sarah p.
Yelp
Let me preface this review by stating that I am from a small town where a primary source of funding into the economy is from tourism and I completely understand the up and down side to the tourist vs. local relationship and how frustrating it can be from both perspectives.
Last night, I had the pleasure of meeting Shane, who described himself as a general manager at Sole East as well as close friends with the owner. I began speaking with him when I heard him saying (very loudly) disparaging things about the owners at Ruschmeyers, Surf Lodge, and Sloppy Tuna.
We are all entitled to our opinions about the "experience" of places like this but the "facts" that he shared about these people and their actions and relationship to Montauk were completely off-base and without merit. One of his "facts" was that Surf Lodge was purchased for 900 Million Dollars. Riiiiighhhhht. This was one of a dozen assertions about people he admitted he had never met where he questioned their character, called them scumbags and completely disparaged their names with information that was as ludicrous in nature as Surf Lodge being worth 900 million.
He then launched into a diatribe about how horrible all of us Manhattanites are. This is where it gets interesting.
I of course made all of the logical points - Sole East likely makes a majority of their hotel revenue off of people like me, who live in the West Village and summer in Montauk. I pointed out that although we certainly respect the local culture we are coming here for an escape, to relax, to unwind, which is the nature of many beach communities.
This is when he stated definitively and repeatedly (and still at a volume where you could hear 2 blocks away) that (this is his emphasis, not mine) HE AND THE OWNERS OF SOLE EAST DO NOT WANT ANY WEST VILLAGE OR MANHATTANITES VISITING THE ESTABLISHMENT. THEY DO NOT WANT US STAYING IN THEIR HOTEL, THEY DO NOT WANT US EATING AT THEIR RESTAURANT AND THEY MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT US DRINKING AT THEIR BAR. EVER.
I promised to keep my west village self away and he then requested that I inform ALL OF THE REST OF MANHATTAN that they SHOULD NEVER COME TO SOLE EAST.
Again, the caps are his emphasis, not mine. So Manhattan, you've been warned. Sole East doesn't want your money, your business and their manager, Shane, would prefer you take your business elsewhere.
This guy was so insulting i'd recommend you heed his advice. They don't deserve our $$.