As the future of Jericho’s historic Milleridge Inn remains uncertain, a handful of local residents say they would have lost a few hundred dollars in deposits if not for a Plainview woman’s Facebook page.
Michelle Torres of Westbury and Diana Shaneberger of South Huntington both had events booked and ready to go at the Milleridge Inn for 2016. They researched various catering halls and decided on the Milleridge Inn for its historic lineage, intimate atmosphere and affordability. Shaneberger planned to hold her daughter’s Sweet 16 there on Jan. 3, 2016; while Torres was to hold her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah at the Milleridge on May 21, 2016.
“I booked it well in advance because I wanted to be sure we had a venue,” said Torres. “No one called us to tell us anything about it being sold.”
The Milleridge Inn was sold to strip mall developer Kimco Realty this past May, though at the time, Kimco representatives said the Inn’s previous owners would still run day-to-day operations. That changed in August when it was revealed that the Inn’s longtime owner would retire at year’s end, putting any events scheduled for 2016 in jeopardy.
And even after the owner’s retirement was revealed, Torres and Shaneberger said they still never received a phone call from the Inn alerting them to the possibility that the venue of their choice might not even exist in 2016. It wasn’t until last month when they found Plainview’s Sheila Doherty’s Facebook page “Save the Milleridge” that they were clued into the situation.
“No one contacted me so I thought it was business as usual,” said Shaneberger. “Then I saw the Facebook page and panicked. I called them right away, but they couldn’t answer any of my questions. They were very nice, but I could tell they were withholding information.”
With that, Shaneberger’s husband went to the Milleridge Inn unannounced in search of information.
“He kind of ambushed them. The secretary was flustered, but again, very nice,” said Shaneberger. “I can’t blame the employees, because it seems like they didn’t even know situation or if they would even have jobs in 2016. It seems very unprofessional on the owners’ part.”
The Milleridge Inn did not return requests for comment.
David Bujnicki, Kimco’s vice president of investor relations and communications, said the realty firm is actively another potential operator for the site and they also have plans to hear the community’s concerns in a forum setting.
“Kimco acquired The Milleridge Inn property this past spring and subsequently leased the property back to the current owner who was seeking to retire shortly thereafter but wanted to fulfill his prior customer commitments,” said Bujnicki, of the New Hyde Park-based realty firm. “This arrangement provided him with the opportunity to continue to operate this fine establishment without any disruptions in service until his retirement at year end. Kimco is actively looking for another potential operator for the site. As soon as we have additional details, we will be happy to share them.”
But what 2016 holds for the Milleridge remains a mystery. Shaneberger was able to change her daughter’s Sweet 16 to December of this year, guaranteeing a spot at the catering hall. Torres, on the other hand, had to cancel her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah and take back her deposit, leaving her at square one and in her search of a new venue.
“We went to so many catering halls last year looking for the perfect spot and the Milleridge Inn was right in our price range,” she said. “Other places have dates available, but they are really out of our budget. We’re still looking.”
Plainview’s Sheila Doherty said her Facebook page, Save the Milleridge, has grown in popularity mainly because Long Islanders do not want to see this place of such local historic significance bulldozed into something similar to the neighboring Jericho Commons, a strip mall also owned by Kimco.
“I am hopeful that [Kimco] is realizing that destroying the Milleridge Inn would really upset people,” she said. “We’re going to hold a meeting for supporters, but the details are still being finalized.”
Shaneberger and Torres both said that what was most upsetting was finding out about this on Facebook, rather than with a call from the Milleridge Inn—an act they think would have been common courtesy.
“I don’t know why it was so hush hush,” said Shaneberger. “It’s seems like the owners didn’t even tell the employees the details. It’s heartbreaking to see history being shut down and pushed aside. The owner wants to retire and that is his right, but I really hope someone steps up to take over.”
Torres said to lose a place that so many generations of Long Islanders have utilized would be a travesty—especially if it’s lost to another strip mall.
“The last thing Long Island needs is another strip mall,” she said. “I hope it stays and maybe new owners can spruce it up a little bit.”
