Middle Hope staple Mary Jane’s Dairy Bar on Route 9W celebrated its grand re-opening on Friday, April 5. Present and previous owners, elected officials, town residents and emergency service personnel all joined together in the celebration.

The weekend before Valentine’s Day, on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, a car crashed into the popular ice cream spot, leaving the building mangled and in need of repairs. No one was inside the building at the time of the reported crash. The driver of the car was reported to have lost control and crashed, resulting in him being taken to the hospital for minor injuries. He was later charged following the crash.

After a year of construction and high anticipation, residents can now come back to enjoy homemade ice cream and treats heading towards the warmer months. New paint, new windows, new protective barriers and new work areas inside are ready for the spring and summer seasons.

Mary Jane’s Dairy Bar owner Margaret Gallo expressed gratitude for the continued support from her Newburgh community, even during the time of the shutdown. Gallo feels that people seem ready to come back.

“I feel absolutely blessed in every way. We always have great support from community, family, friends, and customers that have become friends. This community never ceases to amaze me,” said Gallo. “We have been getting tons and tons of positive feedback and we are so happy that everybody still remembers us. We can’t wait to see everybody again.”

Celebrating the opening alongside Gallo were the previous owners, Thomas and Martha Monaghan, who began running the business in 1985. According to Thomas, their family and the Gallos have been family friends for 30 years. In 2015, the Monaghans sold the business to Gallo.

“We never felt like we were anything special. This is what we did, this was our love, our passion. We made a nice living out of it and it was great to be part of the community,” said Thomas Monaghan. “Margaret grew up in the business and I don’t think we could have had anybody better to come in and buy it.”

“It’s been a long road, but Margaret is a very successful woman and she will make it work. Truthfully, she is like family to us. I see her personally as one of my other kids,” said Martha. “People can expect the best of service, the best of food, the best of ice cream, the best of smiling faces at that window. Everybody leaves here with a smile.”

Members of her family also joined her in celebrating the grand opening. “I’m super excited for her. I’m really proud of all the hard work,” said Jessica Gallo, Margaret’s sister.

Notable guests of the event were Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio, Deputy Supervisor Scott Manley and Councilman Paul Ruggiero. Several certificates and recognitions were also presented to Gallo to mark the grand opening. In celebration, guests were able to enjoy some homemade ice cream and other treats while also taking photos to commemorate the occasion.