There is a big hole in the business district on Old Northern Boulevard in downtown Roslyn. Last fall, Friend of A Farmer, the popular eatery which had been in the village since 1992, shut its doors and relocated to Locust Valley.

Terry Morabito, the restaurant's proprietor, blamed high rent and overhead costs in general for the move. The rent, he said, was running into the range of $20,000 a year, a number that had become a bit too much for the business to handle. Plus, the building, he said, remained in "total disrepair."

Morabito related that he had been "fighting with the landlord" over several undisclosed issues since he first moved to Roslyn. "The location was beautiful," he said of the building, which stood on 1350 Old Northern Boulevard, "but it was time to leave." Other overhead costs, especially heating and electricity, also contributed to the decision to find a new location for the restaurant. "Working for a landlord didn't make sense after a while," Morabito said.

However, the proprietor said he had no problems with the village government in Roslyn or the clientele, which was based mainly in the Roslyn area, but also came from all parts of the North Shore and even from Queens County. Morabito said the village's perennial parking problem was an issue for him, but that did not contribute to the decision to leave Roslyn.

Morabito had nothing but good things to say about the current administration in the village, and even past ones. Plus, he noted how supportive the people in Roslyn had been throughout the entire 11 years Friend of A Farmer was in the village. "Everything is fine with the village," Morabito said of the town Friend of A Farmer once called home.

The new restaurant is located at 1 Buckram Road in Locust Valley. Friend of A Farmer also has a Manhattan location, at 77 Irving Place on the East Side.

The Locust Valley restaurant is located in an old building that has been reconstructed to its original style. Morabito also said it has a front porch with room for up to 30 people. He had hoped to open the new restaurant in October, around the same time he left Roslyn, but the renovation work was enough that the new Friend of A Farmer didn't open until last month.

Even though it has a new location, the restaurant is very similar to the one that stood in Roslyn. There will be the usual menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a brunch on weekends. The new Friend of A Farmer plans to open both a full bakery and to also have delivery services with smoked items on the menu.

In addition, the Locust Valley restaurant will have three fireplaces and a bar. The fireplaces were a distinguishing staple of the Old Northern Boulevard location. They stood apart from a large back window and dining area that offered the clientele an especially attractive view of the Roslyn Duck Pond. For now, a "For Lease" sign hangs on the empty building at 1350 Old Northern. Only time will tell what type of new business will fill its premises.