Hobnobbin' Pub to close; new pub to open at site

A Town of Poughkeepsie pub and local institution will close its doors, but a new restaurant drawing from the area's history is expected to open in the same location.

Hobnobbin' Pub, with a nearly 30-year history in the town, will have its final last call on Oct. 31, according to a post on the pub's Facebook page.

"After 27 years of friendship, community, laughter, tears, celebrations, great food, drinks and hangovers, Hobnobbin’ Pub is closing its doors for good," the post said.

But Bob Dooley, 58, of the City of Poughkeepsie, purchased the property with plans to open a new restaurant and bar with an old name — Gibson's.

The property, situated at the intersection of Vassar Road, Spackenkill Road and Route 376, near the Red Oaks Mill Shopping Center, had been up for sale for more than a year, leaving the pub's future uncertain, according to Journal archives. Merrick Egan, pub owner, was unavailable for comment Friday.

After Dooley learned that 11 Vassar Road was up for sale, he felt the location was perfect for a new restaurant and bar. Dooley went to contract on the property in May, and he hopes to open Gibson's within a week of the pub's closure.

Gibson's will reflect the building's history as Gibson's Colonial Inn, which opened in 1934 prior to Hobnobbin' Pub, Dooley said. The restaurant is planned to feature American pub fare, but with a larger menu, Dooley said.

Dooley said he has reached out to employees at Hobnobbin' Pub to offer them positions at Gibson's.

"I've reached out to the employees, and I hope to make it as smooth a transition as possible for them," Dooley said.

Dooley was a former co-owner of Mahoney's Irish Pub in the City of Poughkeepsie, and he was a principal with R.J. Dooley Realty, which owned Dooley Square in the city before filing for bankruptcy in 2009, according to Journal archives.

The news of Hobnobbin' Pub's closure elicited an emotional response on Facebook, with hundreds sharing the post and commenting with their favorite memories at the pub.

Holly Kugeler, a Colorado resident who lived in the Town of Poughkeepsie from 1995 to 1997, said she fell in love with Hobnobbin’ Pub during her time in the mid-Hudson Valley.

"It reminded me of a certain place I frequented in college, had the same cozy and laid back vibe," Kugeler said. "The wings were out of this world. It was quickly a favorite hang out spot after that."

Kugeler would regularly visit the pub for drinks and food with friends during her two years in the area. While she hasn't been in the area since, "My husband and I were so disappointed and sad," Kugeler said. "We both love local places over big chains to eat and drink. We didn't know too many people when we lived there, so it was a warm and fun place to hang out and meet people."

In an interview in April, Egan said he was uncertain if he would reopen Hobnobbin’ Pub at a new location, according to Journal archives. Hobnobbin' Pub will hold its final Halloween party on Oct. 22.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW