Huntington's Finley's of Green Street to close
Finley's of Green Street is slated to close in Huntington. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
The iconic Huntington watering hole Finley's is closing after more than 30 years. Owner Sandy Finley said a host of reasons fueled her decision to close the venue she established with her husband in 1992.
"The economy has changed a great deal and it’s not as easy to run a restaurant as it was when I first started," Finley said in a phone interview. "It just seemed like time to me. I really feel like I’m ready to retire."
The facility has two buildings, a storefront and a two-story house connected by a glass breezeway. Last summer, Finley teamed up with chef Lewis Vargas to bring a new restaurant concept, 43 Green, to the dining room space attached to the casual pub. At the bar, guests could enjoy appetizers such as a pretzel ($12) served with Guinness cheese as well as pub staples such as shepherd’s pie ($22). 43 Green has since closed, and Finley said the dining room will be sold with the property.
Vargas "also had a wonderful opportunity to take over a different restaurant and I wanted him to have that opportunity, so that was probably another one of the reasons it felt like the right time," Finley said.
Friday night will be the last evening of service, although "if we’re overwhelmingly busy with people coming down, we might push it to one more week," she said.
After retirement, Finley said she plans to spend more time with her grandchildren, travel to Florida and pursue other interests. "It was wonderful to have the support of the community for so many years," she said. "I think part of my success is my wonderful staff."
Finley’s of Green Street, 45 Green St., Huntington, 631-351-3446, finleyshuntington.com. Final opening hours are 4 p.m. to close on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
