At Station Yards, businesses thankful for 'amazing' news

Businesses at Ronkonkoma station and Station Yards across Railroad Avenue were thankful to learn the late Monday news that the trains, and customers, will be chugging through the area on Wednesday.

On a normal Monday, the Tap Room at Station Yards would be approaching maximum capacity, according to bartender Brandon Aitcheson. But on Monday, with the LIRR strike that just concluded, there were a few seats open at the bar, and hardly anyone dining at tables. He estimated the establishment saw less than half the normal amount of business it would have had the train been running. He called news that the strike would end “amazing.”

“On Mondays, we have a lot of commuters for happy hour,” Aitcheson told Newsday. “I think once the trains are back up and running, we’ll go right back to business as usual.”

Carl Klass, 42, of Ronkonkoma, is happy that more customers will visit The Pink Fin come Wednesday, and that his fiance can ride the train to her job once again.

Boxcar Burgers manager Martin Strunk said the popular American takeout spot has mostly been fulfilling pickup orders through DoorDash and similar services since the strike began.

“It's definitely been a lot slower with the strike because most of our passengers come with the train,” Strunk said. “If it wasn't for DoorDash, UberEats and Grubhub we’d be extremely slow.”

Strunk learned the news that the strike has ended Monday evening when approached by a Newsday reporter, just as coincidentally, the first train he’s seen move through the restaurant window creeped west through the station.

“Wednesday they're back to normal?” Strunk said. “That sounds good.”