Poughkeepsie’s Academy Food Hall Ends One Year After Opening

The Academy is shutting down the Food Hall after being open for less than one year.

In July of 2022, the innovative eating and drinking hall opened on Academy Street in the City of Poughkeepsie to lots of fanfare. The space, featured during a segment on 60 Minutes, was heralded as "the future of the city". But now the venue is completely changing its business model.

The shocking news was made on Monday that The Academy was immediately ceasing operation as a public food hall. The sudden closure is being spun by the owners as an "exciting transformation," but the unannounced closure of the food hall is certainly not good news for the business or the community.

According to The Academy, the business will immediately transform from a traditional food hall into an "event and entertainment destination." It appears that all of the food tenants are now officially out except for a lone unnamed "cafe" that will remain. The 18,000-square-foot complex will now solely be utilized as a wedding venue and event space, similar to nearby Revel 32.

It's unclear what will now happen to the vendors that have moved into The Academy. The former Newburgh Flour Shop recently closed its bakery in Orange County and changed its name to the Bread & Batter Bakery after touting its move to the food hall just a few months ago.

The Academy says the decision to close the food hall was difficult but necessary.

While this was not an easy decision to make, we believe this shift in direction will allow us to better serve the diverse needs of our guests and provide unforgettable experiences for all.

The company will now operate under two different brands; The Academy Events and Keepsake. The Events division will allow people to rent the space for community events and celebrations, while Keepsake will focus on being a "chic event space" for weddings and other "sophisticated" events.

The operators of The Academy say that they will share more information about the transition over the coming weeks, but the closure of the food hall is effective immediately.