Owners Selling Historic Beacon Shop and Studio After 40 Years

Another iconic Main Street business is up for sale as Beacon, New York continues to evolve.

Hudson Valley residents continue to debate the pros and cons of Beacon's incredible transformation. The once-sleepy city in Dutchess County is now a thriving tourist destination. Upscale restaurants, boutiques and cafes selling items like insanely expensive artisanal marshmallows now stand where old mom-and-pop shops used to scrape by.

While the changes have been great for the local economy, some long-time residents say they miss the Beacon they grew up with.

Iconic Beacon Businesses Slowly Disappearing

Over the past few years, we've seen several long-time Beacon businesses move out as Beacon becomes more and more unrecognizable. Last year, Max's on Main announced that it was shutting down after two decades. Not long after, Homespun Foods also revealed that it was closing its Main Street restaurant that opened in 2006. Other long-time Beacon businesses like Alps Sweet Shop are on the market but remain open while searching for a buyer.

Famous Beacon Shop and Gallery For Sale

Now, another famous Beacon, New York business is up for sale. This week, Hudson Beach Glass listed its historic factory and shop on Main Street. John and Wendy Gilvey, Michael Benzer and Jennifer Smith founded the glass-blowing studio in 1987, eventually moving into a restored firehouse at 162 Main Street in 2003.

The shop has become a tourist destination of its own, offering glass-blowing classes and demonstrations to visitors next door and showcasing beautiful glass creations in a bright and airy gallery.

According to a listing by Berkshire Hathaway Commercial Real Estate, the owners are advertising the glass factory and shop as an opportunity to either continue the glass-blowing business or use the historic building as "a versatile canvas for creating a dynamic commercial space that captures the essence of Beacon's vibrant community".

It's unclear whether the current owners of Hudson Beach Glass will continue to produce their artwork in a different location or plan to end the business after the sale. We've reached out for comment and will update this story if we receive a response.