Big plans for Mr. Bill’s

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer

Mike and Beatrice Greenough have been making a lot of changes since purchasing Mr. Bill’s Carhop in South Glens Falls from Jerry and Bonnie LaBarr on Aug. 31.

But while looking forward, they’re also looking back. Mrs. Greenough says she wants to build the carhop back to what it was when the original Mr. Bill (Bill Smith) owned it. “I know that when Mr. Bill had it from 2000 to 2014, this place was cranking,” she said.

The Greenoughs are new to the restaurant game but are familiar with running a business and have deep local roots. Both grew up in Hudson Falls, and the high school sweethearts married as teenagers. They’ve owned Greenough Paving in Hudson Falls since 1996.

Having been at it for so long, Mrs. Greenough says she wasn’t yet ready to retire, but she wanted something separate from the paving business that would provide a monthly income. She saw on Facebook that Mr. Bill’s was up for sale and jumped on it, intrigued by the establishment’s unique character.

“I like the carhop thing, the 1950s type thing,” she said. “It’s different. There’s nothing else in the area like it.”

The carhop, at 1720 Route 9 in South Glens Falls, was originally an A&W, opening in 1957. It later went by the name Zookie’s. Bill Smith bought and changed it to Mr. Bill’s in 2000. He sold it to Jerry and Bonnie LaBarr in 2014.

Mrs. Greenough wants to maintain and enhance the carhop’s old school feel, but the couple says they’ve poured nearly a quarter million dollars into upgrades.

They put in siding, a whole new parking lot (the paving experience came in handy!) and a new stereo system. They expanded the outside bathroom and made it handicap accessible. They put clamshell girdles in the kitchen. A brand new retro-looking sign is two months out.

Frozen burgers were replaced with a brisket and chuck blend, and other things on the menu have been changed to “a little better quality,” Mrs. Greenough said. And chicken wings have been added to the menu. “They’re awesome,” she said. “They’re probably even better than Buffalo Wild Wings. They’re huge. When I say jumbo, they really are jumbo. I’ve had so many people that are like, ‘wow, these are so good.’ And they’re very meaty.”

Other additions have included sausage and peppers and a pulled pork sandwich.

Despite the add-ons, they are still focused on the staple menu items. “I have to say I probably have the best burgers and fries,” Mrs. Greenough asserts.

Perhaps the biggest change implemented by the Greenoughs is that Mr. Bill’s, which has no indoor seating and has always operated seasonally, is staying open through the winter for the first time, offering takeout and delivery.

Mrs. Greenough says she decided to do that because Debbie Hayes, a good friend of hers and the restaurant’s manager, wanted to work year-round.

“I didn’t want to lose her by shutting down,” Mrs. Greenough said. “She’s somebody I can trust.”

It’s been a challenge to get the word out about this change since people in the area are so accustomed to Mr. Bill’s being closed during the winter. Mrs. Greenough is aware of this. “The first winter I knew was going to be ‘just pay the bills,’” she said, adding, “It’s a little slow, but I think people are starting to get it. It’s starting to pick up a little bit.”

All the while, they’re gearing up for summer. Outdoor seating and carhop service will reopen on April 1 and continue until Nov. 1.

Female staffers will wear poodle skirts. Cooks will wear 50s style bowling shirts.

Mrs. Greenough said the “girls” on the staff will be known as Mr. Bill’s Pink Ladies, while the “guys” will be Mr. Bill’s Greasers. 50s and 60s music will play outside the whole day.

“Car meets” will be brought back, where people can “drive their cars, hang out, grab a bite to eat, and have a place to gather.” There are plans for Elvis impersonator shows, bike nights, birthday parties.

“I want to be the fun place in town,” Mrs. Greenough said. “I want people to come here and feel like they kind of step back in time. And then for the people that never lived in that era, myself included, I heard all the stories, I want to be able to relive it.”

Mr. Bill’s is open now Thursday through Monday noon to 7 p.m. In the summer the carhop will be open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to anywhere from 8 to 10 p.m.

“I want it to be family oriented,” Mrs. Greenough said of the eatery. “I want people to come here and say, ‘let’s go grab a burger and hang out, and listen to the music, and, hey, they’ve got a show going on tonight.’ I just want it to be a place to go. Because there’s not a lot of places to go around here. I just kind of want to be known as the fun spot in town.”

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