Ed Dispute
RYE, NY — A fundraising campaign was started to help save a Rye institution after Con Edison reportedly cut off gas service abruptly as construction continues nearby.
A rye fixture for a quarter-century may soon be no more, thanks in part to an ongoing dispute with Con Edison. Ironically, the popular community meeting spot weathered some of the restaurant industry's hardest days only to find that bad luck and a utility monopoly may have stymied the family-run business's recovery.
The restaurant is now facing thousands in gas repairs, lost business, and the cost of spoiled food after Con Edison cut off their gas supply last week, campaign organizers said. Meanwhile, the Town Dock remains closed for more than a week with no ability to bring money in.
"While Anthony and his partners are working tirelessly to unravel the damage and get Con Edison to step up, time is of the essence, and the situation is urgent," GoFundMe organizer Jody Kennedy wrote. "Our friend Anthony is the face of the Town Dock and a proud man and has worked so hard to create such a local gem in Rye. Though he is aware of this effort, he is reluctant to ask for help; we cannot let it end this way. We can all support this family-run community restaurant. Please help them get through this terrible situation."
So far, a GoFundMe Campaign organized by Kennedy on behalf of owner Anthony Deluca has raised nearly $15,000 of its $40,000 goal.
You can contribute to the efforts here.
Kennedy's full comments on the fundraising campaign can be read below:
A few words from Jody
After 25 years in business and clawing through the Covid crisis, including surviving omicron, it cannot be Con Edison who ends the story of this unique family-run business. On February 11, the gas supply to The Dock sputtered out. Con Edison had been digging up the road outside the Town Dock, possibly for the new construction across the street. After desperate calls to the appliance people and plumbers and being told all was fine, they finally called Con Edison. After determining there was no leak or safety problem, their answer to the issue was to cut the gas off to the building. The timing could not be worse the day before the super bowl with catering orders taken and two days before Valentine’s Day.
Now the restaurant is facing thousands of dollars to upgrade gas connections, thousands of dollars worth of lost business and the cost of spoiled food and food that will need to be replaced. The Town Dock has been closed for over a week now with no money or ability to bring money in. Rent will still be due, and employees with families need their jobs. The Dock kept their employees working all through Covid-19 and pivoted each time a new mandate or variant arrived, possibly being crushed by a giant conglomerate like Con Edison.
While Anthony and his partners are working tirelessly to unravel the damage and get Con Edison to step up, time is of the essence, and the situation is urgent. Our friend Anthony is the face of the Town Dock and a proud man and has worked so hard to create such a local gem in Rye. Though he is aware of this effort, he is reluctant to ask for help; we cannot let it end this way. We can all support this family-run community restaurant. Please help them get through this terrible situation.
GoFundMe is a Patch partner.
This article originally appeared on the Rye Patch
