Tail O' the Pup History

       The present-day Tail O' the Pup was originally built back in 1916 as cabin colonies and a tearoom where the present-day indoor dining room currently exists. The cabin colonies are thought to be one of the oldest cabin colonies in the country, but without a doubt, are the oldest most certainly the beautiful Adirondacks of NYS.  They were built by Grant and Cora Brown. 

The team room was a gentle place in a rustic setting and the cabins provided much needed sleep for wary tourists and the newly invented automobile.  It turned into a roadside hotdog stand sometime in the 40’s and continued operating as the roadside hot dog stand and the Evergreen Cabins through the 70’s. 

Mr Ed Yanchitis purchased the property from Cal Howard in the 1980’s and turned the property into the Lobster Clambake / BBQ Smokehouse theme that exists today.  He turned parts of the old cabins into the restaurant as the Desert Shed, Gift Shop and Bar were once cabins 1-3.  Ed brought in live music and advertised on a regular basis North of the border and well into southern NY and Vermont.  This advertising push, new dining theme, outdoor seating under the red and white tents nestled under 150-year-old white pines has attracted over 50K+ guests each summer.  There has literally been 40 years' worth of family pictures in front of the weather deteriorated, wood carved Larry Lobster, hence we still keep it up even though Larry has lost two claws over the past two summers.  

The property changed hands in the 2017 summer season and was again taken over during the Covid Summer by Blue Line Brewery (come join us in Saranac Lake) and the Gillis family.  We plan to keep the theme and menu the same, but instead simply serve fresher, bigger portions, made from scratch, reasonably priced meals in a fun family atmosphere.  We have slowly been infusing much needed TLC from cash flow into the restaurant and cabins (Don't ya' like the new picnic tables??).  Two of the cabins, as well as the bunkhouse have been winterized and operate on a year- round-basis.  We realize how special this place is for generations of families.   Long live the outside barbecue restaurant !!   We also offer BBQ Catering services.  We will work tirelessly in order to make Grant and Cora Brown, Cal Howard and Dr. Y proud and ensure that this place will last another 100 years & hopefully years after.  

The Gillis Family

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