Business

New businesses open on Main Road in Mattituck

About a year and a half after developer Paul Pawlowski purchased the vacant Hudson City Savings Bank and surrounding property in Mattituck, three of six spaces in the buildings are ready for occupancy.

Another three businesses — Cassandra Mari Salon, North Fork Flooring & Tile and Blue Sage Massage — are already operating there, Mr. Pawlowski said.

A primary medical care facility and smaller medical office are expected to open in the next month or two and a bank is expected to open at the beginning of summer. Mr. Pawlowski said he couldn’t name those tenants yet.

“For some businesses, they are moving to a larger, newer space, which is good,” he said. “For others, it’s a new business that allows our residents to shop locally … And the primary care that’s coming in is backed by a great hospital, but that’s a new option with a good hospital behind it for any primary care needs, so that’s really good for the town.”

In October, the Southold Town Planning Board approved a mixed-use plan for the property and a change-of-use request for a two-story building constructed next to the vacant bank included a 16-seat restaurant. However, Mr. Pawlowski said this week there are currently no plans for a restaurant; he wanted to have approvals in place for different options.

Cassandra Hammond, owner of Cassandra Mari Salon, said the addition of the new building made it possible for her to live out a lifelong dream of owning her own salon.

Having worked at numerous local salons since she was 15, Ms. Hammond opened her business Feb. 28. She said the first few weeks have been great and that her clients are “really happy with the new location.”

“The stars just aligned,” she said. “I’m very fortunate to have my family behind me 100 percent … And the space is new, which is exciting. I felt like since it was a new chapter for me, a new building worked. It kind of matched. A new building for a new start.”

Mitch Hofman of North Fork Flooring & Tile. (Credit: Nicole Smith)

Mitch Hofman, manager of North Fork Flooring & Tile, said leasing a spot in Mr. Pawlowski’s building felt like “a logical thing to do.”

Having previously worked for Seacoast Kitchens & Flooring in Southold, Mr. Hofman said North Fork Flooring & Tile, which officially opened Jan. 1, was created after Seacoast closed.

One of the positives of the new business, he said, is its location.

“Being on Main Road is kind of nice,” Mr. Hofman said. “Mattituck is more centrally located than Southold, so there’s a good flow of traffic here.”

When Mr. Pawlowski made an offer to purchase the vacant Hudson City Savings Bank building in the fall of 2015, it was only partially constructed. The bank was partially built there beginning in October 2009, but never opened. Construction of a second approved building on an adjacent lot never proceeded beyond the pouring of a foundation, The Suffolk Times previously reported.

Ms. Hammond said her business has already received tremendous support from the community.

“I’m at a loss for words,” she said. “There’s lots of love.”

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Top Photo: Cassandra Hammond opened Cassandra Mari Salon last month in one of the new spaces at 11700 Main Road in Mattituck. (Credit: Nicole Smith)