After selling his interests in the Beekman Arms in 1927, Wally Foster moved west to Nevada for a few years. When he came back, he bought the old Village Tavern in 1933 and turned it into Foster’s Tavern. (The Village Tavern was said to be Col. Jacob Ruppert’s favorite “watering hole.” Ruppert, if you don’t already know,  owned the NY Yankees as well as Ruppert Brewery.) In 1941, Foster completed a major renovation, including adding the equestrian theme that we still see today. Wally was an ardent horsemen. He gave riding lesson from the barn behind the BA when he owned that property. He also served as a judge for the Dutchess Co. Fair’s harness races for at least 21 years. Wally sold the coach house in 1954 to Gertrude Sampson and her son, Howard Rust. In 1965, Bob Kirwood & his family assumed ownership. After Bob passed away, his daughter Phoebe took over. In 2017, she sold Foster’s to Elijah and Neil Bender.