When Greg Colon first spotted the former Vault space in Beacon, he knew he had to have it. “The patio, the parking lot—there’s not many places in Beacon that have this, literally less than a handful,” he explains. After an unsuccessful purchase offer three years ago, the stars finally aligned last fall when the previous owner decided to sell.
What Colon didn’t expect was finding the perfect partner right across the street. Kamel Jamal, who operates Ziatun, Beacon Bread, and the Station dispensary nearby, walked into Colon’s bar one evening just as he was contemplating the project. “I told him, I may be your neighbor across the street,” Colon recalls. “He was like, ‘Oh my God, I love that place. I look outside my window all the time at it.’”
“Everything aligned from that point going forward in such an organic way that it’s mind-boggling,” Colon says with a laugh. “I’m waiting for something terrible to happen.”
The two men brought complementary expertise to the venture. Colon has been running Draught Industries, a craft beer bar with one of the rarest tap systems in the country, for nine years after leaving corporate America following his father’s death. Jamal brings 17 years of restaurant experience, along with his wife, who is also a chef. “I’m clueless when it comes to the kitchen,” Colon admits, “and I wouldn’t say he’s clueless when it comes to the bar, but that’s where I really shine.”
A Vision for The Piggy Bank
Their vision for the space was born from a noticeable gap in Beacon’s dining scene. “The one thing I knew we needed in Beacon was a sports-oriented place,” Colon explains. When longtime sports bar Max’s closed, “there was nowhere if somebody asked, ‘Where can we watch games on right now?’ The answer would be, ‘Nowhere in Beacon.'”
But creating a sports bar wasn’t enough—they knew they wanted to serve the local community that often gets priced out of Beacon’s increasingly upscale dining scene. “All the places are geared now toward the New York City traffic that we automatically get from the train,” Colon observes. “There was definitely a lack of spots for locals where they felt welcomed and not priced out.”
Crafting The Piggy Bank Concept
The barbecue concept emerged naturally from their desire to offer something unique to the area and revive an establishment that was previously a local favorite. Rather than sticking to one regional style, they drew inspiration from the best of each tradition. “We didn’t really specifically stick to Texas style,” Jamal explains. “We did like our brisket—Texas is known for its brisket, so we did Texas-style brisket. Louisiana is known for their ribs, so we did the ribs the way they do in Louisiana. Everything was inspired by who made it the best.”
The four-month renovation process gutted the entire space, moving the bar from its original position in front of the vault to create a more seamless layout. “The bar was in front of the vault. It was too small,” Colon explains. “It was a cool setup because you were looking into the vault where it displayed the liquors, but your back is turned to the entire restaurant.” They kept the booth layout by the bay windows, though even those were custom-built to match their vision.
The custom bar became a centerpiece, built entirely in-house and designed to showcase Colon’s beer expertise alongside an elevated cocktail program. Working with bar program manager Jeff Battersby, they created a menu that features hand-squeezed juices and carefully crafted cocktails that complement barbecue flavors. “I think our bar is very special,” Colon says. “Beacon is very artistic, and cocktail programs in most places are outstanding, so we wanted to add both.”
Barbecue in Beacon
Since opening on April 24, the reception has exceeded their expectations. “It’s better than what I thought we would do in the initial month or two,” Colon says. “The coolest part is that people tell us without baiting them or asking them anything, ‘Hey, we love the space. We love the décor. We love the fact that it’s what’s missing in Beacon.'”
The Piggy Bank’s menu showcases their commitment to quality, with favorites including the Texas-style brisket that Jamal calls “something special” and surprisingly excellent mozzarella sticks featuring house-smoked tomato sauce. “The barbecue sauce—I think it’s one of the best barbecue sauces I’ve ever tasted,” Colon adds, while Jamel has developed a newfound appreciation for their Alabama white sauce: “I used to hate it, but ours is fire.”
Other menu standouts include the smoked chicken wings, which can be coated in your choice of sauce or the house dry rub. The pork sandwich is served on a pillowy sweet potato bun with punchy slaw and a chicken fried onion ring, and the cornbread side with cowboy butter is not to be missed.
They work with multiple purveyors to source the best possible ingredients, using different suppliers for different cuts of meat. “We’re doing as much as we can in service of getting our produce from local distributors, so whatever is feasible and in season—timing is everything—we source as local as possible,” Jamal explains.
A Space for Community
Looking ahead, the partners have ambitious but grounded plans. They hope to add catering services for private events and want to bring live entertainment back to Beacon. “We want to have a nice music program here,” Colon says, “and bring that back to Beacon because it was kind of somewhat lost when Dogwood closed.” Eventually, they envision a portable smoker and beer truck for off-site catering.
Perhaps most importantly, they’re committed to being genuine community members. “We’re local. We’re not coming up from the city and reinventing the wheel in the Hudson Valley,” Jamal emphasizes. “We’ve been rooted in Beacon for 17 years. We’re not fly-by-night. This is our community, and we’re not going to—if we fail—we’re not going to pack our bags and go back to the city.”
Their goal extends beyond just serving good food and drinks. “We wanted the new Beacon to understand why the old Beacon was the way it was, and we want the old Beacon to emerge and come out and really get back to that thing called community,” Jamal reflects. In a city that’s seen rapid change, The Piggy Bank 2.0 represents something both nostalgic and necessary—a place where longtime residents and newcomers can gather over exceptional barbecue, cold beer, and the shared experience of cheering for their teams.
The Piggy Bank is located at 446 Main Street in Beacon. For hours and more information, visit the restaurant’s Instagram @thepiggybank2.0 or call 845.440.3922.
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