Highland Ice cream

$699,000

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90 Old Route 9W Port Ewen, NY

Commercial | Restaurant | 1.3 acres

Turnkey Restaurant Property with Drive Thru Potential Along a Key Hudson Valley Corridor

A classic midcentury diner set along one of the Hudson Valley’s most heavily traveled routes, 90 Old Route 9W offers presence, visibility, and real operational flexibility. The striking building sits confidently along the road, familiar and approachable, with the kind of roadside character that invites repeat visits and spontaneous stops alike.

Just minutes from Kingston’s Roundout and Stockade districts, the property benefits from proximity to a well established dining and cultural scene while maintaining the advantages of a true drive by location. Daily traffic exceeds 15,000 vehicles along Route 9W, with an additional 5,700 cars per day along Old Route 9W, creating sustained exposure throughout the day rather than reliance on peak hours alone.

The restaurant spans approximately 1,610 square feet and retains the clarity and efficiency that made midcentury diners enduringly functional. Inside, a long run of windows brings in abundant natural light, illuminating red banquette seating, classic checkerboard floors, and clean sightlines throughout the dining room. Seating for more than 50 guests is arranged for easy flow and adaptability, suitable for counter service, casual dining, or a reimagined concept. Two walk up service windows further support takeout, seasonal service, or high volume operations.

Behind the scenes, the kitchen is fully built out and operational, with commercial grade equipment, stainless prep surfaces, hood system, fryers, grill, refrigeration, and dedicated dish and prep areas. The layout supports efficient service while allowing flexibility for updates or reconfiguration depending on concept.

Set on a 1.3 acre parcel, the site is a defining asset. Outdoor seating areas are already established, with room to expand for additional tables or events. Two existing curb cuts allow for potential drive thru service, while the expansive paved lot provides parking for approximately 26 vehicles and supports smooth circulation. Aerial views underscore the property’s visibility, scale, and proximity to Kingston’s neighborhoods, waterfront, and commercial activity.

This is a true turnkey opportunity for an owner operator, investor, or restaurateur seeking a high visibility location with built in infrastructure and long term flexibility. Whether continuing the fast-food/ice cream shop tradition or introducing a new concept, the property offers a rare combination of character, traffic exposure, and optionality in one of the Hudson Valley’s most active commercial corridors.

Location Comparisons Throughout Kingston Area:

Old Route 9W / Route 9W corridor (this property)
This location functions as a true regional connector. Traffic here is commuter driven, destination driven, and weekend leisure driven. With 15,000 plus cars daily on Route 9W and steady secondary traffic on Old Route 9W, it outperforms most Kingston locations for pure visibility and frequency of impressions. This corridor excels for concepts that benefit from repeat exposure, convenience, takeout, or drive by capture. Think diners, fast casual, coffee, breakfast, casual dinner, and concepts with strong lunch business.

Roundout waterfront core
The Roundout is experiential rather than traffic driven. Foot traffic is strong during peak hours, weekends, and events, but visibility depends heavily on walkability and tourism cycles. Restaurants here succeed on destination appeal, brand identity, and atmosphere. Rents are typically higher and parking constraints can limit volume. Great for chef driven, sit down, and evening focused concepts. Less ideal for high throughput models.

Stockade District
Stockade performs well for neighborhood oriented dining and bars with loyal local followings. Traffic counts are lower, but the customer base is intentional. Success here depends on reputation and repeat customers rather than pass through visibility. Strong for intimate restaurants, wine bars, and specialty concepts. Not ideal for drive thru or volume based food service.

Albany Avenue and commercial strips
These areas often show higher raw traffic counts but lack the lifestyle and destination overlap that Route 9W offers near the river and historic districts. They skew more utilitarian. Good for chains and necessity driven dining. Less compelling for independent operators seeking brand story and place based appeal.

Bottom line
This stretch of Route 9W combines commuter volume with proximity to Kingston’s cultural core, which is rare. It offers more visibility and flexibility than the Roundout or Stockade, without sacrificing proximity to the lifestyle driven audience that supports strong restaurant performance. For operators who want scale, optionality, and consistent daily traffic, this corridor is one of the strongest restaurant locations in the Kingston area.