So, it’s about 2 in the morning, and I just left Bombers. We finally finished renovations. I’m very happy. I probably should be using exclamation points but I’m too tired to hit Shift 1.
Bombers Lark Street opens for business tomorrow for lunch and it looks so great I could cry.
I need to say this. I’ve worked with so many different construction guys throughout my professional lifetime, and there are two people who I keep calling over and over and over again. Their names are Joe Figliomeni (an electrician) and Phil Rowlands (a general contractor who is espeically amazing at carpentry).
I don’t know what I would have done without these 2 guys. As people, they are such genuinely nice, great guys. As professionals:
a.) they’re honest
b.) they take pride in the work they do
c.) they always have a positive attitude
d.) they never come to me with a problem, they come to me with a problem and a solution
e. and most importantly, they always finish the job on time… even if it means working night and day.
Plus, they put up with me. I have to tell you, I’m a fucking nightmare to deal with on a construction site. I obsessssss about the aesthetics of things so much that I turn into an absolute crazy person. I honestly couldn’t care less if the emergency exit lights work, just so long as they are centered above the door, are constructed of a nice quality metal, and they don’t give off bad lighting.
Lighting. I should write a post about my unhealthy attachment to good lighting. Ask anyone who works with me, I’m batshit crazy when it comes to the lighting in a place. Ku-ku-ku-KRAZY. It needs to be perfect. Candles lit. Lights dimmed. Soft, warm glows. It’s like this, if you are working for me, and you don’t pay attention to the lighting levels in the restaurant, then hop in the car because I’m bringing you to the unemployment office. I wish the following wasn’t the truth, but a waitress once let a candle go out, and I brought her to tears. In front of customers. On her birthday. And she was pregnant. With my baby.
But Phil and Joe understand that I’m nuts. And I know that theydo great work, so in my mind, it’s a great partnership. (but who knows, they could be writing their own blog as we speak saying, “Warning. Don’t ever work for that a-hole Matt Baumgartner. He made all my workers put up sheetrock in candlelight.)
So before I hit the hay, if you ever need a good electrician, I highly suggest calling Joe Figliomeni. And if you ever need a good contractor or carpenter, call Phil Rowlands. I’m gonna ask them tomorrow if I can post their phone numbers. I’m not sure if I should do that without their permission.
Good night, and maybe you can stop into Bombers this weekend for a beer. I’ll be there.
(but if you go downstairs, don’t look at the gigantic, PERMANENT, menu board I designed and put up on the wall tonight. Apparently I didn’t proofread properly and there are 2 spelling errors that are probably going to keep me up all night.)
Congratulations! It is amazing that all got done in such a short time. I’m looking forward to seeing it but please post some photos for those us that can’t make it in there right away.
Matt, I’m so excited to come see the renovations! I hope to stop in this weekend.
Speaking on lighting though, for lunch, could the lighting in the booths across from the bar in the Schnectady Bombers be slightly higher? I feel like I am eating lunch in the dark.
Can’t wait to see the new Bombers.
Best wishes on the re-opening. I can relate to being a “involved” client to the wonderful trades people of the world. My father worked in construction in design and drafting and has passed on his obsessive gene to his three children. We are so bad that we have to have all the screws on switchplates in our homes all going in the same direction – its either all horozontial or vertical…my are all vertical.
YAY for a newly renovated Bombers!!! happy you got it done and on time!!!
If we bring candles, do we get a free beer? Congrats on your timeframe!!
Congratulations on finishing on schedule! I can’t wait to check it out. Maybe I’ll get the co-workers together for lunch today. They love the wings!
Good for you, Matt!! I bet it looks beautiful.
I AM SO EXCITED! My mother(who resides in Springfield ,MA) went online and found bombers and bought me a gift certificate to the restaurant for Christmas (because she knows its one of my favorite places). She has asked at least twice a week since Christmas if I have used my gift certificate. Now I can!! Yippeeee
Great News
Nice to see you take the time and thank the people who put your ideas in motion and give them substance. Now that this is over please pick me to go to Panama
Thank You & carry on
I am so glad you wrote this, it is nothing but the truth- and don’t worry, I told Joe he’s on call for when the first light bulb goes out! :)
Haha-It’s hard to be a perfectionist & do things right in this day & age, isn’t it?? You Go!! Congrats! :)
Great to hear that its reopened!!! We’ve sure missed it!!!!
Congratulations — looking forward to checking out the new digs (and finding the spelling errors in the menu). ;)
So glad the renovations are done – I can’t wait to see it! Plus I’m psyched you’ll have more time to blog again! :)
Congrats, they pulled it off, great news, many doubted the opening including some posts on your blog. Now all involved in the project, get some sleep. Id love to come down tonight but fear a huge crowd.
Good luck.
Some co-workers and I plan to make you regret the new all you can eat taco special for lunch.
Yay!! Congrats!!! Can’t wait to see it!! I know Joe and he is a good guy, professional, honest… all those good things you said are totally dead on. Can’t wait for cheese fries!!!!!!
Congrats! I cannot wait to see it!!!!!!
Hey Matt, Congratulations on the renovations, I am sure the place will look great! I can’t wait to stop in a see it for myself. As for lighting, you are right on, it IS the most important thing, I agree with you 100%!
Live in FL… but I wish I could make the opening, as I read your blog daily and laugh OUT LOUD at my desk. I too, am a FREAK about lighting– in the home, no overhead lights ALLOWED. EVER.
But…spelling errors on a menu?
OUCH!
Do you remember that time you punched me in the face after I accidentally shut the lights off @ Noche?
With my baby… love it ~ you really were tired.
Congrats on the reno!
Can’t wait to see the changes, sounds like a lot of hard work was done!
…and as soon as you get parking, I’m there.
I agree w/ Wendy (#1). Please post pictures, Matt. It’ll be a while until I can get up to Albany from Philly and I really can’t wait. I am so excited for you.
Your blog just made me LOL reading the part about firing the waitress over the lighting (who was pregnant with your baby no less). To answer your mom’s question from previous blog comment asking if people actually believe everything they read on your blog all I can say is let’s hope the savvy reading can decipher the witticisms and shock value comments from the truth. Your blog always makes for a great lift to my day.
@ #9 – I cried to hear your mom gave you a gift certificate to bombers. Why cry?? … don’t know. Sentimental fool, I guess.
Aunt Janice
Yaaay!
I like to think you’re secretly working around my schedule… Bomber’s was closed for renovations the day after my birthday and is reopening the day of my boyfriend’s. Thank you, thank you, thank you for ensuring that I don’t have to hear about how I got sparklers for my birthday and he didn’t.
Ok, Ok, I’ll leave the Biergarten early so I can check out this Bombers place!
Hey Matt, I thought I saw you there last night. I was running up and down Lark Street last night trying to get people to buy tickets to go on a Moon safari. (no luck). Excited for tonight!
So, where are the sneak peak pics? Glad it’s finally done, maybe I’ll swing in this weekend.
Pics!!! Video!!! Please for those of us who live far way!! ;o)
Cant wait to check it out!
@ Aunt Janice – I’m crying from joy that I can have my happy hour Jimbo fix!! My mother knows what makes me happy. Jimbo @ Bombers = very very happy mee
Colleen – you must have a shitty shitty life….
So glad you are open for business and your lights are all on. . .. . .and my daughter will be able to pay her rent!
“And she was pregnant. With my baby.” I’d give my right……to be her right now.
“It
Congratulations. I agree with Michelle.. reading FridayPuppy makes me laugh too.
Matt,
You had me laughing out loud today. That is always a great way to start my day. I can’t wait to see Bombers. Your Grandmother will be happy that there are new bathrooms. She has obsessed for so long about the money you were losing because of the drip in the ladies room faucet.
I am a lucky Mom to have three sons who all have such a great sense of humor.
I love you!
Mom
Sweet!!! I cant wait. I hope theres more than one urinal!
I live with a lighting-obsessive so I can appreciate the patience your contractors have…good to know, and I’ll keep them in mind. Congrats on the completion
Yay! Congrats on renovating on schedule! And you really do have the cutest mom. I’m sure we’ll all forgive your misspellings (and I’m sure there’s a way to fix it).
Congrats Matt! I I think it’s great that you gave those guys a shout out. It’s like a breath of fresh air when there’s a problem with something and the person who brings it to you also has a solution in mind. That, in my opinion, is the mark of a true professional!
I cannot believe you finished a project like that, with such a tight schedule, on time. THose guys must be amazing. Congratulations! Very cool.
I laughed when I read #4. Barbara’s comments.
I thought I was the only person who cared about the orientation of the screws on electric switchplates. And verticle is best because you don’t catch your finger on the groove when you push the switch up or down.
I can’t wait to wrap my freezing fingers around a big fat burrito tee hee
Can’t wait to see pictures!!
@the Original Mike – f…..I mean, I was joking; of course I will go, frequently…oh and f…..I can’t do it folks, I can’t!
Matt,
Bombers Ver 2.0. Nicely done! Place looks great, the staff are, as always, the most amazing group of people. Thanks for adding some more wine selections..yet another reason now to not go further down Lark St. than your place..see you soon
Thanks Rosanne,now, I have the theme song to “My Three Sons”stuck in my head….hahaha…..Congrats Matt on the new/improved Bombers<3
Dear Matt,
Great news on the renovations. Glad to hear it went well and you survived. While reading this post I followed the link to bombers in hope of finding some new pictures, but all I got was a black page and a blue ? Box. I do moat of my web surfing on my iPhone and your bombers site is unable to be read via iPhone. This is because your beautiful website is all flash. (shame on apple on not coming to terms with adobe yet to deliver the flash experience on the iPhone). Have you considered getting an iPhone/ mobile device compliant website for your stores? I think it would be great( I know you are really busy). You could even make iPhone/ android apps for them or even this blog. It’s really easy there are websites that do all of it for you as long as you hve a website. Something to consider amongst all the other things you are working on.
i think joe & phil need to come finish my place!
Anybody able to report back on the renovations?
My husband and I ate the BEST lunch at the new and improved Bombers on Saturday! What a lot of work went into that renovation! As usual, the food was good, the staff was GREAT, and the lighting was perfect! Matt’s Mom – you did a great job – he is a wonderful human being!
Love the shout out to the construction guys.
‘I wish the following wasn
So I took the big guy there to eat- you should now be getting a paycheck :) Man- James can EAT! Anyway- my type A personality had to look at the board and search out the spelling errors- they aren’t hugely glaring so no worries but I did find them. The hubby was clueless because he was in Bombers heaven!
Love the new bombers and love you Matt!!