A long-vacant Montour Falls greenhouse property is slated for redevelopment as a year-round public market with a grocery and café, seasonal vendors, an ice cream shop, lodging and community event space.
Brian Eslinger and David Hertel bought the former Stillman's Greenhouse and Garden Center at 251 and 257 South Catherine Street in May through E & H Capital Properties LLC. Their plans call for the Montour Falls Public Market to open in phases as construction, permitting and municipal approvals are completed, with a grand opening targeted for March 2027.
The project would reuse the property's two main buildings, a surviving greenhouse and its south lawn. The owners said utilities and infrastructure require extensive work after years of vacancy, and the buildings must be rehabilitated before the planned businesses can fully open.
Eslinger and Hertel said they began looking for a larger property in 2025 as their food, bakery and hospitality operations grew. They initially searched in Watkins Glen but determined that the prices of available properties did not fit their business plans.
Their attention shifted to the former greenhouse after the property was subdivided and its asking price was reduced in January. Eslinger said an offer submitted Feb. 3 was accepted within about an hour, and the purchase closed May 8.
Five uses planned across the property
The South Building is planned as the Blackberry Inn Country Store, Bakery & Café. The year-round business would include a deli, local produce, fresh meat and poultry, dairy products, bulk foods, groceries and an artisan bakery, including the New York-style bagels already sold by the owners' Watkins Glen café.
The café would serve breakfast, lunch and early dinner, and the country store is expected to operate seven days a week. Eslinger and Hertel said the store would be designed primarily around the everyday food and grocery needs of Montour Falls and nearby communities while using regional farms, producers and suppliers when possible.
One remaining greenhouse would become Stillman's Heritage Greenhouse. Plans call for it to host farmers and artisan markets from March through December, along with community gatherings and special events.
The ground floor of the North Building is planned as the Blackberry Inn Creamery, with ice cream, coffee and breakfast, lunch and dinner selections. A drive-through food and beverage operation is also proposed for customers who do not want to leave their vehicles.
The North Building's second floor would contain a small lodging operation for visitors and other short-term guests in the Montour Falls and Watkins Glen area. The owners said the rooms would complement the market and could direct more overnight visitors to other area businesses and attractions.
The south lawn would become Stillman's Community Commons, an outdoor gathering space. The plan includes weekend farmers and artisan markets from roughly May through October, plus concerts, community events and outdoor movie nights in July and August.
Eslinger and Hertel are also studying whether a community garden could be established on the property. No final details for the garden were announced.
Owners built hospitality businesses in Schuyler County
Eslinger and Hertel moved to the Finger Lakes in 2012 and opened the Blackberry Inn Bed & Breakfast in Watkins Glen the following year. They bought 309 North Franklin Street in 2020 and opened the Blackberry Inn Kitchen, Bakery & Café there in 2023.
The owners said growth at the café, including demand for baked goods and bagels, prompted the search for an expansion site. Before buying the Montour Falls property, they brought contractors through the buildings to assess rehabilitation and infrastructure costs.
Eslinger also discussed the concept and business plan with Judy Cherry of FLX Gateway, Montour Falls Mayor James Ryan and Ryan Hallings of Lyons National Bank, according to the release. The owners said those discussions helped them evaluate local economic potential, redevelopment costs and financing.
“We don't want to simply develop a piece of real estate,” Eslinger said. “We want to build something that belongs to this community.”
The project is the largest undertaking yet for the pair, who said they have generally reinvested earnings from their existing businesses into property improvements, staff and expansion. They did not disclose the purchase price or total projected redevelopment cost.
Project would preserve Stillman's history
Stillman's Greenhouse was established more than 70 years ago by George and Louise Stillman. George Stillman served as mayor of Montour Falls and as a Schuyler County legislator, while Louise Stillman served as historian for Montour Falls and the town of Montour and worked with the Schuyler County Historical Society.
The business later passed to Stanley and Sharie Beaver, who operated it for about four decades. The greenhouse eventually closed after another ownership change, and the property remained largely vacant as its buildings deteriorated.
Eslinger and Hertel said retaining the Stillman name for the greenhouse and commons is intended to preserve the site's agricultural and community identity. “Our responsibility is not to erase that history,” Hertel said. “Our responsibility is to respect it, preserve what we can and give the property a new purpose that can serve another generation.”
The proposed market has received three grants totaling $55,000. A $10,000 Climate Smart Communities business mini-grant is supporting high-efficiency improvements, a $25,000 Schuyler County façade grant is intended for exterior work, and a $20,000 NY Forward Small Business grant is designated for infrastructure expenses.
The owners said work is underway, but the timing of individual openings will depend on construction, permitting and required approvals. Their stated goal is to have the full Montour Falls Public Market operating by March 2027.
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