Community Spotlight: Joe Mondella of The Lagoon on Growth, Gratitude & The Village Mall
In the heart of Lake George Village, where the water meets the bustling energy of Canada Street, Joe Mondella and his partners are doubling down on their commitment to the community. What started as a vision for a lakeside restaurant in 2018 has evolved into a major real estate venture that promises to reshape a cornerstone of the downtown strip.
We sat down with Joe - Co-Owner of The Lagoon alongside partners John Grillo and Mark French - to discuss their recent purchase of the Village Mall, the collaborative spirit of Lake George business owners, and his role with the Lake George Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
A Vision Fulfilled: The Village Mall Purchase
On January 30, 2026, Mondella and his partners officially closed on the Village Mall, transitioning from long-term tenants to owners. Since opening The Lagoon in 2018, the team had been leasing the space from the Quirk family. While they began with a 10-year lease, their internal goal was to own the property if the business thrived - which it has.
"We were excited to be able to do it," Joe says. "We did it a little before the lease ended. It’s exciting for us because we think there’s a lot of potential with the building and with expanding our business on the lake side."
The primary focus is a comprehensive makeover fueled by Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funding. The requirements include renovating the facades on both the Canada Street and lake sides, but they plan to upgrade the look and feel of the entire building and to expand The Lagoon as well.
"We consistently have, especially in the summer, tons of requests from people wanting to sit on our deck, but it doesn’t have the capacity," Joe explains. "Part of the idea behind purchasing the building was that now we’ll have the freedom to design expanded deck space."
The long-term roadmap includes:
- A third-floor deck with a bar and restaurant seating facing the lake
- Expand lake-level seating, in part to be able to accommodate larger parties
- Winterize the building to turn it into a comfortable, year-round destination
Joe anticipates keeping the current tenants there as long as they want to stay.
Helping Hands: The Cooperative Nature of Lake George
Joe and his partners undertook a massive renovation with The Lagoon between the winter of 2018, and when they had to open in early May of 2019. The renovation included the addition of a brick oven for pizza, a new kitchen, new flooring, and more.
“We basically had the construction crew working day and night. . .and right up until the last couple of days, we weren’t sure if we were going to make it," Joe recalls.
Fortunately, Jose Fiolmeno of the Lake George Beach Club and Brett Lange of Christie’s on the Lake - The Lagoon neighbors to the north and south - didn’t just offer well wishes, but rolled up their sleeves to get in there and help.
"They were in our bathroom putting our bathroom stalls up the last couple of nights before we opened, hammering nails, hanging things, hanging urinals. . it’s been eye-opening just how helpful and how supportive everyone has been."
Joe elaborates: “The majority of the businesses around us recognize that for us to be successful, people who vacation here cannot come and enjoy themselves in one place, and have us expect they're going to come back to Lake George. If every place isn’t at a certain standard, then the area isn’t going to be successful."
As The Lagoon can’t currently handle a lot of large groups because of the space issue until their expansion is complete, one way Joe reciprocates the support sent his way is by sending large parties to the Lake George Beach Club, The Lighthouse Grill, or other businesses he thinks they'll enjoy.
Strength in Numbers: The Lake George Chamber Board
Joe has served on the Board of the Directors for the Lake George Chamber of Commerce for the past three years.
The Board is a collection of the local economy, featuring representatives and business owners from hospitality, lodging, attractions, and more. Their mission is twofold: driving tourism, and ensuring the Chamber remains a financially responsible nonprofit.
“It’s been a great experience for me, because you get to talk to a lot of the other business owners and figure out what they’re doing. . .you get to kind of share some ideas and talk it through. Like, hey it would be great if the Village or Town could help us with this, let’s go talk to them together - it kind of gives us one voice.”
Joe emphasizes that most of the business owners in Lake George are in the same boat when it comes to making the area a year-round destination, and it’s important to work together towards that shared goal.
“We love it in February when there’s the Winter Carnival, but we’d love to be busy in December, January, and March as well. We’re all trying to work towards that.”
Joe Mondella, his partners, and fellow Lake George business owners and professionals are living proof that the Lake George community prioritizes collaboration and cooperation over competition.
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