About Us
A New Paltz Cornerstone
Travel Back
…to the Spring of 1900, the year that local builder John H. Hasbrouck and his men constructed a 50′ x 28′ two story building at the site where P&G’s currently resides. Look around and begin to imagine. The first floor featured a fountain with water softly falling into a cobblestone basin, enhanced with goldfish and blooming water lilies, the effect was exotic. Palms were placed liberally throughout the room, providing an air of privacy for those seated at the groups of small tables and chairs.
The Blue Crane Inn
By 1921, the Casino became the Blue Crane Inn, hosting lively nights with jazz every Wednesday and Saturday. The Highland to New Paltz trolley folded in 1925, and cars allowed people to travel beyond the trolley lines. While New Paltz and the Inn lost their “captive” audience, the Blue Crane Inn continued welcoming guests and remained a popular spot well into the 1930s.
Others Tried
Over the next two decades, the building hosted various businesses, including Carroll’s Clothing, Akins Drug Store, Schaffert Real Estate, The Maria Shop, and Dick’s Bar and Grill. In 1947, Pat Cafferty and George Jayne purchased Dick’s Bar and Grill, renaming it Pat & George’s, or simply “P&G’s,” quickly earning a loyal following among locals.
The Stormy Years
One of the best things to happen to P&G’s occurred in 1951. An ex-Dodgers baseball player named Storm Nickerson became the bartender. Stormy, as he was affectionately known, became something of a legend. His kind heart, good humor, and generous spirit made P and G’s the one place that welcomed all from the harsher outside world into a refuge for college students, business people, local characters, and even for a while in the 1960’s, “bikers”. According to one source,
Ed Beck’s Party
In 1969, Edwin Beck bought P&G’s. His first weekend as owner was completely successful. The following weekend, however, the place was deserted. A disheartened Beck couldn’t understand what he had done to alienate everyone – and so quickly! He was relieved to learn it was simply a matter of poor timing; everyone was away mud-wallowing in a farm field in Bethel, NY … a music festival, or something …
P&G’s – It’s Official
The name, Pat & George’s, was officially changed to P&G’s in the 1980s by Ed Beck and his son, Mike. In 1985, Mike bought out his father’s interest. In January 1994, he undertook extensive renovations making the building exterior appear more as it did in 1900 when it was The Casino. In 2019 P&G’s closed for three weeks and underwent a substantial renovation. The space occupied by Cindy Ricci’s Barbershop for 24 years was incorporated into P&G’s, allowing for a larger bar area and an expanded
The Third Generation
In February of 2020, Mike’s son (Mike Jr.) and daughter (Kristen) took over P&G’s from their father, making them the third generation of Becks to own and operate the business since Ed’s purchase in 1969.
