For those who live or walk around the area of Foxhall Ave near the train tracks, you may be wondering about the business that has now opened at the former Lis Bar. This dark, stand-out building catches anyone’s eye, and as the only commercial restaurant in the vicinity, owners Anton Kinloch and Lisa Dy decided on the appropriate title “Lone Wolf.”

Although husband and wife owners Kinloch and Dy are new to the Kingston area, they are seasoned in the restaurant and bar business, having owned and operated the beloved Fuchsia Tiki Bar in New Paltz for four and a half years, when they faced an untimely closure last year.

“The closure of Fuchsia was not our choice, our landlord did not want to renew our lease … and we had that ball dropped on us one week after signing the lease for Lone Wolf,” said Kinloch.

This all happened in mid-August 2023, so they decided to pivot and put all their energy into opening up Lone Wolf as quickly as possible, while also providing a new workplace for their workers at Fuchsia Tiki Bar. Kinloch and Dy opened up Lone Wolf on November 3 in the heart of Kingston’s Midtown.

“We gave everyone the opportunity to come on board, and everyone took it except for one person because the commute for them was too much,” said Kinloch.

Kinloch and Dy acquired a lease for the building from the previous owners of Lis Bar, Johnathan and Patty Rich, city transplants who ran the successful spot for three years before shutting down during the pandemic. Having visited Lis, the couple enjoyed the unique look of the building and the dark, forest-inspired interior, paired with the welcoming community.

The duo had been actively looking to expand Fuchsia for over a year before its closure, but were unable to find a location in Kinloch’s hometown of New Paltz. Kinloch had his eyes on properties like the old Wells Fargo bank in downtown New Paltz, and, directly across the street, the newly-closed Shatzi’s. In June of last year, the couple decided to expand not only their location, but explored an entirely new concept that involved more of an elevated food and beverage menu than they had at Tiki Bar.

“After four and a half years of doing the same thing, it’s really refreshing to be able to do something that highlights my skills as an operator, bartender and chef, and to say I can do other things and should be known for other things,” Kinloch stated, who also said he “fills in all the gaps” in his business, such as being the bartender, cook, plumber, and even human resources manager.

The original plan to run both places in tandem unfortunately fell through; but only for the time being. “We are still actively looking for a home for Fuchsia Tiki Bar, but we are focusing all our time and resources into getting this place up and running smoothly, and then relaunching the Fuchsia brand in New Paltz, Poughkeepsie or someplace else,” Kinloch said.

Kinloch is a New Paltz native, and went to school to study business management at Utica, where he met Dy, who was also studying business management. Afterwards, Kinloch pursued a degree in the culinary arts from the CIA, where she now works as part of the Human Resources team across all three campuses. That was 17 years ago, and since then Kinloch has worked in management positions at notable restaurants like Mariner’s Harbor in Kingston, and handled beverage operations at a casino in Utica, where he fell in love with customer service and the cocktail scene.

Hospitality is definitely Kinloch and Dy’s forte, having garnered a healthy following to Fuchsia — folks from the five boroughs to Albany who were devoted enough to travel to enjoy their signature cocktails and curated menu. Since opening Lone Wolf, Kinloch said that business has not only been thriving, but he’s pleased to be considered a community favorite.

“Being in a more residential area is tremendously beneficial because we have built-in clientele who have seen myself and my staff here for the last few months. People are excited to see something new in the neighborhood, and we’ve made efforts to get to know our neighbors, introduce ourselves and have them come here and see the space or have a drink on us so we can form that relationship early on.”

The owners not only cater to their customers, but to their staff as well, providing them with the unique opportunity to collaborate with them on menu and drink items. “We encourage them to put together an idea and present it to us. We will purchase any ingredients for them and want them to explore and be creative,” adding that “You get more positive results when you empower people to do what they like.”

Some signature drink and menu items include their Mai Tai, spicy tuna crispy rice, and the hot honey chicken, which is fried in rice flour in their designated gluten free fryer. Everything is tapas style, which encourages guests to have a cocktail and a couple small bites before hitting Broadway for a larger dinner elsewhere, making Lone Wolf a great place to start, or end, your evening.

Currently, they are open Wednesday through Monday; 5-10 p.m. on weekdays and 1 or 2 p.m.-11 p.m. on weekends. Lone Wolf is located at 240 Foxhall Ave; check them out on Instagram: @lonewolfkingston, or online: lonewolfkingston.com