Stephanie VanAuken, new owner of Ravenswood Pub Route 146 in Clifton Park poses inside the establishment with Shaun Kawola, center, and Scott Schreifels.©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com
BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH
Stephanie VanAuken is the new owner of Ravenswood Pub at 1021 Route 146 in Clifton Park.
Originally opened in 1984, Ravenswood has been owned by Wayne T. Beale since 2013. He currently owns three other Saratoga County neighborhood taverns: Rusty Nail Grill and Tavern in Clifton Park (1999), Bentley’s Tavern (2002) and the Mill on Round Lake (2008).
A local veteran of the hospitality industry, VanAuken owned Mama’s Pizza in Clifton Park for 23 years before selling it in 2005.
She said since then, she often ran into former customers who expressed how much they missed her and urged her to get back into the restaurant business in that part of town.
It dawned on VanAuken that Ravenswood would be an ideal way to enter the business again and re-connect with her former customers. She said she approached Beale to see if he had any interest in selling the business.
According to VanAuken, Beale didn’t at first, but she was persuasive.
“I like reaching for the highest star and I make the most of every day and find joy wherever I go,” she said.
That philosophy coupled with her strong experience and determination to get back to feeding her friends and neighbors has driven VanAuken.
Gradually she hopes to add some of the popular items she sold for many years at Mama’s to the menu at Ravenswood.
The menu features pub fare like chicken wings, salads, burgers, sandwiches and wraps. There are also dishes like fish and chips, flat bread pizza, homemade mac and cheese and sliced strip steak. There is also a kids menu.
Ravenswood has more than 15 hi-def TVs on a satellite system, so its a popular spot for sports fans.
It can also accommodate groups for private event for a variety of occasions in its banquet room.
Ravenswood is open daily from 11:30 a.m. Its phone is 371-8771 and its website is www.ravenswoodpub.com.