By Mary Lou Nahas
For Capital Region Independent Media
There is a new restaurant in Oak Hill and Vicinity, actually in Preston Hollow. It is in the well-loved building where West Winds served loyal local customers for many years.
The business is called Two Guys Local Bites and they recently held their grand opening. It now becomes part of the interesting history of our community.
The book “People Made it Happen Here, History of the Town of Rensselaerville,” published in 1977, records that “Preston Hollow is an enterprising and thrifty village in the southwestern part of Rensselaerville, situated upon the Catskill Creek. Dr. Samuel Preston, from whom the village took its name, emigrated from Connecticut ca. 1789. He was the first settler and founder of the village.”
Henry Couchman, another very early settler in this town, emigrated from Dutchess County. He settled down one and a half miles from the present village of Preston Hollow, while this southwest portion of town was a dense wilderness. From the nearest apple tree at Schoharie, in after years, Couchman procured a bushel of apples, saved the seeds, which he planted and raised an orchard, which is still (1886) standing. [That is real homesteading.]
Teal Rockefeller, at an early period, carried on a blacksmith shop. A nephew, Peter Rockefeller, kept a hotel. A short distance south of this, George Wait built a tavern.
“At these early times, the traveling public must have been well supplied with hotels and taverns, there being no less than ten in the space of four miles, all upon this thoroughfare,” according to the book. “…two miles each way from this village. In these early days, the Tuttle House, in the village, was the stage house…this being a daily route from Catskill to Canajoharie.
“In the year 1870, the village was incorporated for the purposes of grading the streets, and making sidewalks, and planting shade trees. Stagecoaches leave the village daily both to Catskill and Middleburgh. Its population by the last census was four hundred.”
The route had always been well traveled. And West Winds began as a gas station on the road from Catskill to Middleburg. This was essentially the only place for truckers to buy gas and diesel, and there was a large parking lot to accommodate the trucks, said Dorthea Cotter, who grew up in the area.
The original business began selling food and some groceries in addition to fuel, even staying open 24 hours a day at times to accommodate the truckers.
According to Donna Winans-Ingalls, whose in-laws rented the building in the early days, “Alfred and Mary Salisbury, to my recollection, were the first people who ran it.” She added,” I’m not sure of the exact dates, but Pearl and Leland Wood, parents to Kenney Wood, were early owners. Then a family named Moon from Catskill.
“My mother-in-law Dorothy was the cook and did it all. My father-in-law Cecil worked for the Albany County garage in Voorheesville,” she added. “They had all the things that you mentioned [gas, groceries, home-cooked meals], along with a public phone booth [not everyone in town would have had a home phone in those days]. My mother-in law even snuck in time to babysit for my kids so that I could go to hairdressing school. They were very old-fashioned people who stayed to themselves pretty much. I was really surprised when they rented the West Winds because of that but the gas was a big thing.”
Kim Winans, who would later run West Winds, was a grandchild.
Marion Cooke owned West Winds for 24 years.
“I have so many memories it is hard to pick a few,” she said. “It was the local gathering spot all day long. At one time it was open 24 hours a day because trucks stopped for diesel fuel and gasoline. Many trucks ran 145 at that time. It was very busy with them.”
It was a convenience store with as well as gas station. Marion cooked Thanksgiving dinners, always for free, for anyone who needed a place to eat, and she had a Christmas party every year.
“I couldn’t have done it but I had the best employees that stayed for years,” she said.
Kathy Meisner bought West Winds from Marion Cooke in March 2000, after working as a cook in the area for many years and creating a following for herself. Her daughter Alice remembered, “It was a family decision to open up a diner of her own once her husband Gerry became ill and had to retire. Her children, Dana, Joey and Alice, all worked there throughout the years as well as many other locals, friends and family. You could find Kathy there most days from opening to closing, catering to hunters during the season as early as 4 a.m. and plow drivers in the winter. She would even spend the night if they were calling for a large snowstorm. It was a great place for the locals to sit and chat and was always full of laughter and good times. Before the Milk Run came along, West Winds was the only place between Cairo and Middleburgh to pick up anything from a loaf of bread or gallon of milk to a pack of cigarettes, beer or a home-cooked meal. West Winds was more than a diner to Kathy, it was a way of life, and she happily catered to the community until she fell ill herself and couldn’t do it anymore around 2013, 2014.”
The property was then sold to Wanda Bates, who ran it for a short time. Then Kim Winans, granddaughter of Dorothy and Cecil Winds, made it Kim’s West Winds until September 2018.
Kim wrote: “This decision [to close] was one of the most difficult choices I have ever had to make. I have made many friends during the nearly five years that I have operated West Winds and will miss each and every one of you.”
Kim followed in the tradition of Christmas parties, making it truly a local gathering spot.
ext the venue became Pop’s Place, advertised as “a casual local family-owned roadside restaurant serving breakfast (all day), lunch and dinner, which is located in Preston Hollow (southwest Albany County) along NY Route 145 between Catskill and Cobleskill. The full-service dining area has seating for up to approximately 48 people including hard booths, table seating and seats up at the counter. The walls are decorated with various old-framed photos, wooden signs, pennants and posters. They also offer take-out, sell newspapers, and cooler items.”
One customer wrote the following review: “I stopped in at Pop’s Place for lunch while driving through the Hill Towns of Albany County. I sat myself at a booth upon entering. I was greeted by the owner and given a menu to look over and offered a drink. I quickly decided to order the special, which was pastrami on marble rye ($8 plus tax), served with chips and dill pickle. The food was made to order by Amy (owner) in the open kitchen area and served nice and hot. The grilled pastrami sandwich had tender slices (not greasy) of lean pastrami, layered with melted Swiss cheese, and spicy mustard dressing between soft grilled marble rye bread. The ruffled potato chips (salted) were standard. After I finished my lunch, I was asked if I wanted anything else, but I was all set and needed to be back on the road. NOTE: Cell reception is nonexistent here.” [I don’t remember if they still had the phone booth then.]
Next came Rissy Peas café, which served large breakfasts and lunches.
A couple of weeks ago, after two years of standing empty, the building, which had been renovated and painted inside and out, opened as Two Guys Local Bites. The booths and counters are gone but there is a bar with a laptop. The business is owned by Dan and his father-in-law Mark. April, Dan’s wife and Mark’s daughter, will manage the business during the week while Dan teaches Spanish in a school across the river.
They explain, “Two Guys’ Local Bites began in 2023 as a full-service mobile food truck and catering company born from our passion for delicious food. On Aug. 21, 2024, we opened our brick-and-mortar location in Preston Hollow, NY. “
Mark and Dan explain they have taken old family recipes and used local ingredients to create a beautifully crafted and delicious menu. Among their flagship items like the Hudson Valley Cheesesteak and the Upstate Sausage and Peppers, you’ll find something for everyone—try a Fish Sandwich or a Homemade Chili. So, whether you’re in for a coffee in the morning or enjoying a delicious local brew with a cheesesteak while dipping onion rings in our famous homemade sauce in our Creekside beer garden, come on in—we promise we’ll greet you with a smile!”
So far, they have pretty much sold out every day they have been open.
