The ‘mecca’ of Polish Town celebrates its reopening
The Birchwood of Polish Town has got its sparkle back.
Danielle Sessa of Calverton, the new owner of the Polish Town restaurant and catering hall, joined her family and town officials in a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday to celebrate the reopening of the Birchwood.
Ms. Sessa’s father, Frank Sessa, noted that the Birchwood has been around 80 years — since 1934 — and it holds a place in history for Polish Town. He said most of the renovation involved cleaning and painting, in addition to adding modern colored lighting in the trey ceiling above the catering room dance floor.
“I hope it will be a mecca for more people to come and open businesses here,” he said. “Polish Town needed the Birchwood to reopen. I hope people pick up the ball and run with it. Downtown is being revitalized and I hope we are the beginning of the revitalization of Polish Town.”
The Birchwood’s former owner, James Loo, died in January and the property was granted to his 12-year-old daughter in estate proceedings. It closed in June and Ms. Sessa and her family, who have years of experience in the restaurant and catering business, closed a deal on the business in September.
“Danielle is the true architect of the revitalization of the Birchwood,” Frank Sessa said. “The rest of us are the supporting cast: family, friends and trades people. Everyone was just great.”
Danielle’s parents, Frank and Jackie Sessa of Wading River, and her siblings Frank and Angelina, will be operating the revitalized restaurant and catering hall, formerly called the Champagne Room. It is now renamed after Montepulciano, a red wine grape grown in east central Italy, calling it ‘Montepulciano Catering Room.’
