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W HEN LOCAL RESTAURA-teur Matt Baumgartnerannounced that he was

launching a clothing line, there seemed tobe two distinct reactions among peoplewho knew him. The first was unquestion-ing acceptance, as in: “Sure. Why not?”The second reaction was more like araised eyebrow and a quick shake of the

head, as in: “Huh?” Crossovers aren’talways accepted in our culture: We cringeat the model-turned-actress stereotype,and openly mock the aging-actor-turned-rock-star cliché with an all-knowing deri-sion that only the masses can so gleefullypossess. So, why should Baumgartner,

owner of multiple successful eateries,nightspots, and now the menswear com-pany Howes and Baum, be considered anydifferent?

Then again, for someone whoappears to succeed at almost everythinghe does, why not?

Originally from Utica, Baumgartnerattended Union College in Schenectady,

where he majored in Spanish and Eco-nomics. After graduating he worked forGeneral Electric in financial manage-ment, but left after just over a year. “Ihated it,” he says, sitting comfortably inhis Manhattan apartment where hespends about half of his time; the other

half is spent at his loft in Albany. After leaving GE, he opened Bombers

Burrito Bar on Lark Street with a collegefriend, Lynn Beaumont. During the yearthat he planned the new business, hedrove an ice cream truck in the Scotia-Glenville area.

“It’s not as much fun as you’d think,”he recalls. “The worst part was seeing the

kids not allowed to have ice cream look-ing at the kids who could.” WhenBombers finally opened in 1997, Baum-gartner happily said goodbye to thefrozen-treats truck and successfully builtwhat is now a familiar Capital Regionmainstay.

The next 15 years after Bomberswere a whirlwind for Baumgartner, whoopened up another four restaurants(Noche—which closed and eventuallyreopened as Wolff ’s Biergarten—theOlde English Pub & Pantry, andBombers Schenectady), launched ashort-lived weekly magazine (CityVoice), started a popular internet blog(Friday Puppy), franchised a Bombersin Troy, bought a fifth restaurant set tolaunch as Sciortino’s next week, anddeveloped a menswear line that hasalready been picked up in stores fromLos Angeles to Japan. Believe it or not,that’s only the short list. He also singswith the New York City Gay Men’s Cho-rus, gives to multiple charities, and doesweekly volunteer work with Gay Men’sHealth Crisis, an agency in New YorkCity that assists low-income people liv-ing with HIV.

Baumgartner looks like the guy whohas everything, and in most respects, hedoes. He is fit and attractive, and appearsto be healthy and happy. In addition to

his lengthy resume, he owns multiplereal-estate properties, including a condoin Panama that he has yet to visit. He hasa legion of fans and followers and a hand-ful of close and loyal friends who arefiercely protective of him. He drives anice car and wears fashionable clothes.

Rarely at rest: Baumgartnerin Frank, one of his favoriteManhattan eateries.

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Erin

Pih

laja

The well-known owner of several Capital Region restaurants andnightspots—as well as a new clothing line—talks about his passions andinsecurities, the tragedy that changed his life, and why he can’t sit stillBy Erin Pihlaja

Being Matt Baumgartner