For 28 years, Susan Seekamp ran the beach concession on Atlantic Avenue Beach in Amagansett. Last year was her first at the Main Beach pavilion in East Hampton Village.
"My kids grew up on Atlantic Beach. I had a good run there. Now I hope I get 28 up on Main Beach, but I may not be around that long."
Main Beach's Beach Hut is run as a concession from the village. "It's a village property, but it comes completely empty," Ms. Seekamp explained. "You have to put in the sinks, everything. It's a long-term lease. You pay for the summer."
The Beach Hut has an extensive menu for a tiny spot, "ranging from the grill, sea, and garden," boasts its website, thebeachhutonmain.com. The breakfast menu, which Ms. Seekamp hopes to expand this year, includes avocado toast, acai bowls, homemade muffins and croissants, and an egg sandwich, among other offerings. The Hut also serves lunch; the hope is to serve dinner this season as well.
"You can come up, have a great breakfast on the deck -- no better place to have your cup of coffee and a sandwich," Ms. Seekamp said.
She's hoping the village will work with her to allow early-hours parking near the pavilion that wouldn't require beach permits, so "at least we get in a little breakfast business in the morning." An 8 a.m. opening is her goal, but only cars with beach stickers can park at that hour. "Last year, there were whales every morning at 8:30. It was beautiful."
Amanda Seekamp, her daughter, will run the Hut with her this summer. "We're planning to do a lot of dinner parties," Amanda said, "and possibly do a dinner service, because we have the tables up there. So it's going to be a little elevated this summer." They hope to stay open until 9 p.m.
The Beach Hut applied to the state recently for a "summer tavern wine license," which allows the sale of beer and wine for on-premises consumption. Bill Crowley, a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority, explained the steps needed to get a license: Alert the municipality of the application, and 30 days later, submit it to the agency. From that point, it could be a four or five-month wait.
"We'd like to tie in as many local brands as we can and also cater to the locals and make people happy," Amanda said. "We don't want to charge $14 for a beer."
The plan is to buy beer from the Montauk Brewing Company, and rose wine from Hampton Water.
Because the license is only "in the works," it's unclear what hours of the day the sale of alcohol would be permitted. It's also unclear how that might jibe with the village code, which prohibits open containers of alcohol on the beach. Would drinking be allowed only on the pavilion? How would that be policed?
An email to the village administrator, Marcos Baladron, was not answered before The Star went to press.
"I think it's going to be a busy summer," said Susan Seekamp. "But I'm 60. I'm not looking for a party scene up there. It'd be nice, you come up looking for a lobster roll and you get a glass of wine. You get a burger and a beer. It's one and done. I'm not looking for someone to hang out there all day, drinking."
As it did last summer, the village will sponsor concerts on the beach on Tuesday nights. Officials are coordinating with the Stephen Talkhouse to decide on the artists. "Last year, it was a mix of locals and some bigger headliners," Amanda recalled.
The Seekamps hope to provide the concert crowd with food and beverages. "It was very successful last year, you had everyone from kids to their grandparents," Susan Seekamp said. "I absolutely love it. I wish it was warmer out there now. I'd be up there doing something. It's a fun little place to work."
