The History of the Publik House Restaurant

In the early 1930’s, a small white house was sitting on the corner of Route 9 and 9P, the gateway to Saratoga Lake. That same small house is still a part of this building today. To the right of the house was an open-air pavilion used as a German Beer Garden. Sometime after prohibition, the pavilion roof was moved next to the house, enclosed, and is now a dining room and the business reopened as a diner.

The Mastrioni family purchased the property in the mid 1950s and operated as Mary’s Pizza until the early 1960s. Marty Schantz then purchased the property in the early 1960s with the intention of opening a beverage center in the future. Meanwhile, Marty intended to rent the building. Having no luck finding a tenant, he contracted to have the building demolished and the property cleared. Just in the nick of time, the James brothers approached Marty and offered to renovate the building and operate as a restaurant. Billie, Bernie and Tommy reopened “The James Restaurant” around 1970. They operated until 1975 when June Green rented the property and opened “The Unsinkable Molly Brown’s.”

In 1977, James Ling and Rit Keith rented and opened “The Starting Gate”, which they operated until 1981. In 1981, T.L. Squadere signed an agreement with Marty Schantz to rent with the option to buy and continued doing business under “The Starting Gate.” In 1985, he changed thename of the restaurant to “The Publik House”. I purchased the restaurant from my aunt and uncle and have been living a dream ever since.

I would like to especially thank our loyal customers who we have had the pleasure to serve for the past three decades and look forward to serving for many more. Also, special thanks to my staff, particulary my grandfather (Joe Squadere Sr.) who at age 91 is the heart and soul of the operation, Karen for her 25+ years in the kitchen, my aunt & uncle, and my parents.

We Appreciate Your Business!

Joseph R. Squadere III, Proprietor