Business & Tech
Q & A: Chris Werle of Croxley Ales
After three years at the northern end of Farmingdale's Main Street, Croxley Ales has earned a reputation for unique beers, fresh burgers and chicken wings.
When Chris Werle, an owner of , and his partners search for a new location, they seek out villages rather than busy thoroughfares. Why? Werle likes the ambiance and community of serving customers in a tight-knit atmosphere. This July, Farmingdale’s Croxley Ales will celebrate its third year of being in business on Main Street. Although Croxley Ales is part of a restaurant chain with sister restaurants in Franklin Square and Rockville Centre on Long Island and another in Manhattan, the 5,000 sq. ft. Farmingdale eatery dominates the northern end of Main Street with a clubby polished ambiance.
What makes Croxley Ales different?
Werle: We put special emphasis on our variety of unique beers. We have 68 different lagers and ales on tap. If a patron drinks 40 different pints of beer they can join our craft beer club. We have what we call Angry Ales- powerful ales that are brewed in unique styles like our $27 a bottle Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu. Or we have fruit beers like our Lindeman’s Framboise that has a sweet slightly tart raspberry taste from Belgium. We’re world-renowned for our delicious chicken wings. Our outdoor seating makes us very popular in the summer. We found it to be so popular in Farmingdale that we added it to our Rockville Centre establishment. We’ve also outfitted our restaurant in dozens of TVs to watch sports year-round like college basketball and Mega-March Madness.
How is business in this economy?
Werle: We’re doing fine. We’ve made our price point at Croxley Ales very affordable for singles, couples, and families. We’re an affordable indulgence. We offer wing nights Monday through Wednesday where you can order a drink and 20 delicious wings for under $5. You can’t do that well at McDonalds. The only negative influence we’ve had this year is the weather. Snow and mother nature are hurting our business.
What is the best/worst thing about running a business on Main Street?
Werle: There is no negative in Farmingdale. In the three years we’ve been here, the village and community have been great. We’re pleased with Town Hall and the village authorities as they proceed with their revitalization plans. This is a 100-year old community that continues to evolve. We often get updates as to what the plans are. They are very much on the ball and have great plans. We’re pleased that we have a lot of parking available for our customers in the rear parking lot or along Main Street.
What is your busiest time of the year?
Werle: We’re busy year-round. Whether it is baseball or football season, we attract crowds. If it is summer, we open our outdoor seating and everyone enjoys that European feel of sitting outside at a café. The golf course at Bethpage State Park attracts a lot of business too. It was quite festive when the U.S. Open golf tournament came to town and we hope they come back again. We’re once again offering our second Valentine’s Day three course dinner for $19.95. We had a great response last year and looking for even more couples this year.
What is the most rewarding part of being part of the Farmingdale community?
Werle: Getting to know all of the people. That’s why we choose a village to run our business. Many restaurant owners choose to be located on busy thoroughfares like Route 110 where they can attract a lot of different customers. We prefer being in a community setting where we have weekly regular customers and we’re part of the community. We can offer an intimate setting surrounded by local shops and be convenient for commuters coming from the train station.
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What are your most popular dishes?
Werle: We’re known worldwide for our delicious chicken wings. And we serve popular 8 oz. burgers that are freshly-made, never frozen, every day at our restaurant.
