Hemingway’s sold at auction for $55,000

By Lucia Suarez
STAFF WRITER | May 18,2013

 Rutland Herald 

Vyto Starinskas / Staff Photo

Bidders line up at the Hemingway's auction on Friday morning.

KILLINGTON — What was once considered the Killington area’s most upscale restaurant has a new owner.

In a lively auction Friday morning, Hemingway’s Restaurant was sold for $55,000.

The buyer declined to identify himself, but auctioneer Thomas Hirchak said he has purchased other properties in previous auctions.

The auction kicked off promptly at 11 a.m. with four interested buyers present and another participating by phone.

“This is a foreclosure sale,” said the auctioneer before starting. “We have no direct knowledge of the condition of the property.”

Hirchak, with a bit of flair, began the bid at $200,000. When nobody jumped he quickly dropped the price to $75,000, then to $50,000.

“You can have a commercial kitchen,” he said, trying to entice buyers to make a bid.

Nobody bit, which forced Hirchak to lower the price more. As he tried to get $40,000, the buyer on the phone offered $25,000.

Representatives for the bank said they would not be bidding and two other bidders bowed out, leaving the phone bidder and one other — who at one point pulled out a harmonica and played a very short tune.

The bids started to climb: $30,000, $32,500, $34,000. The bids quickly approached $48,000.

“I have 48, looking for 49,” Hirchak repeated several times, asking for a bid of $49,000. It did not come because the bidders began raising by $500, and hesitating every time.

Still, the price climbed slowly until it reached $55,000 and Hemingway’s was sold.

“They made me work for it,” Hirchak said after the auction.

After nearly 30 years in business, owners Theodore and Linda Fondulas closed the restaurant two years ago.

The couple owed two loans and interest totaling $295,746, which prompted People’s United Bank, the restaurant’s mortgage holder, to seek a foreclosure judgment from Rutland civil court.

Back taxes totaling $33,813 were also owed to the town of Killington.

Hemingway’s, a four-star restaurant named after writer Ernest Hemingway, was known for its New American cuisine with a French and Italian flair. It was also known for its extensive wine collection.

lucia.suarez