This week we’re catching up with Paul Bricoccoli Jr! You’ll recognize him from Glens Falls favorites Bullpen Tavern and Talk of the Town. He shares his version of a perfect day in and around the city, some great memories from childhood (anyone remember Burns Newsroom?!), the one thing he thinks downtown needs, and so much more…
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Paul Bricoccoli Jr. My beautiful wife is Johnna and we have 2 daughters, Sofie, 10 and Livia, 5. I own Talk Of The Town and The Bullpen with my 3 best friends from high school - Scott Endieveri, David Krogmann Jr. and Jason Krogmann. We opened our first Bullpen together in Lake George in 1994. We also have owned a Bullpen and The Horseshoe Inn in Saratoga in years past.
On Social Distancing
This period of social distancing has been interesting to say the least. We kept our businesses open for takeout, but it has certainly been different. Our places are both iconic and extremely social places. We have customers who spend a lot of time at our places and they feel like family. It's always hugs and handshakes, so not seeing all our regulars has been pretty depressing.
Personally, my wife and daughters have been pretty happy to have me home a lot more than they are used to. I have always liked to drink beer, but during this crisis I feel like I've been drinking an inordinate amount and it shows on my waist! We did get a bunch of projects done and some serious cleaning in both our businesses. We replaced the rug at Talk Of The Town which is a big project and would require closing for a few days. Just doing takeout allowed us to do the work without closing.
On Life in Glens Falls
I was born and raised in GF and graduated from GF High. My parents still live in the house I grew up in on Elizabeth St. It was a fantastic street to grow up on. Little traffic allowed for street hockey, football, kickball, skateboarding and bike riding very safely and constantly. I walked to school with my friends from K-12th grade. I went to college and graduated from the University of Buffalo. After college I lived a few different places. Two of my partners and I spent a year in West Palm Beach waiting tables and pretty much just having fun. We always wanted to end up back in this area so we moved back. In high school, we worked for Mayor Blais in Lake George at his arcade and remained and still are friends with him today. He actually suggested the spot where we opened our first Bullpen in LG, so we always like to give him some credit for our start and success.
We have lived in our house on Dixon Rd for 19 years. The best thing about our neighborhood, without question, is Kensington Road Elementary School. I have been able to walk my oldest daughter to school just about every day in any kind of weather. It is undoubtedly my favorite part of the day and the most enjoyable conversations I get to have. I look forward to continuing this with my younger daughter when she starts Kindergarten this fall (hopefully). The school itself is filled with wonderful people. We are so fortunate to have such a great place for our kids to grow and learn.
Some Glens Falls Favorites
My favorite thing about GF is the friendliness of the people. It drives my wife a little crazy, but I can have some of the most amazing (and lengthy) conversations getting gas, at the grocery store, at a Thunder game, wherever. I just love talking to people in our community from all walks of life.
A hidden gem would be the alleys in the Horicon/Lincoln/Coolidge neighborhoods. The blocks are separated behind the houses by these cool alleys. We loved riding our bikes through them as kids and as one of the Race Directors for the GF Urban Assault, I couldn't wait to make them part of our course.
A Perfect Glens Falls Day
My perfect GF day... that's a hard one as I've had a lot of pretty cool days here. I'd start the day teaching a spin class at the YMCA (I've been doing that for 14 or so years). I could do a whole story on just the Y and what I think it means to our community. Next would be a stop at Stewart's for a coffee or maybe Sam's Diner for a breakfast sandwich from my friend Pete Brock. Then I’d cash up at both places and make sure everything is ready for the day. Grab the family and my dog Sugar and head into Cole's Woods or Rush Pond for a little walk in the woods. For lunch I'd let the kids pick. They love to stop at The Bullpen so my sister Aunt Pammie can make them something delicious or Talk Of The Town for grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. My youngest also loves The Silo. The past few summers would be a trip to Great Escape for a couple of hours with our season passes or maybe a little ride on our friend Buzzy's boat on Lake George. If the Yankees are playing a day game, catch the last couple innings with my dad and a couple beers. Drop the kids at my parents house, grab the bikes and the wife and head downtown. We've done takeout from Radici a few times and can't wait to have dinner there, seated at the bar. After dinner, we’d have a drink at any one of the fantastic spots downtown, Craft on 9, Downtown Social, Fenimore's at The Queensbury, and always a nightcap at Bullpen.
On the Past
Memories of Glens Falls would include my first haircut in a barbershop on Warren St by a guy named Johnny "Hottsie" Sommo. He was also a basketball referee. My father was a teacher and coach at GF High and in the winter he worked the scoreboard for basketball games. I got to go to every game and the gym seemed so loud and gigantic, I loved it! Another memory is Sunday trips to Burns Newsroom. I think it was in the space next to Farmacy. We'd go Sunday morning to get different newspapers and I would get a comic book or baseball cards.
on the Future
I guess that would be the one thing I'd love to see downtown is some sort of convenience/grocery store. Downtown living has exploded in recent years and I think some sort of market would be great.
I guess to close, I am just so proud of what downtown has done in the last decade or so. All the work that has been poured into the buildings to give it a fantastic old school but cool look. The Wood Theater has been a huge addition, it is an amazing cultural attraction and the perfect size for downtown. Stores like Fountain Square Outfitters and Finders Keepers are not only great retail spots, they are run by wonderful people who have a genuine love for our downtown. I count my blessings everyday that I've been fortunate enough to stay in business for 25 years in my hometown with my best friends, have some success and help lead the revitalization of downtown.
Special thanks to The Julie Snyder Team - Howard Hanna Real Estate Services for helping to make this series possible!
For 15 years, Julie Snyder has been an experienced top producing Realtor serving buyers and sellers in and around the Glens Falls and greater Adirondack Region. She is recognized as being in the Top 5% of Realtors in the Nation.
Whether clients are selling their home, looking for a home for the very first time or they're seasoned investors, her team works tirelessly to accommodate their needs and exceed their expectations. The Team is incredibly well-versed in the area's housing market and always manages to find their clients those hidden gems.
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