Plans underway to turn Trails End into modern, multi-level restaurant
By James M. Odato
A man who recently purchased Big Tupper, the shuttered ski mountain on the edge of Tupper Lake, is close to acquiring another local landmark that rarely closes.
Martin Schapira, who has a home on an island in Tupper Lake, is in the final stages of purchasing the Trails End Tavern building with the idea of upgrading it substantially and adding amenities.
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If his plan becomes a reality, the log cabin by the water would be transformed into a cutting-edge restaurant with a second level and a rooftop deck. The 77-year-old roadhouse off State Route 30 would improve its million-dollar view of the pond, river and Adirondack peaks.
Trails End to change hands
The tavern, open seven days a week and until 3 a.m. on weekends, has been owned and operated by Mark “Beard” Sutliffe for nearly 40 years. And his mother before that. Sutliffe, 72, said he’s ready to dial back his duties.
The plan is to sell the building to Schapira. Sutliffe will continue running the bar under his liquor license during 2025 while Schapira works out a new look. “It’ll be fancy,” Sutliffe said.
“It’s the nicest commercial view in the park,” Schapira said. “I’m looking to take what he had and make it a lot nicer in the future.”
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The Tupper Lake Planning Board approved the expansion plan. It issued a special permit to Schapira in February with the condition that any exterior lighting plan fits with dark sky standards.
A fresh approach to transforming Tupper
Schapira and his partner Josh Parnes purchased Big Tupper and some nearby property in a foreclosure auction by Franklin County last fall. Schapira said he is still discussing ways to reopen the mountain for recreation and potentially a downhill ski center again. He said he is developing plans for the ski lodge there while trail uses are explored.
“Tupper is on a nature preserve and has a tremendous amount of potential and is being underutilized,” he said. He said he intends to make any project he develops in the region, including housing on the acreage around Big Tupper, “beautiful.” Trails End would be enhanced, he promised, if he completes the purchase soon and builds upward.
“You go into the bar now, you’re looking at the highway,” he said. “If you go up higher you see the beauty that God or nature created.”
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He said he continues to investigate possibilities for what the public sector can do to help restore Big Tupper.
Schapira and Parnes, both of New Jersey, bid $650,000 for the mountain intending to focus on luxury home development around the mountain and “minimizing the impact on the natural beauty.”
Other investments in the works
Another part-time Tupper Lake resident has been investing in the region. Stanley Rumbough also bid on the Big Tupper property. He previously purchased the Blue Jay Marina and Campsite on Tupper Lake and has upgraded it. He purchased the mortgage on much of the 6,400 acres that were supposed to be the site of a giant residential community development in Tupper Lake known as the Adirondack Club and Resort.
Rumbough may attempt to get some of the project accomplished, but the property is in foreclosure and awaits a judge’s decision on scheduling an auction.
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Sounds like a good plan.
looks to me like Tupper Lake will become a rich man’s haven and the middle and poor classes will not be able to afford living here and will slowly be pushed out of the environment they have enjoyed all their lives.
Somehow I can’t picture a row of Harleys parked in front of that artist’s rendering.
While, I love the idea, Mark s mother, DOREEN S DREAM, OF A FANCY BAR/RESTAURANT, I D PREFER SOMETHING MORE ADIRONDACK THEMED/ STYLED to blend in with it s beautiful surroundings !!
I love the idea but the artist rendering doesn’t look like it’s leveraging the heritage of this iconic place, ADK architecture, design, or the Tupper Lake feel at all. More effort needs to be put into integration design.
That will stick out like a sore thumb in the area. Nice design for downstate.
If he builds the restaurant in that pic you will have to get to it by boat cuz there’s not enough land left for parking unless he gets into the wetlands and with the blue herons that live there it’s very unlikely. It’s not a very Adirondack to fit in next to the swamp n boat docks.