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The former Larkfield Manor reopened late last month after an $8 million renovation that recast the wedding venue as a Tuscan villa called The Larkfield.
The project not only necessitated the name change - "There are no manors in Tuscany," said Vice President George Mountanos - but also shut down the popular hall for eight months.
"It was tired, and we did some renovations over the years, but we saw more were needed and that we had to consider a new building," Mountanos said, noting that it would have been impossible to remain open during construction.
Closing for an extended period, however, is tricky business for catering halls and other venues in the uber-competitive hospitality industry.
"When closing, there is not just lost revenue and the cost of renovations," said Kurt Bohlsen, co-owner of the Islip-based Bohlsen Restaurant Group. "You have to deal with the logistics of keeping employees, paying rent and all other associated fixed costs."
With weddings and other events that are booked months or even years in advance, there are scheduling issues as well, and, as Mountanos noted, "people forget about a place if it's closed too long."
During construction, The Larkfield took an office in a storefront directly across the street, where it accepted bookings and was accessible to clients with events already on the calendar. Bookings were strong during the hiatus, Mountanos said.
"People knew the food and service would be the same, and that...