inches away from The Barn, you hear a symphony of birds,” she says.“ We want to preserve nature and history but move it forward in a way to attract people to our community. And the cemetery.” She points to the gravestones right past The Barn.“ They are such great neighbors!”
In The Barn, we run into Jonny Rosch, that evening’ s musical act and original Blues Brothers band member.“ I love it,” he says about the venue.“ It’ s actually my kind of vibe. I built a log cabin recording studio in the Southern Catskills, very much like this.” Leaning into the UFO theme with figurines and artwork, The Barn is also undergoing what Heather calls a balance change.“ We’ ll have shows that are open to everyone, no entry fee— bring your love and we’ ll bring the music, like Free Sundays at 6. We’ ll also have house concerts that are quiet and intimate, where people come for the artist— different listening atmospheres that are intentional, creating special experiences and nights to remember.” With the help of Jenny Rubin, who ran The Barn with her husband Nick Keene from 2016 to 2024, the docket is full well into 2026.
Jonathan recalls Jim Belushi playing The Barn in June and serenading his daughter, Ella, who was bartending.“ I love this place,” Belushi told him at the end of the night.
Jonathan’ s childhood friend and Heather ' s business partner, Doug Grabe, is the owner of seven Little Pub restaurants and The Surfside Hotel in Connecticut. Doug was introduced to Heather decades ago, and they’ ve been looking for a project to partner on for a while. Doug looks for anomalies— properties that could use an upgrade and be transformed into a commercial success and a great fit for the community. Heather leans into things when she knows she can help.“ There was something missing in the community that I had growing up around here,” she says of why she dove into the project. ButtonBall, whose name comes from Button Ball Lane, just 50 yards from the property, checks all the boxes.
“ We’ re just getting started,” Doug says of the partnership. Everything is on the table as a possibility: a Little Pub restau-
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