After being vacant for nearly six years, the building on the corner of one of the busiest intersections in Farmingdale reopened as the Library Cafe in late October. The coffeehouse chose its name appropriately as the location on the corner of Main and Conklin Streets in Farmingdale was once home to the Farmingdale Public Library, which moved to Merrits Road back in 1994.

For years, residents in the Farmingdale area wondered what would fill the abandoned building and rumors spread around the community as to what the facility would become. After much anticipation, the building was purchased in 1998 and construction plans began this spring.

The cafe is owned and operated by the Lessing family of Farmingdale, including Jack, Mark and Larry Lessing. The Lessings purchased the building that now houses the cafe approximately two years ago and remained in the planning stages until this past May. For the next six months, the cafe was under construction and opened its doors to local residents this past October.

At their grand opening ceremony, owner Jack Lessing and cafe manager Mark Lessing were joined by Farmingdale Village Mayor Joseph Trudden, Deputy Mayor Benjamin Giminaro, trustees Marialyce Denauski and Vincent Sotis and Village Clerk John Giordano, who conducted a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of the cafe's grand opening.

The Library Cafe serves all types of menu items expected to be found at an American eatery establishment. They have everything from hamburgers, steaks and fish to desserts and coffee items, open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

The Library Cafe is open seven days a week, with food serving hours from 11:30 a.m. when they open for lunch until midnight from Sunday to Thursday. On the weekends, Friday and Saturday nights, food service usually ends at 1 a.m. but according to one manager the bar generally remains open until late hours of the morning.