NEW YORK – The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA), has permanently revoked the liquor license for a New Paltz establishment that has committed numerous infractions, including serving alcohol to underage patrons. P&G’s on Main Street in New Paltz had their license suspended in March after state investigators and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office raided the establishment on March 15, 2024. The business, in operation since 1969, had its license canceled by the SLA at a full board meeting on April 25, 2024.
The license suspension occurred at an emergency meeting of the SLA on March 21 where SLA General Counsel Shannon Kearney Sarfoh recommended the suspension, noting that the investigation into the premises was ongoing. The original Mid-Hudson News coverage of the suspension, including the list of reasons cited by the SLA, can be found here.
On April 25, the license holders, Michael Beck Jr., and his sister Christen Beck, appeared at the full SLA Board hearing, along with their father, Michael, the former license holder, and two attorneys; John O’Connor and Martin Mailer. According to testimony, O’Connor is a Hudson Valley attorney who tended bar at P&G’s in 1990.
Attorney Mailer pleaded with Commissioner Edgar DeLeon and Chairwoman Lily Fan to give the bar one more opportunity to correct the wrongdoings that began, according to Chairwoman Fan, when the current licensees, took over the establishment from their father. Mailer told the board that the family wished to return to their former business model, serving as a restaurant with only background music with no karaoke or live entertainment. By allowing the return, Mailer said, “This will never, ever, ever happen again.”
Attorney O’Connor sought to explain the issues of fake IDs on the night of the raid to “a rogue doorman” who was working at the bar that night.
The SLA was not convinced by any of the arguments presented by the attorneys for P&G’s, noting that the Beck family owned the building at 91 Main Street. After telling the family “You destroyed your own brand – we didn’t do that,” Chairwoman Fan encouraged the family to try again. “Since you own the building, you can re-brand and try again,” Fan said before joining with DeLeon in canceling the liquor license for P&G’s.
