Westy’s & Storytelling
Everyone has a story to tell. There are happy stories, sad stories, stories of adventure, and stories of tragedy. There are exciting stories, boring stories, funny stories, and not-so-funny stories. We hear stories about a family’s history and yes, my childhood favorite, we listen to bedtime stories. Just when you think you have a great story to tell, someone else comes along with one of their own that may be better!
Everyone has a story to tell. There are happy stories, sad stories, stories of adventure, and stories of tragedy. There are exciting stories, boring stories, funny stories, and not-so-funny stories. We hear stories about a family’s history and yes, my childhood favorite, we listen to bedtime stories. Just when you think you have a great story to tell, someone else comes along with one of their own that may be better!
After four years of dating and thirty years of marriage, Holly and Mark have many stories of their own. From their “Hanz and Franz” (who remembers this SNL skit?) trip cross-country after graduating from West Point to their three years stationed in Germany as LTs, to their duty stations in the states, to their decade-plus time at West Point while raising four kids, Holly and Mark are fortunate enough to have shared many, many wonderful moments with countless numbers of friends, thus creating an endless amount of stories. Over the next several blogs, our intent is to share some of these stories with our readers and hopefully encourage all of you to think about some of your favorite stories of the past and get excited about Westy’s and all of the stories that will be shared while enjoying your time with friends and family. In fact, we plan to post some of our favorite stories via QR code in Westy’s.
The first story we wanted to blog about was unit coins. For those who served in the military in some capacity, you are probably aware that most commanders have a unit coin they present to a soldier or government service employee when he or she accomplishes a task that is above and beyond what is required. These coins typically have the logo and colors of the unit along with the unit’s motto. Most are round but more recently they are being produced in all shapes and sizes, some even in the form of a poker chip.
At Westy’s, we will have a coin wall where patrons can bring in their unit coins and drop them in, similar to the “4 in a Row” game you played as kid when you dropped red and blue checkers into a slot. There is more to it than that. Before dropping the coin into the slot, alert the bartender. Once verified that you have a unit coin, then drop it into the slot. Once dropped, the bartender will ring a bell and provide you with a free beer! It will be exciting to watch the coin wall expand over time! More importantly, be prepared to share your story that explains how you received your unit coin. Chances are that your story will generate more stories from you and others around you. The next thing you know, everyone is engaged with each other’s stories and having a great time!
We want to share a story about the first coin that will be dropped into Westy’s coin wall. This past weekend, Holly and Mark attended a wedding of a classmate and dear friend’s daughter in Asheville, NC. After the wedding, the father of the bride, Ovi Alfaro approached us and said, “I have something for Westy’s.” He proceeded to pull a coin out of his pocket and handed it to us. He said, “This was Anthony DeToto’s coin given to him by the Secretary of the Army when he was his Civilian Aide in Texas. Anthony gave it to me before he passed away and I want to give it to Westy’s.” We humbly accepted the coin and vowed that it would be the first coin dropped in the coin wall. For those who did not know Anthony, he was bigger than life. Also, a member of the Class of ’91, Anthony, or “Totes”, was a mover and a shaker. His network of friends was boundless, and he was beloved by everyone. If you needed ANYTHING and you were not sure how to get it, call Totes and consider it done. We are happy and honored that the first coin dropped into Westy’s coin wall will be Anthony DeToto’s. May he rest in peace.
Holly and Mark love storytelling (Holly tells them better than Mark). Before heading to Westy’s, pull out those unit coins, reach back into your memory bank, and come ready to share your stories with us. We look forward to hearing them!
Mark and Holly West
Owners, Westy's
Westy’s & Grad Week
Proud parents, family members, and friends arrive as early as Monday or Tuesday of Grad Week to begin the celebration. The seniors, or Firsties, are running around at a frantic pace trying to accomplish a myriad of tasks in order to be properly “released” from post. While running around, they do their best to savor the last moments with their classmates, knowing all too well that they may not see many of them for a long time.
Saturday, 24 May was a special day at West Point. It was the day that West Point’s Class of 2025 graduated! Come to think of it, every West Point graduation is a special day because it signifies the end of every cadet’s 47-month journey through the ups and downs of life at the United States Military Academy. Other college graduations are special in their own right, but a West Point graduation with all of its traditions and ceremonies is like no other.
Graduation day is the culmination of Graduation Week, or Grad Week for short. Grad Week is a whirlwind of events that take place throughout the week prior to graduation day, and these events become one big blur by the time graduation day rolls around. The events include drill and parades, reunion classes rolling through, Distinguished Graduate recognition ceremonies, department award presentations, “meet and greet” with the Superintendent, and a banquet to wrap things up at the end of the week, just to name a few.
Proud parents, family members, and friends arrive as early as Monday or Tuesday of Grad Week to begin the celebration. The seniors, or Firsties, are running around at a frantic pace trying to accomplish a myriad of tasks in order to be properly “released” from post. While running around, they do their best to savor the last moments with their classmates, knowing all too well that they may not see many of them for a long time.
Holly and Mark are no strangers to Grad Week. Holly and Mark celebrated Grad Week in the summer of ‘91. In fact, Holly’s dad got it all started for the family by celebrating Grad Week in the summer of ‘62! Holly’s brother, EG, celebrated Grad Week in ’94 while Holly’s sister, Marsha, celebrated Grad Week with her daughter, Allie, in 2015 and then again with her son, Cooper, in 2017. If that was not enough celebrating, Mark and Holly celebrated Grad Week with their son Keegan in 2019 and then again with their daughter, Lexi, in 2021. Hopefully, they will be celebrating with their other son, Kyle, in 2027 and their other daughter, Daisy, in 2029. Mark is extra lucky because he gets to celebrate Grad Week every year with his graduating Firsties from the Sprint football team!
Whew!! That is a lot of Grad Week celebrations!
The beauty of Grad Week is that it never gets old. The celebrations are as genuine as it gets. The happiness and excitement that exudes from the graduating Firsties and all of their family and friends is infectious. 47-months of grinding your way through West Point comes to a head during Grad Week and is released with one famous toss of the hat. It is a joy like no other. At Westy’s, we look forward to being a part of many more Grad Week celebrations for years to come!
Mark and Holly West
Owners, Westy's
Westy’s & Winning
That leads us to the point of this blog, which is to convey to our readers that our “Wests are Winners” phrase now applies to more than just the immediate West family. Not long ago, we reached out to hundreds of classmates, alumni, and friends and asked for financial support to reach our goal of revitalizing Highland Falls with the building of Westy’s. In a few short months, over 100 people answered the call and earned the title of Westy’s Winner.
There is at least a decade-old debate in the West family about which of the parents hate to lose more. Mark will tell you it is Holly and Holly will tell you it is Mark. The kids go back and forth and will probably give a different answer each time you ask them. Either way, both Holly and Mark love Vince Lombardi’s quote that “winning is not everything; it’s the only thing.” That is one of the reasons we loved the Army so much and served for as long as we did. In the Professions of Arms, winning truly matters. There is no room for second place on the battlefield, so it was awesome and inspiring to be part of a culture where every day was focused on being the best you could be or, in other words, focused on being a winner.
Our affinity for winning rubbed off on our children at a young age and they became incredibly competitive in their own right. While raising our family, we did not condone a “win at all costs” mindset, but we also did not condone half-ass effort. Mark was raised that it is ok to love to win and hate to lose, but one should always be a gentleman about it. Because of this, our family eventually adopted the phrase “Wests are Winners.” This phrase is depicted by holding up both hands, palms facing outwards, and making the letter “W” with the first three fingers on both hands. When we attended competitions, musicals, or other events in which our children were participating, it was common for Mark or Holly to make the “Wests are Winners” sign to signal to the kids to do their best.
That leads us to the point of this blog, which is to convey to our readers that our “Wests are Winners” phrase now applies to more than just the immediate West family. Not long ago, we reached out to hundreds of classmates, alumni, and friends and asked for financial support to reach our goal of revitalizing Highland Falls with the building of Westy’s. In a few short months, over 100 people answered the call and earned the title of Westy’s Winner.
Now that the building capacity number of Westy’s has been met for our Westy’s Winners Grand Opening, goodie boxes have been mailed! All Westy’s Winners will receive a Golden Ticket for the opening event, along with some cool merch, a 10% Lifetime Discount card, a challenge coin, and other items. Most important is that every Westy’s Winner will have his or her name etched on the lid of a bourbon barrel where it will hang on the Westy’s Winners wall in the front bar area.
As the numbers grew over the past several weeks, we received comments and responses from several Westy’s Winners. We want to share some of these with you:
“I already feel more like a winner. My step has strut now and I am actually more handsome (which I did not think was even possible). I took that L off my forehead and replaced it with a W. Being a Westy’s Winner has changed my life.”
“I walked into my boss’s office and told her ‘I want a raise because I am a Westy’s Winner.’ That is how simple it is.”
“I got guys like Michael Jordan calling me wanting to hang out. I do not look in the mirror anymore and say, ‘what’s wrong with me?’ No, I look in the mirror and see someone who knows what he wants. I am the real deal now.”
“The world has been shown. Paparazzi have not left my front yard since I mailed the Westy’s check.”
“It has been a long journey and full of reflection and self-improvement. I am finally ready to embrace who I have always been…the walking exclamation point. The five-star general of finesse. And the upgrade you did not know you needed.”
And finally, “I did not ask for this. I simply looked in the mirror and realized I was the CEO of confidence, the thunder after the lightning. The cat’s pajamas. The big kahuna. The big ticket. The prime cut. The reason the lights are on. This is not about me; it is about destiny. I have main character energy. Can’t miss aura. Final boss vibes. Put simply, I am now a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The alpha and the omega. The storm they told you to prepare for. I am a Westy’s Winner.”
Holly and I are humbled by these comments and responses. Although there are no more Golden Tickets for the big Westy’s Winners Grand Opening, you can still be a Westy’s Winner and get your name on the Westy’s Winner wall, along with getting the other items that were included in the goodie box.
As always, thanks to EVERYONE for supporting this important endeavor! Always remember, BE A WINNER!
Mark and Holly West
Owners, Westy's
Westy’s & Highland Falls
There is a lot of history associated with Highland Falls. Holly has been a part of that history since she was a freshman in high school when her father retired from the Army and chose to buy a home in the Village. She considers herself a townie. When Mark and Holly were stationed at West Point on two separate occasions, we made it a point to eat at Andys, The Park, Schade’s, Tony’s Pizza, and other local establishments to support the economy. We bought our first house in Highland falls in 2002, which we rented, and then our second home that we lived in lived in from 2008-2011. And like their mother and Aunt Marsha and Uncle E.G. , all four of our children attended James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls. GO RAIDERS!
As Holly and Mark continue our journey to open a bar, we have been asked a lot of questions. Common questions have been “What kind of food are you going to serve?”, or “Will you provide entertainment?”, or “What is the vibe going to be?”. But, the question we get most often is, “Why would you open a bar in Highland Falls?” There may be more of you out there wondering why in the heck we would open a bar in a little village that has gone through some struggles lately, especially since the Covid pandemic of 2020 and, more recently, the great flood in July of 2023. Before we attempt to answer that question for all you bloggers out there, we want to provide some background.
The Village of Highland Falls is actually part of the Town of Highlands, as is Fort Montgomery and Beat Mountain. The Village, originally known as Buttermilk Falls, was established in 1906. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,684 and, as we all probably know, sits adjacent to the United States Military Academy.
A fun fact: In the mid-to-late 1980s, Highland Falls was in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most densely bar-populated village in the country. Twenty-six bars to be exact. Holly claims she went to every one of them!
Notable people who lived in Highland Falls include television and film actor Charles Durning, daughter of J. P. Morgan and philanthropist Anne Morgan, and world renown musician Billy Joel. Can you guess what our favorite Billy Joel song is? “Summer Highland Falls”! The song begins with one of our favorite verses in any song ever…”They say that these are not the best of times, but they’re the only times I’ve ever known. And I believe there is a time for meditation in cathedrals of our own.”
Perhaps Highland Falls’s most famous moment was when the Village hosted a parade for the return of the 52 Americans who were held hostage for 444 days in Iran. The date was January 25, 1981, and the Village’s main streets were crowded with local residents, visitors, and media personnel from all parts of the country waiting eagerly for their return.
There is a lot of history associated with Highland Falls. Holly has been a part of that history since she was a freshman in high school when her father retired from the Army and chose to buy a home in the Village. She considers herself a townie. When Mark and Holly were stationed at West Point on two separate occasions, we made it a point to eat at Andys, The Park, Schade’s, Tony’s Pizza, and other local establishments to support the economy. We bought our first house in Highland falls in 2002, which we rented, and then our second home that we lived in lived in from 2008-2011. And like their mother and Aunt Marsha and Uncle E.G. , all four of our children attended James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls. GO RAIDERS!
So, we are not opening Westy’s to simply open a bar. We appreciate the history associated with Highland Falls and understand the importance of the Village being the “Gateway to West Point.” We know that Highland Falls will never be Annapolis. Heck, Annapolis is the capital of Maryland. However, we want to do our part in helping Highland Falls become the best version of itself. We cannot think of a better place to make our start than 427 Main Street. Talk about history! It was built in 1884 and was recently renovated in 2019. Most of our local and alum friends remember it as Vasily’s, but before back in the 40s it was home to the USO. Imagine the parties! Now imagine a venue today that gives patrons the opportunity to have a great time while honoring the history of Highland Falls and our country. You are imagining Westy’s. We hope to see you there.
Mark and Holly West
Owners, Westy's
Westy’s & Blowing Off Steam
We laughed out loud, and it got us thinking about all the different ways people blow off steam. Some people blow off steam through exercise. Some blow off steam through yoga or meditation. Others blow off steam by hitting a punching bag. While others blow off steam by getting away from the grind of life by finding solitude for a few days at a favorite getaway spot.
This blog is coming to you from the beautiful Rocky Mountain state of Colorado. Holly and Mark (or should I say Jolly and Coach) are visiting their granddaughter, Ellie Rose West, as she celebrates her second birthday this Saturday!
We were thinking about what to write for this week's blog and as we were taking the shuttle from the Denver airport to our rental car, we met a couple wearing CU Boulder sweatshirts. They were on their way to their son's college graduation.
A short while later we were on the road to Monument, and we were discussing how nice it must be for all of those seniors across the country to be graduating. We had flashbacks of our graduation from West Point and how, after four years of grinding it out, we were finally able to blow off four years' worth of steam.
We laughed out loud, and it got us thinking about all the different ways people blow off steam. Some people blow off steam through exercise. Some blow off steam through yoga or meditation. Others blow off steam by hitting a punching bag. While others blow off steam by getting away from the grind of life by finding solitude for a few days at a favorite getaway spot.
One of our favorite ways to blow off steam is by finding a local bar or pub to share a pint with each other and friends. Last week we did just that by attending a Brew Fest at the West Point Club.
Over a dozen local breweries participated, and we were able to sample numerous types of beer and ciders with some of our closest friends. After a long week of work (and trying to get a bar ready for business), the Brew Fest was just what the doctor ordered. We had a blast with our friends, and together we blew off a lot of steam!
We want Westy’s to be one of those places you can go to blow off some steam. When you come, bring your friends and you can blow off some steam together!
Mark and Holly West
Owners, Westy's
Westy’s & Derby Day
As we mentioned last week, spring has sprung! April showers bring May flowers, and the month of May brings Derby Day! This Saturday marks the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. Eighteen thoroughbreds are expected to run for the roses and earn their mark in the history of horse racing. Mark and Holly have been fascinated with horse racing for years and Derby Day is always marked on our calendar.
As we mentioned last week, spring has sprung! April showers bring May flowers, and the month of May brings Derby Day! This Saturday marks the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. Eighteen thoroughbreds are expected to run for the roses and earn their mark in the history of horse racing. Mark and Holly have been fascinated with horse racing for years and Derby Day is always marked on our calendar.
Mark was born in Lexington, Kentucky, the home to some of the best thoroughbreds in the world. The best ever, Secretariat, was laid to rest in Kentucky in 1989 for instance. Being from the Bluegrass state, Mark gained an affinity for those things that Kentucky is most known for: basketball, bourbon, and horses. Mark bleeds blue when it comes to basketball; he has a keen taste for the best bourbons on the market, with Blanton’s being his favorite; and he thoroughly enjoys the competition that horse racing offers. He makes it a point to watch the Triple Crown races every year, but the Kentucky Derby is always his favorite. Mark’s eyes get misty every time he hears “My Old Kentucky Home” before the big race.
Holly, on the other hand, is practically a member of horse racing royalty. Her father’s side of the family hails from Waynesboro, Virginia, which is just outside Charlottesville. Waynesboro has beautiful countryside that is rich in farmland and horse pastures. Her family trained horses who participated in races all across the country, to include Pimlico, Aberdeen, and the annual Foxfield Races in Charlottesville. Most notably, Holly’s great-great grandfather, Billy Garth, trained Paul Jones, the winner of the 1920 Kentucky Derby!
Mark and Holly realized early on in their relationship they had a lot in common – a love for sports, beer, and good times with family and friends are at the top of the list. It only took watching one Kentucky Derby together to realize we had something else in common – a love for horseracing! We even went so far as to invest (small mind you) in Don’t Tell My Wife Stables, a private racing stable that provides horse enthusiasts like us with the opportunity to participate in thoroughbred ownership. In fact, one of our horses, Optical, runs in the race right after the Derby this Saturday. Go Optical! We have been fortunate enough to attend the Kentucky Derby several times throughout the years. The pageantry, thrills, and excitement that thoroughbred racing brings is like nothing else!
We look forward to our first Derby Day at Westy’s in 2026! When the first Saturday of May rolls around every year, you can bet – no pun intended – that the Mint Julips will be flowing, and the gaudy and gorgeous Derby hats will be abundant! On Derby Day in 2026 at 6:50 PM, all eyes will be glued to Westy’s TVs to cheer on their picks and witness potential greatness in the making!
Westy’s & the Seasons
Each season you can expect to see an updated menu with delectable bites that will impress your palate. You can also expect to see specialty cocktails that mirror the seasonal spirit at hand. And, of course, you can expect the selection of beers to subscribe to every trait each season has to offer. These expectations along with our great service and our friendly, fun, social atmosphere will make Westy's a place you want to visit every season!
Vonette, Mark and Holly.
What a beautiful, picturesque day in the Village of Highland Falls, NY. We can finally say with confidence that spring has sprung! With spring comes yard mowings, pool openings, flower and garden plantings, and the dreaded allergies. At Westy's, the spring season means open-air pavilion, outdoor seating, live music, corn-hole tossing, and seasonal drink & food specials!
We occasionally get to walk locals through Westy's to "show off" the place and describe our vision and what we want Westy's to be. As we walked a local resident and business owner through Westy's pavilion this afternoon, the first words out of his mouth were "this is exactly what Highland Falls needs for days like this." Of course, that made us feel pretty good about our vision for the pavilion, but the vision does not stop when the spring season ends. As you know, our pavilion can be used year-round throughout all four seasons, and we intend to make every season as good as the next!
Each season you can expect to see an updated menu with delectable bites that will impress your palate. You can also expect to see specialty cocktails that mirror the seasonal spirit at hand. And, of course, you can expect the selection of beers to subscribe to every trait each season has to offer. These expectations along with our great service and our friendly, fun, social atmosphere will make Westy's a place you want to visit every season!
In closing, we are extremely thankful for the help that many of our friends have provided along our journey. In particular, we want to give our classmate and dear friend, Vonette Couch Montieth (bar/restaurant owner), a huge shoutout for making the long drive from Watertown, NY to spend time with us the past two days to share her wisdom. We learn more each day about this business and the craziness we are getting ourselves into (let it be said that Vonette warned us:), but we will stay the course, throughout all the seasons, knowing that good times are right around the corner!
Cheers,
Mark & Holly
Owners | Westy’s
Westy’s & Beer
It has been said that beer is the nectar of the gods. You may be familiar with another famous quote about beer: “Fill it up again! Once it hits your lips, it is so good!” Frank the Tank, “Old School.” Much has been said about beer, both good and bad; but one thing is for certain, beer has been embedded in cultures around the globe for hundreds of centuries. That is a fact that will never change.
Holly & Mark - Cheers!
Before we talk about one of our favorite subjects, beer, here is a quick update from last week. The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams squashed the squids last Saturday to give Army the Star Series victory over Navy, 14-12! It was the first time Army has won the series since the 2013-14 season and how sweet it was. It made for a great weekend of celebration with some cold beers in hand! Which is a great segue to our blog topic of the week.
It has been said that beer is the nectar of the gods. You may be familiar with another famous quote about beer: “Fill it up again! Once it hits your lips, it is so good!” Frank the Tank, “Old School.” Much has been said about beer, both good and bad; but one thing is for certain, beer has been embedded in cultures around the globe for hundreds of years. That is a fact that will never change.
Holly and Mark have been beer lovers since our dads first handed a beer bottle to us as kids because we were looking at them funny and said, “do you want to take a sip?” The sip turned into a chug, and before you knew it, our dads were grabbing the bottles away from us.
Our love for beer was one of the many reasons we were attracted to each other when we started dating. Mark thought, “Awesome! I have a girlfriend who loves beer! That is cool.” Holly was like, “I can drink beer all day with this lightweight😊.” Some of our favorite dates were (and still are) going to bars and restaurants that advertise multiple beers so we can sample them.
After graduating from West Point, the beer gods smiled down on us when we found out our first duty station was Germany, the motherland of beer! For three years, we drank every kind of beer imaginable. Holly typically went with the local pilsners, while Mark favored the hefeweizens. Our favorite all-time beer was brewed by monks in a monastery known as the Kreuzberg near Wildflecken. In 1987, Playboy magazine ranked it as the 3rd best beer in the world (the monks had the framed article hanging on a wall to prove it)! It was so good that Holly and Mark brought a small keg of it back to New York for our wedding party to drink during Happy Hour prior to our rehearsal, which ended up being a lot of fun to say the least. The downside to German beer was that we returned to the states with a big, fat, beer-face, but it was worth it!
Fast-forward thirty years and you will still find Holly and Mark drinking beer on every occasion. We also happen to have four beers on tap at our house. Plus, we are extremely lucky to have friends who enjoy drinking beer with us. We drink light beer most of the time, but Mark grew fond of IPAs during COVID thanks to his sister-in-law, or should I say no thanks to her because the beer face is back! Holly’s all-time #1 beer is Coors Light, so you can bet your bottom dollar it will be on tap at Westy’s (and probably in bottles and cans, too)! In fact, our friends all know that Holly’s favorite beer is Coors Light, so that is a common birthday gift for her😊.
Hopefully, you have a better understanding of why we are opening Westy’s. Bottom Line - we love beer! That is not the only reason we are opening Westy’s BUT, when used responsibly, beer can bring people and communities together like nothing else. When you go into any bar, pub, or tavern in the world there will be one common theme – people raising a pint together to have fun, to tell stories, to cheer on their favorite teams, and to cheer one another up. THAT is why we are opening Westy’s. When Westy’s opens this summer, we want it to be that place for you. We want it to be the place where the craft known as beer – and all of the good that goes with it – meets you, the community.
It has been a wild and crazy journey so far to get to that grand opening date this summer, but, like our big, fat, beer-faces from Germany, it will be worth it! So, make plans to join us this summer at Westy’s – where craft meets community.
Cheers,
Mark & Holly
Owners | Westy’s
Westy’s & the Army-Navy Rivalry
You can expect to see your fair share of Army Navy memorabilia at Westy’s. It won’t be over-the-top, but we plan to outfit Westy’s with items such as pennants, and old Army Navy programs and posters. We will even have our own Beat Navy Tunnel for patrons to walk through – but that is all I will say about that for now…
Mark & Holly at the 2024 Army-Navy Game in Landover, MD.
Hello friends,
If you follow Westy’s, then you probably know we are classmates from West Point’s Class of 1991 – Duty Shall Be Done or, in Westy’s case, Drinking Shall Be Done😊
What you may not know is we both played collegiate sports at West Point. Holly played soccer and Mark played 150 lb. football, which is now known as Sprint football (Mark can explain over a beer at Westy’s if you are wondering what the heck this is).
Both of our boys followed in Mark’s footsteps and played Sprint (Keegan 2019, Kyle 2027), our daughter Lexi (2021) played women’s lacrosse, and our daughter Daisy (2029) will be playing soccer starting next fall. If you have been to our home, then you quickly realized we bleed black and gold; and at no time do we bleed black and gold more than when we play Navy. Mark was fortunate enough to beat Navy two of three contests as QB of the 150 lb. team, and although Holly never played against Navy (they did not have a collegiate team yet), she grew up with a burning passion to beat Navy because her dad is a USMA ’62 grad.
As the current head coach of the Sprint football team, it is sad to say that if Mark’s team loses to Navy, everyone in our family knows that Mark will be in a bad mood the entire next year. Winning the Gold Star against Navy ranks right up there with the birth of a child (ok, maybe we are exaggerating but not by much).
With that in mind, know that this weekend is a BIG deal for Holly and Mark, and Army Athletics. Army currently leads the “Star Series” over Navy this year by one victory, 12-11. Army has not won the Star Series since 2013-14 season and our overall record in the Star Series is 4-40-2. Not very good. We have a long way to go to make that up, but winning the Star Series this year is a step in the right direction. This Saturday, Men’s Lacrosse plays @ Navy and Women’s Lacrosse hosts Navy. Both games are at noon. Men’s Tennis hosts Navy this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Two victories and we clinch the series outright – one win ensures a tie. Let’s go ahead and win all three!
This leads me to the point of this blog. You can expect to see your fair share of Army Navy memorabilia at Westy’s. It won’t be over-the-top, but we plan to outfit Westy’s with items such as pennants, and old Army Navy programs and posters. We will even have our own Beat Navy Tunnel for patrons to walk through – but that is all I will say about that for now…
If all goes well, we will open Westy’s around the same time the fall sports teams are starting their seasons. If all goes REALLY well, we will be celebrating many victories over Navy at Westy’s for years to come.
GO WESTY’S! GO ARMY!! BEAT NAVY!!!
Mark and Holly West
Owners
Westy’s Pavilion
The weather is finally starting to warm up in the Hudson Valley. This means more and more folks will come out of winter hibernation and begin enjoying the outdoors again. The warmer weather also lends itself to more outdoor construction at Westy’s! Our 4-seasons pavilion is finally taking shape. The concrete foundation is complete, and our awesome construction crew started framing it out today. We will be sure to periodically post pictures of the progress.
Concept Rendering of the pavilion at Westy’s.
Hello friends,
The weather is finally starting to warm up in the Hudson Valley. This means more and more folks will come out of winter hibernation and begin enjoying the outdoors again. The warmer weather also lends itself to more outdoor construction at Westy’s! Our 4-seasons pavilion is finally taking shape. The concrete foundation is complete, and our awesome construction crew started framing it out today. We will be sure to periodically post pictures of the progress.
The pavilion will be a highlight of Westy’s that you won’t find in many other bars throughout the Hudson Valley. Not only can you enjoy a brew on the back patio while watching your favorite sport or listening to your favorite music with friends, but you can also challenge them to cornhole, ring toss, or some other fun game. We can’t wait to host our inaugural cornhole tournament this summer!
The pavilion will also be a great spot for you to host your special events like graduation and birthday parties, retirement celebrations, and promotion ceremonies. In short, the pavilion will be a social gathering spot where locals and visitors alike can gather to have fun and take a break from the craziness that life throws at us. We plan to spend a lot of time in the pavilion!
For those who follow Team Westy’s journey on Instagram or Facebook, you probably have a good picture in your mind of what Westy’s will look like. If you do not follow our journey, I hope you consider doing so. Knowing what Westy’s will look like, to include the pavilion, is certainly exciting.
The one thing I hope no one loses sight of is the “why” behind Westy’s. “Why are we doing this?” Sure, we have always dreamed of opening a bar. But why Westy’s? And why now?
Simply put, we are doing it to give back. We believe that Westy’s can be the catalyst in helping Highland Falls return to the days when it was a vibrant, bustling village that provided restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment that made everyone proud.
West Point’s Association of Graduates took it upon themselves to start the Hudson Valley Project, a non-profit organization with the goal of helping revitalize Highland Falls. Westy’s is an off shoot of AOG’s vision, and we are excited to be doing our part to help. That’s why we want you to join Team Westy’s and be a part of it.
Cheers!
Mark and Holly West
The Westy’s Journey Has Begun
While Holly and I have frequented MANY bars in our lifetime, we’ve never had the chance to work in one. So this journey to open Westy’s has been eye opening to say the least.
Holly & Mark West, in their home bar in 2021.
Hello friends,
While Holly and I have frequented MANY bars in our lifetime, we’ve never had the chance to work in one. So this journey to open Westy’s has been eye opening to say the least.
From the layout of the kitchen, to the POS system, to the music and sound system, security, fixtures and furnishings, and so much more, we learn a little more each day.
Luckily we have an outstanding team of professionals around us who want Westy’s to succeed as much as we do.
We look forward to sharing more with you as Westy’s progresses.
Mark West