Downtown New Paltz offers a wide selection of places to sit down and have a cup of coffee, each with its own following. So, the recent change in proprietorship for “the Caf” at 58 Main Street will come as good news to some, alarming to others.

The engineer from McDonald’s may have thought the renovation of its New Paltz franchise would be a simple process. But planners have asked for parking lot connections and a design that would fit in with the community’s aesthetic. “New Paltz is not a strip,” said one planner. “We want New Paltz to be its own brand.”

Tasting some unfamiliar cheeses at your favorite deli or wines at your neighborhood liquor store are all well and good; but where do you get to slosh together samples of flavor-infused oils and vinegars to see how different combinations work together? In New Paltz, those in the know will point you to Scarborough Fare Fine Olive Oils & Gourmet Specialties, the North Front Street emporium for serious salad-makers. Only now, they’ll have to point slightly to the south: As of April 1, Scarborough Fare has moved across the street to #15.