Leena's PLACE

Since she was a teenager, Jessica Morehouse has dreamed of owning her own restaurant. She started working in restaurants at age 14 and spent her entire career working in various restaurants, bars and clubs. She learned a lot along the way and is putting all that knowledge into making her dreams come true at Leena’s Place located at Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown.

Morehouse opened Leena’s Place in January after a tragedy that left her feeling like she had to seize the moment.

“Ever since I was little, I always wanted to open my own restaurant/bar. I lost my mom last year to sudden stage 4 brain cancer and it pushed me even harder. She wasn’t feeling well, and we took her to the hospital and was told she had two weeks to live,” said Morehouse. That was the catalyst to fulfilling her dream.

“There is no better moment than now,” she said. “Life’s too short and the only regrets in life are the ones we don’t take.”

Morehouse’s middle name is Lee and her mother and grandmother called her Leena since she was very young, so her business pays homage to the women who raised her.

Morehouse had been building up to opening her own restaurant for years.

“I have a mobile bartending and catering company which has been in business for almost 10 years now,” she said. “We travel the entire coast from Cape Cod and Maine all the way to Pennsylvania.”

Morehouse still operates her catering/bar service, but after her mother’s death, she knew it was time to take the leap and started looking for the perfect location.

“I am from Springfield, so I don’t know a lot about Belchertown,” she said. “The course is gorgeous, and the sunsets and views are amazing. It’s a hidden gem! From what I hear, there is not a lot in Belchertown. Before I decided on the location I had called and inquired several times before looking at it. I finally decided to look at it and immediately fell in love – there is so much potential.”

L eena’s Place offers a large indoor space as well as an outdoor patio, both of which are available for private parties. Having a good space with options was important to Morehouse, as was the menu.

“Our menu is very diverse and multi-cultured,” she said. “We are constantly running specials with different international cuisines. Our goal is do have a very unique and different menu.”

In addition to good food, Leena’s Place offers entertainment all year, including music bingo, trivia night, open Mic, comedy, live bands, acoustics, paint and sip and much more. Morehouse noted that local favorite band Trailer Trash is slated to perform Oct. 14 and tickets are available now.

Morehouse has not had much time to sit back and see her dream coming to fruition – she has been too busy making it happen.

“This new adventure has been a lot,” she said, “especially because we opened in the middle of winter months. We have had some super busy days and some slow days, but it has prepared us for when the course and spring comes. We post on the Facebook community forum and try to be receptive to all the feedback and the different entertainment people have requested. We also have later hours, which allows those who enjoy a latenight drink to come out and visit.”

Morehouse is still feeling out different types of events for the future.

“ We have a lot of family-oriented events that we are also excited to explore to see if the community will engage in those activities as well trunk or treat in the parking lot, maybe a movie and snack night, maybe a child’s paint night, decorating cookies – there is so much I want to do.”

LEENA’S PLACE, LOCATED AT COLD SPRING COUNTRY CLUB, 330 CHAUNCEY WALKER STREET, BELCHERTOWN. OPEN SUNDAY, 8 A.M.–10 P.M., MONDAY, 4-9 P.M., TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, 11 A.M. – 10 P.M., THURSDAY, 11 A.M. – 11 P.M., AND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 11 -12 A.M.