The Heart of Amagansett: A Square Like No Other
How One Family Keeps the Hamptons Hidden Gem True to Its Roots
Dear Reader,
For as long as I’ve lived in New York—I’m dating myself but that’s more than 25 years—I’ve been spending summer weekends on the eastern end of Long Island.
Yes, the Hamptons.
You know, the place New Yorkers refer to as “the country” or “the beach.”
Say what you want about this being the playground of the rich, but the reality is the beaches are as good as they say they are.
The farm stands and food stores, too.
One of the most special places in all the Hamptons, in my humble opinion, is Amagansett Square.
This little slice of greenery with shops and restaurants on the perimeter is a place where weekenders and locals alike gather.
That’s intentional.
You’ll never see a Gucci, Prada or Chanel here.
That’s intentional, too.
I sat down recently with Max Lerner.
His family owns Amagansett Square, The Reform Club and the reimagined, just reopened Meeting House restaurant.
The Lerner family has lived in the Hamptons for close to 40 years.
Max grew up here.
His father owns much of the farmland next to Balsam Farms…
… and opened the original Meeting House restaurant.
All to say… this family cares a lot about this beautiful part of the country and wants to preserve what made it great in the first place.
Read on.
“A LITTLE SLICE OF GOD’S COUNTRY”
ALINA CHO: How long has your family owned Amagansett Square?
MAX LERNER: Since the early 2000s, I want to say around 2004, 2005.
ALINA CHO: The Square is such a unique parcel of land. For people who aren’t familiar, what makes it so special?
MAX LERNER: I would say it’s unique for anywhere in the world. [It’s a place that’s] un-perverted, not overdeveloped, not jammed to the gills with high-end brands or at least corporate-owned brands. There’s high-end, but not corporate.
ALINA CHO: There’s something very quaint about it.
MAX LERNER: And that’s really intentional. There are no accidents in Amagansett Square. When you have this unbelievable luxury of being able to curate a large part of the town you live in, you start asking yourself, “What kind of town do I want to live in?”
ALINA CHO: I think it’s worth mentioning that any company that is looking to lease space in the Square, they have to go through you, right?
MAX LERNER: Yes, I look at all of our potential tenants and I go through the list very carefully and try and make sure they fit a set criteria, which is they have some connection, if not a very direct connection to this town. They are unbelievably gifted in their respective field and passionate about it. I don’t want just another brand. I want someone who thinks that their particular offering is the best of its kind.
ALINA CHO: Love that.
MAX LERNER: Whether it’s a woman’s clothing store or a food location like Doubles, which offers really interesting cuisine…
… or Cavaniola’s Cheese Shop, which everyone knows is a piece of heaven, the idea is that you’ve got a group of people who really care.
ALINA CHO: No disrespect to neighboring hamlets like East Hampton, which boasts a Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Valentino and Louis Vuitton, but is it safe to say that [those stores] belong there and that’s not something that would happen in the Square?
MAX LERNER: It’s certainly not something that would happen in the Square. I think there is a never-ending supply of places that could house those stores. I could never, ever, ever minimize the success [of those brands], and that level of fashion, but [we want the Square] to be a little more mom and pop.
ALINA CHO: I know you’re very interested in bringing organized activity to the Square. What does that mean?
MAX LERNER: I like doing classic ones, like movie nights.
ALINA CHO: You do want it to be truly the center of town where people gather.
MAX LERNER: That’s the dream. And I would add that we are open year round. We don’t allow our tenants to close in the off season.
ALINA CHO: Oh, that’s interesting.
MAX LERNER: So, whereas you might walk through East Hampton or Southampton and notice that 85% of the stores are closed, that’s not the case at the Square.
ALINA CHO: I suppose you’re sending a message, “We’re here for everybody.”
MAX LERNER: We’re not here to cater to a temporary resident. Now if they come and enjoy it, that’s such a blessing and I love that. But it’s the year round people that make Amagansett great.
THE HOTTEST NEW RESTAURANT IN THE HAMPTONS
ALINA CHO: What was your idea for reviving the Meeting House restaurant, which was beloved in its first incarnation, and I now know your father owned?
MAX LERNER: It was probably because of how much I loved it, and my dad loved it, that it came back. The space itself feels in many ways like it’s the heartbeat of the Square. I would say, first and foremost…
ALINA CHO: … bring back the chef. (Lerner hired back Tim Bando who was the chef of the original Meeting House restaurant).
MAX LERNER: Bringing back the chef was a godsend. He’s so talented. And he understands the town really well, which is vital. And that was the hardest part of thinking of who to hire. You need someone who’s not only incredibly capable and talented, but someone who has a sense of what this community means…
ALINA CHO: … and what they want.
MAX LERNER: Yeah. And Amagansett is not a place people have to live. It’s a place people choose to live.
ALINA CHO: Good point.
MAX LERNER: So, to understand that and understand that there’s both this world of people out here with incredible affluence who can enjoy it at their will, but also people who fight tooth and nail to be here so that they don’t have to lose that sense of home. That dichotomy exists very clearly out here.
ALINA CHO: I think some people forget that there are those who live paycheck to paycheck.
MAX LERNER: Exactly. So, the first incarnation of Meeting House was designed massively to support both ends of that spectrum. And to make sure that when you sit there, your level of service is not dependent on what you’re bringing to the table.
ALINA CHO: You hired an incredible designer who happens to be a close friend, Michelle Bergeron, to be your head of creative. I think that really comes through in the aesthetic — whether it’s the outdoor bistro tables from Paris or the Italian marble inside…
MAX LERNER: Michelle is the greatest resource ever when it comes to sourcing. I was like, “Where do I get marble?” She goes, “Oh, I got marble.” “Well, where do I get fabric?” “Oh, I got fabric.” And she did every single thing she said she would do, and she made it happen in light speed.
ALINA CHO: I love the feeling when you walk inside.
MAX LERNER: So, we tried to stay very consistent with the old design and just introduce some new pieces. We brought in a Frank Lloyd Wright window, which is directly to your left when you walk in. On the other side of the bar, you have this massive old window from an English soccer stadium in the middle of Birmingham. Why is there a window from Birmingham? Well, because it’s cool.
ALINA CHO: Well, this I know – if [the] Friday night [of Memorial Day weekend] at Meeting House is any guide, this is going to be a very busy summer for you.
MAX LERNER: That’s for sure. I’m very excited.
ALINA CHO: I bet you are. And to revive something that your father started here, how incredible is that?
MAX LERNER: It’s a privilege more than anything else.