Andrea Harwood-Palmer (2021)
Ash Anand, center, at the grand opening of his latest restaurant, The Bond 1786. His wife Jaime in the white shirt and Warren County Board of Supervisors Chair Rachel Seeber, in the grey coat, joined him.
Local businessman Ash Anand, owner of Lotus Companies, has purchased and renovated a pinnacle Warrensburg food, lodging and event venue and relaunched it as The Bond 1786. The grand opening ceremony was Thursday June 25.
The property, previously known as the Merrill Magee Restaurant and Inn, was purchased by Anand and thoroughly renovated before being relaunched. The property as a whole is known as The Bond, and the restaurant is known as 1786. The property is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Anand said many people ask him if he is a James Bond fan because of the name of the property.
In reality, the name is a tip of the hat to William Bond, the first settler of Warrensburg in 1786.
The name and its purpose also nods to the bonds we share with others over food and big life events like weddings. Anand said his venue plans to host weddings and other events. The property will soon host senior movie nights on a large projection screen on the lawn.
Anand said the venture was in part spurred by the sadness he felt when the Grist Mill Restaurant at 100 River St. in Warrensburg burned down last November. Anand, with his wife, Jaime, had purchased that property as well as two other buildings on River St. in 2015.
The vision had been to revitalize that section of Warrensburg, he said. He added that his hope is for Warrensburg to be a place where people come to visit specifically, not just a place they pass through. The fire occurred shortly after they completed renovations and opened the restaurant back up.
The blaze required dozens of firefighters from Warrensburg, Bolton and Chestertown to bring it under control, according to news reports at the time.
Anand is the owner of Lotus Group of Companies in Warrensburg, established in 2009. Corporate holdings include but are not limited to businesses in payroll, childcare, automotive repair, data analytics, and construction, as well as restaurants and rental properties.
“Though they may seem unrelated, all companies work to fill a gap in our community and aim to find a unique niche,” says the company’s website.
The Bond 1786 is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Rooms and event space are newly renovated and ready to rent.