Squiretown Restaurant and Bar Sails Along in First Year

Squiretown Restaurant and Bar at 26 West Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays is only eight months old, but bothers and co-owners, Charles and Craig Bishop, say things are coming along for their new business.

"Being our first year, we don't have anything to compare it to," said Charles.  "We had a nice summer and a nice fall.  Since Columbus Day it's slowed down a bit."

Charles, 39, who grew up in Southampton Village, said he thought Hampton Bays was the perfect place to make his new restaurant.  "I'm looking at restaurants and this place was an ideal spot for us being that it's right in the village," he said.

Squiretown's main chef, Charles is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has a long background in the restaurant business, working as a waiter at Bobby Van's in Bridgehampton, The Coast Grill in Noyak and at a steakhouse in Miami.  "I've spent most of my career in restaurants, on the floor, in the dining room and in the kitchen," he said.  

Much of the food on Squiretown's menu comes right out of the water off the shores of Hampton Bays and from the vegetable stands on local streets, Charles said.  "I pretty much called it America Bistro because of the variety of things on the menu," he said.  "I use a lot of local stuff and you see that reflected in the menu.  Local scallops have just been added to the menu now that they are in season.  They also serve local seafood of all kinds, including striped bass, fluke and flounder, staples on any seafood menu on the east end.  "The fish availability changes with the change of seasons," Charles said.

While Charles takes care of the kitchen, his brother Craig, 33, handles the business end of things.  "I make sure everything gets paid and stuff like that," he said.  When asked what it's like to venture into a new business, he said, "It's interesting.  You never know what to expect."

Both brothers agree that owning your own business is worth all the hard work.  "It's really nice to finally have every effort you make go toward benefiting your own company," Charles said.  "Outside of that, being in the restaurant business for so long, you know what to look out for.  The bottom line dollars and cents of it is always at the bottom of your mind."

As someone who is making his first effort as a restaurateur, Charles said, "This is probably the hardest business to get into."