The Fathers of the Mansion at Colonial Terrace

When Leon Drogy graduated from Dickinson College in 1991 he wanted to work with his father, but his dad Alan told him he could not join the family business just yet.

“I can’t teach you more than what I know,” Alan Drogy told his son twenty years ago. Alan, now 67 years old, told Leon, now 41, to go learn more and bring it back to the family business - running the Mansion at Colonial Terrace in Cortlandt Manor. The Mansion has been in the family since 1945 when Alan’s wife Sheila’s father took ownership of the beautiful colonial building.

Leon took his father’s purposeful rejection and went on to a successful career working sales for places like Tavern on the Green and the Russian Tea Room in New York City before he decided it was time to join his father back in his hometown in 2005.

“I didn’t think he would be as successful as he was,” Alan said of Leon with a smile.

Since 2005 Alan, Leon and Sheila have successfully run the Mansion and made it through one of any catering hall’s worst nightmares - a disastrous fire in February of 2008, which was then followed by the financial crash just four months after they reopened of May in that year.

“That affected all of our 2009 and some 2010 sales,” Leon said.

“But our sales for next year are above average,” Alan said of 2012 sales. Leon added that sales for fall of 2011 are above average as well.

Part of the Mansion’s appeal is that it is family owned and operated, which the Drogy’s take very seriously. Alan has two children in addition to Leon and Leon has two daughters, 13 and 11 years old.

Leon explained that next weekend his cousin is getting married in Massachusetts.

“My brother is flying in, my sister, my aunts, uncles, cousins – the whole family is going and guess who is not going to go?” Leon asked. “Me.”

Alan said; “well, it’s my turn to go to the wedding.”

The pair takes turns attending family weekend events because they have made a commitment to having either father or son at every Mansion occasion.

“An event would run just fine whether we are here or not but it is a psychological thing for the bride,” Alan said, explaining that they spend a year preparing events and know how important it is for clients to see one of them on their big day, be it a wedding, Bat Mitzvah, or christening.

“The best part of the job is that we get to see everybody on happy days,” Leon said.

Recently a bride came to the Mansion to plan her wedding and told Alan he did'nt recognize her.

“You threw me my christening,” she told him.

“I told her, ‘well, you’ve changed,’” Alan said as Leon joined him with a laugh.

Like this bride, many families have thrown multiple parties at the Mansion. The Drogy’s explained that all of the 60-year-old plus crowd that threw their children’s Bat Mitzvahs and communions are now watching those same kids throw their children sweet sixteen parties and christenings.

“I help bridge the generations,” Leon said. “My friends and people my age like the opportunity to talk to someone who grew up in the same generation as them.”

Leon handles most of the sales aspect of the business and Leon runs the administrative and behind the scenes work. They have found success with the family parties and events, as well as corporate events but are now working to bring in even more business and conference events. The Drogy’s said they have equipped the Mansion with the audio-visual capabilities required for such events.

“So you don’t have to go down county for something like that,” Alan said. “We can have it right here.”

But for this past weekend, the Drogy’s threw a Cortlandt Little League Award dinner, an engagement party, a Sweet 16, a Bat Mitzvah and today, a Father’s Day brunch. And that is a typical weekend at the Mansion.

The work keeps them busy and requires a lot of dedication, and they agreed that it can be a challenge to work with family, but both said they try their best to avoid stepping on each other’s toes.

“And our egos get checked at the door,” Alan explained.

As the two took time to chat about the family business with Patch, both had small details on their mind, politely interrupting the conversation to ask employees rushing through the room to double-check the number of pitchers on the bar, the food in the kitchen and other important party details.

Both were careful to make sure everything would be in order for the dozens of hungry children that would be rushing in to the Mansion to receive their awards.

While egos may be left outside, pride is something both father and son take in their work, and it shows in their success.

To inquire about the Mansion at Colonial Terrace's availability visit their website here.