Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer
O’Malley’s Log Grill at 35 Main St. in South Glens Falls closed two years ago. Jerad Ross, grandson of founder Michael O’Malley, is reviving the legacy.
“It’s one of the oldest bars in the area,” Mr. Ross said. “My grandpa started it 48 years ago.”
When Michael O’Malley passed away seven years ago, Mr. Ross’s aunt Helen Meade “tried to keep it going, but it was tough,” he said.
Now the grandson, a property investor and owner of JROSS Construction in Lake Luzerne, is reopening the restaurant he knew so well since being a kid.
“Keep it in the family, keep the tradition, so the next generation, my kids, can take it over and so forth,” Mr. Ross says. “I’d just hate to see it leave.”
He said his grandpa “put his sweat equity and his whole life into building O’Malley’s Log Grill.”
He says he’s “keeping it the same O’Malley’s feel, what everyone misses,” while modernizing with a new bar, fresh lighting, new TVs, an updated kitchen, new floors, new tables and a 10-foot projector. A second floor to host events is also under construction.
Mr. Ross said he’s doing “like 99% of the stuff” himself.
One thing that will remain the same is the pool table. “All of the pool sharks have been hounding me, ‘you’ve got to keep the table, don’t move it!’” Mr. Ross says.
What also will remain from the old days is the corner portion of the bar where Mr. O’Malley always sat. The burn marks from where he butted out his “peace pipe” on the bar are preserved under a layer of epoxy.
“When everyone comes in, he was always sitting right here,” says Mr. Ross.
The interior aesthetic also remains.
“You come in, it’s like the log feeling,” Mr. Ross says. “It’s all wood inside.”
They’ll serve “pub food” including chicken wings and burgers.
“We’ll have great food, trust me,” Mr. Ross says. “I don’t know exactly what it’s going to be, but it will be good food.”
Pricewise, “I want people to come back. Really, it’s not about making a million bucks. I just want everyone to be happy. So it’s going to be very reasonable.”
They’ll serve lunch and dinner, and a late night menu will be offered.
“We’ll have draft, IPAsl between 8 and 12 taps. We’ll have pretty much all specialty drinks,” said Mr. Ross.
“We’re trying to make it a good environment where people working hard can come and enjoy themselves.”
Mr. Ross says, “We’re excited for the new adventure. I’ve met so many people trying to get a hold of me, excited. There’s been hundreds of different people reaching out, just super excited to come back and check it out.”
“I feel like it was a trademark. O’Malley’s was a thing ever since I was a kid; everyone always talked about coming here.”
Mr. Ross says, “I feel like this side of the hill, there’s like, not much going on over here. So I’m glad to be able to bring some more life into the area for South Glens Falls so people aren’t traveling to Lake George or all the way down to Saratoga.”
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