Frenchtown Inn is sold to ArtYard founder

The Frenchtown Inn is changing hands. The Tomko family, which has owned the inn since 1996, announced the change on its website this week.
The historic Central New Jersey inn served its last meal on Sunday, March 6 and was closed on Monday. All reservations have been canceled and all gift cards will be honored by the new owner.
“For some time we have hoped to transition to a new phase in our lives,” the announcement said, “and now we are delighted to announce that Jill Kearney whom you may know as the visionary behind the Frenchtown ArtYard has agreed to buy the inn.”
The family praised Kearney’s respect for the town’s history and affection for its people and called her ownership a “perfect match.”
Kearney said she has purchased the inn to keep it as a gathering place for food and community.
“The Frenchtown Inn will be a separate entity,” she said, “not owned or operated by ArtYard, and it is my plan to be the landlady to two fabulous chefs who will be the successors to Colleen and Andy. I will be the caretaker of this beautiful building, and will not own or operate the restaurant, I am incredibly excited and grateful to announce that my good friends, Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, James Beard award-winning proprietors of the beloved Canal House Station will be creating a new adventure here.”

For their part, the chefs at Canal Station, Hirsheimer and Hamilton, expect to bring “simple seasonal cooking” with them to the inn.
“The details of when we will be carrying our pots and pans down the river to be determined by the renovation schedule,” they said. “Until our move, Canal House Station in Milford will continue normal service, then eventually be available for private parties, weddings, ‘think tanks,’ and other gatherings.”
Colleen and Andy Tomko called the inn the home where they raised their children and where generations of staff who like part of the family.
“We are so proud of the reputation we built and the awards we have won but the greatest reward is knowing that our life’s work made many lives happier,” the Tomkos said. They expect to stay in the area for the forseeable future.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us over the years to chat at the bar or tableside on our front porch. It was our pleasure,” the website said. And it was signed by Colleen, Andy, Paul, Danielle, Laura and Tom Tomko.

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