Why should we want to save the businesses of Greenport Village? Because the people who make up this diverse group are also our neighbors and friends and family. Our brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles. Somebody’s mother, father, son and daughter.
So many villages and towns have traded their downtowns for big boxes and greeters, Greenport's ever-changing business community is the clay soil for roots in the community.
These are the faces of this community.
Alexa Suess. Owner of Orenda in Greenport. Greenport High School Class of 2012. Goldsmith, weightlifter, and graphic designer for half of Greenport's small businesses. Photo: David Benthal
Gene Austin , Greenport Class of 1960. Served aboard the USS Intrepid during the Cuban Missile Crisis. While not truly an employee, Gene rarely misses a shift. He educates Little Creek customers and crew alike on the rich history of Greenport oystering. He's been with us since we opened the door 6 years ago. We are honored by his Memorial Day visit.
Scott & Kassata Bollman are the owners of Bruce & Son. The business has been in their family for 46 years. This husband & wife team operate the restaurant daily.
Debbie Schade. The heart, the beauty, and the soul behind Special Effects Salon and Tea. The licensed Esthetician, was born and raised on the North Fork. Debbie has owned and operated her business for over 30 years now. Photograph by Sianna Renee.
This is Alison Bavaro beaming from behind the Suffolk Times article about PORT's own Xavier Kahn, Greenport High School Class of 2019 Salutatorian.
East End Charters. The oldest and most experienced charter company on the North Fork, East End.
Rosalie aka The Lady In Charge at Little Creek. Not born here. 20 year Greenport home-owner, member of the Greenport Fire Department Rescue Squad (2nd LT), mother of a GHS 2020 student, BOE candidate. Tricked by Ian into opening an oyster business a decade ago.
East End Charters Captain Erick Tichonuk with Mate Hannah Miller and Pat Mundus.
This is Charmaine, she’s the mother of a future Porter and has more than likely served you a drink in the past 12 years of being a North Forker. Photo by Sianna Renee
Victoria Gonzalez. Works in the Village (teachers aid at school & Townsend Manor In) Scott Gonzalez Jr (works town of Southold Highway Dept) myself Maureen Orientale (Realtor Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty & Verbena) Brandi Gonzalez ( works Townsend Manor In). We all live in Greenport. Kids graduated from Greenport. We are all born and raised here.
Jerry Cibulski, Mattituck Class of 1983, started my first job moving irrigation pipes on a potato farm, spent 4 years in the Marine Corp air wing and obtained a degree in marketing. Mix these experiences together and you have an advocate for the life well lived on the North Fork as a “connector” based around Home. Making a home, decorating a home, building a home, maintaining a home. A WelcomeWagon for a modern world.
James Hoyt. Southold Class of 2020 ROTC. Track. Eagle Sout Headed to CU Boulder. (Go Buffs) Little Creek crew since 2019
Nancy Kouris Not born here. 7 year Greenport Business Owner,. Employer of employees both past and present, who live in Greenport and on the North Fork. Board Member of Greenport BID. Building a business that serves locals and the local restaurant businesses that make up this great village and the North Fork.
Shelley Scoggin, not born here, has owned and operated The Market health food store and cafe for over 33 years. She started her business in Southold and the last 23 years has had her business on Front street in Greenport. Shelley and her husband have raised three children here on the north fork and they consider it a privilege to call the north fork they’re home. Shelley has run for office, started Firstnight Greenport back in the day, hosts the annual ELIH waiter race every year and has had the honor of being chosen Suffolk Times Civic person of the year and then Business person of the year several years later. Shelley and her family live in Cutchogue but have always considered her hours and energy logged in Greenport enough to call it a second home.
Chris and Blake Dowling. Owners of One love Beach in Greenport. Proud parents of a future Porter graduate (class of 2026). A family of paddle boarders, dancers, and sailors anchored in Greenport since 2007.
Rich Vandenburgh: Not Born Here. 29 year North Fork resident and 11 year Co-Owner of Greenport Harbor Brewery. Local attorney, President of BID, Wanna-be Handyman. Have employed more than 40 North Fork and Greenport employees. Loves his community, respects any civil opinion and has an arm that can be easily twisted to have a beer.
Front Street Station family owned and operated since March 2013. Sharon and Dave consider Front Street Station not just their livelihood, but a part of their family. Their patrons are not just customers, but friends too. We have embraced the Greenport community as our home. We support it and all its programs, charities, and hardships. We also celebrate its beauty, charm and successes. Paul my son has spearheaded a 501(c)3 in his name that provides 8 weeks of free Summer programs for youth 7 to 12 years of age. These classes take place at Front Street Station. Our small, but dedicated board is comprised of local folks who take no paycheck; what the program provides to children is our salary.
Captain Liz Gillooly from Layla Sailing spent her 20’s sailing all over the world. She returned home to Greenport to fulfill a lifelong dream in purchasing her own boat and starting a charter company. She’s excited to offer a safe environment for small groups to get outside!
Estefany is a 25 year transplant disguised as a local. A lens based artist, she does not mind if her life only ever amounts to endless bike rides and copious amounts of coffee. However, she does enjoy the occasional jaunt off the North Fork. But alas, COVID has rooted us all. She is always up to something, but it’s not at all what you think. One day she will likely rise to become the village eccentric, but she has yet to lose her lucidity. Or perhaps... it has already begun. She is, after all, referring to herself in the third person.
George Cook. Greenport native and two-wheeled man-about-town. George was introduced to us as the "Strongest Man In Greenport"and we have never doubted it. George does work all over the Village. He is a fixture at White's Bait & Tackle. Photo: Ian Wile
Claire has earned unofficial local status in her 20+ years of living and teaching yoga on the north fork. She opened her current yoga studio, North Fork Yoga Shala, in the historic Masonic temple building in Greenport on January 1st 2014 and considers it her second home. Alongside a stellar team of talented instructors she’s constantly thrilled by the opportunity to share the yoga in such a magnificent setting and be part of the amazing community that is our glorious village.
Lorena Perez Employed 3 years at The Market.
Andrew Harbin. Not Wealthy nor Wise but Health is the Prize.
Sianna Renee. She discovered Greenport from one of her drives around the Island 5 years ago, and never left. You may recognize her from her time serving breakfast and coffee at Crazy Beans. Now you may find her hairstyling at Special Effects Salon and Tea, as well as galavanting around the North Fork taking photographs and eating food.
Keith Bavaro Head dish washer at Port Waterfront 128 employees of Port and Salt are from the east end - either local or summer kids Rides the ferry between 6 - 8 times a day during the summer He is still not allowed to drive the ferry #greenport #livehereworkhere #thegreenportproject
Henry Oh - My family was in Greenport long ago where they started their first dry cleaning business on Front Street in the 80s...I still currently help run the family business on the South Fork now, but nights and weekends found me back in Greenport, DJing places like First and South, Industry Standard, Greenport Harbor Brewery, and many other places around the interconnected North Fork! Currently livesteaming DJ sets to Greenport and beyond from Mattituck and hoping to bring back joy to the public whenever it's safe to do so!
Dan Scotto has been a resident of the North Fork his whole life. He “hasn’t had the desire” to leave knowing how wonderful of a community he’s had the privilege of growing up in. Dan has worked in the restaurant business in greenport since he was 14 years old and is very optimistic we will bounce back!
Jamie Keiser. I didn’t grow up out here, but I’ve spent over 22 years growing relationships, working and appreciating what these communities truly offer, and trying to bring love and light to as many people as I can. Whether it’s mixing up a dope drink or serving you tasty dishes from many of the restaurants between shelter island and southold, I believe in this place and want to be part of making it better, and more abundant for all of those kick ass, hard working locals 🙏❤️
Tori Schade. Born and raised on the North Fork. Following behind her mothers footsteps, Tori is a Professional Makeup Artist and an Esthetician at Special Effects Salon and Tea. She is a heart of gold and aspires to travel more of the world. Photograph by Sianna Renee.
Melissa Bekisz is an attorney in Greenport. She’s thrilled to officially call the North Fork home in 2020, after years of weekends and day trips and wishing she lived here. Melissa is happy to be a part of such a special community.
This is Ruth Ruffner, a life long resident of greenport. If you have been to the IGA in the last 30 years, good chances she has checked you out.
Scott Goldberg Wedding Videographer/Photographer, Filmmaker, Novelist from East Marion and also a long term Karaoke host / Dj for Lucharitos in Greenport.
Bruce Miller is the Chef at Port Waterfront Bar & Grill, in Greenport. He wasn’t born here, but he’s called it home since 2016. Bruce knows Greenport is going to be back stronger than ever in his 5th summer here.
Michael & Elizabeth Sweigart opened The Times Vintage together in 2013 & Mama Cindy "Mariposa" frequently flies up from TX to help out too! Michael mans the record section of the shop while Lizzy's passion is the vintage clothing they sell, primarily of the 60's-70's era & taking cross-country buying trips in the Times Traveler!
Emily started as a “weekender” in 1985. About a decade ago while driving through southold she took that familiar breath in and thought “finally I’m on the north fork and I can breathe again.” Emily wanted this feeling every day and never left. She is the events director at noah’s restaurant along with her husband, Nico, who fell in love with the north fork’s restaurant industry. Nico is passionate about giving Chef Noah’s customers great service by bussing and running their meals with a smile. Noah’s restaurant is their extended family and many of the staff attended their wedding. Exactly 2 years ago this week Greenport Mayor Hubbard married them in their favorite village where they dream of growing old together. They purchased their first home on the north fork this past autumn and could never imagine working or living anywhere else. Without their noah’s family and all of the other small businesses that have loved them and supported them, this will not be possible.
Clay is a native Long Islander who turned his passion for baking into a reality when he moved to Greenport Village 20 years ago and opened The Stirling House Bed & Breakfast. The inn reflects Clay’s French background, and he gets his hands doughy at Le Cordon Bleu, in Paris to keep up his game. Clay loves the North Fork and people and realizes this reads like a dog for adoption ad . lol.
I’m Bianca, originally from San Antonio, Texas- my house got caught in a tornado and landed on the Wicked Witch of the East in Greenport around 6 years ago. I started off working at The Market for 3 years or so, and found myself working at The Frisky Oyster as a hostess/bartender. I work at Cutchogue East as well as a greeter but due to the COVID situation I get to work more directly with our Spanish speaking families now. I live in Southold with my lovely boyfriend Rob, and our child/cat Bug in our big old house. Greenport will always be my first love and home here, though. And it’ll always be the place where I get to yell at people if they get their Mexican recipes wrong.
Tom Scalia. Tom is a 1981 graduate of Southold HS and after 10 years working as a sales engineer in Manhattan, moved back here to raise his family and be in business for himself on the North Fork. Owner/Operator of Albertson Realty for the last 25 years and has been doing business in Greenport since 1999.
Jackson Rung-Wile. Greenport Class of 2020. He usually teaches children to wakeboard with Peconic Watersports and wonders if this mask is an issue. First shucker at Little Creek. Team One Live Beach Paddleboarder. Raised by the greater Greenport community. Passed his Coast Guard Captains License test during his senior year. #livehereworkhere #thegreenportproject #greenport
Brooke Pollock. Greenport grown & raised. Fierce mom & roller skater. Lover of stranger things & strong coffee. Keeper of clean. Holder of light.
Jenny. Ellen's on Front
Jessica Kalish. The Market
Madison Fender. Madison is a California native but has been living in Greenport for 8 years. You can catch her taking photos for local businesses or walking her Boston Terrier and socializing around the village.
Brittany and Ken with son Duke. Brittany is the owner of Tea and Tchotchkes after having been jn retail her whole life. Ken is the owner and operator of sag harbor launch and moorings. Both of us raised on the east end of Long Island. Lovers of nature, our friends and family and the beautiful community we call home.