Freeport residents and local leaders welcomed new restaurant, Di Edge Waterfront Bar and Kitchen, to the area on April 1 with a special ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony.
Kwesy Plunkett, 37, is the primary owner of Di Edge and has already started building ties to the Freeport community while living in nearby Baldwin Harbor. Plunkett said that he felt the time and restaurant location felt right for him to try his hand at managing a restaurant and small business.
“I was an electrician in the union, and I was just doing a lot of hours,” Plunkett explained. “I decided I wanted to invest in my own (time), putting that energy back in myself.”
Di Edge’s interior provides a blend of both a cozy interior and ample space for outdoor dining by the water behind the restaurant. Plunkett expressed that he hopes to bring a unique experience to patrons through the restaurant’s atmosphere and American cuisine.
“Nobody has this view,” Plunkett said of Di Edge’s location on South Main Street. “I tried to bridge South Beach (Florida) or make you feel like you’re on a vacation. So that type of energy is casual, laid-back kind of atmosphere. Most places don’t have that… so I’m just thinking outside of the box.”
Plunkett said not all the experience with starting a business has been breezy, with permits, inspections and other legal responsibilities having to be addressed. Financial matters like the fluctuating U.S. economy and affordability concerns also impact potential price points and sustainability for a new small business.
However, Di Edge has already received a lot of support from Freeport and Nassau County leaders that can help get the business started off right. Village of Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy, Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Feretti, Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé, Chamber of Commerce President Ben Jackson and Town of Hempstead Deputy Supervisor Dorothy Goosby were amongst those in attendance for Di Edge’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Each leader provided Plunkett and his staff with special citations and words of encouragement.
“We want to welcome you to our chamber, and I want to wish you guys the best of luck,” said Jackson. “It looks like God is looking over you with the weather we’re having today, and I hope we have more of it.”
With the weather continuing to slowly warm up and a current staff of 15 workers, many of them from Freeport, Plunkett also hopes that Di Edge’s food, location and atmosphere become a staple for Long Island customers.
