about the
red rose
the history
Located along the banks of the Beaverkill River, The Red Rose Motel and Tavern was built in 1938 by New York City prizefighter Constantine J. Lambrigger and his wife, Julia. Originally called The American Switzerland, Joe and Vera Pelc changed the name to The Red Rose when they purchased the building in 1952, creating a local landmark that has welcomed fly-fishers, hunters, thirsty neighbors, and city escapees ever since.
OUR STORY
The Beginning
Visiting Roscoe in 1999, we quickly fell in love with the community — its friendly neighbors, bending rivers, cool mountain air and, of course, the fishing.
After fixing up a tiny 1870s farmhouse, we started dreaming about opening a small business in the area as a way to show support for the community that had been so helpful in renovating our house and sharing their favorite hikes, swimming holes and the most coveted of local secrets — the best fishing spots. We looked at a grocery store, almost partnered on a taco stand, considered opening a knit shop, thought about building a fishing camp and checked out a motel right on the Beaverkill River. But then, we saw The Red Rose.
We had driven by The Red Rose for years when we noticed a “For Sale by Owner” sign and stopped in to take a look. What we saw was a building in disrepair — ceilings had collapsed, wildlife had moved in and the wood façade had begun to rot — but the bones were there. The place was well-worn but also well-loved.
While we thought about purchasing the motel, we talked to people in the community about the old red building across from the Beaverkill. There were so many wonderful personal stories about The Rose, and we’re still deciphering which of them are true! The Andrews Sisters were regulars. Marilyn Monroe stayed at the Rose on her way to filming the movie Niagara in 1953. One professor and fisherman told the story of John Lennon drinking unbothered at the bar in the Seventies when Yoko Ono owned a farm in nearby Livingston Manor. Fly fishing legend Lee Wulff was a frequent guest. And, The Red Rose Regulars met there for breakfast in the morning and for drinks in the afternoon after a day on the river (The Regulars have a commemorative plaque at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum down the road).
The Purchase
We first attempted to buy The Rose but failed (someone beat us to it). Several months later, it was back on the market and we made another run at it. This time the offer was accepted, and we closed in April of 2016. The realtor who helped make the purchase possible was Bob Lambrigger, the son of Connie and Julia Lambrigger, the original family that built the tavern and named it The American Switzerland in 1938 (it was known as a rowdy drinking spot and dancehall for the workers in the nearby bluestone quarry and tanneries).
In 1952, Joe and Vera Pelc bought the building, changed the name to The Red Rose and ran it for decades as a German-style chop house and bar with cabins for let on the property next door. Some of the original cabins can still be seen standing on the adjacent property today.
Members of the Lambrigger and Pelc family have visited the Rose and shared stories of their five decades operating the classic Catskill roadside tavern and motel.
One of their favorites recounts the existence of “the excuse list” which Joe Pelc kept behind the bar. The story goes that workers coming in for a drink after work would put their name on the list and write down an excuse next to it — flat tire, helping push a car out of the snow, making a quick run with the volunteer firefighters. If their wife should call looking for them, Joe could pull out the chart, read the excuse, relay the message, and help keep the story straight.
The Restoration
Prior to signing the papers to purchase the Rose, we met with our good friend and contractor, Rob Eggleton. Rob had grown up in the area and knew a lot about the history of the Rose (He is also an accomplished outdoorsman who runs the Catskill Mountain Guide Service). Rob was considering retirement but agreed to stay on to oversee the extensive renovation required to restore the Red Rose to its iconic status.
Nearly all of the work on the Rose was managed and done by an outstanding team of local independent woodworkers and contractors, including Jeff Yaun (plumbing), Paul Miesner (electrical), Hal Klinger (excavation), Gary Stulmiller (mason), Dahlman and Sons (landscaping), Robert Eden (flooring), Phil Guzzo (framing), the Roscoe Lumber Yard and many more. Without Rob’s efforts, the entire project simply would not have been possible.
The initial goal of the project was to buy The Rose, renovate the building and save such a cherished community landmark. In short, saving The Red Rose for the next generation of owners. As we finished the renovation project, we realized that we had fallen in love with the historic Rose, and wanted to help see it through to its future.
Early on, there were many decisions to be made around what to keep of the best parts of what was already there. The bar was painted and styled to feel like what it once was. Jack Decker of Vernacular Design saved the original 1938 bar base, and expertly fabricated a new bar top and built a new back bar with wood salvaged from the old bar.
The bathrooms were built out for a more modern and accessible layout, including wallpaper made from old fly-fishing books. Barn Light Electric supported the project with high quality vintage-inspired light fixtures featured throughout the property.
All of the vintage barn wood that Rob’s crew expertly installed on the ceiling of the dining room and lounge area was reclaimed from fallen barns in upstate New York. Noted sign maker, Roger Baker, came to the project via a referral from Roscoe Brewery owners Phil and Donna Vallone, and created the new Red Rose sign with an artistic nod to the building’s historic past and an enduring quality rare among sign makers today.
Inspired by vintage paint by numbers found on the property, we added to the texture with dozens of paint-by-numbers from our personal collection as well as help from contacts we’d established through our numerous Craigslist finds. Every piece of furniture and ephemera in the Rose was found in the surrounding area, and each one has some sort of person or story behind it, which makes the Rose’s interior feel rich and deep in the history it has.
The Opening
The tavern finally opened to the public in early December of 2017 – 20 months after the purchase papers were signed.
Improvements are constantly being made. We elevated the interior to accommodate more guests while also improving their comfort — in the dining room, chairs were upgraded with the help of CSP in Hackensack, New Jersey, and two vintage farmhouse tables were sourced on Craigslist. In the entryway, a vintage Persian rug was added along with an incredibly comfortable leather and velour sofa believed to have come from one of the guest houses at the Rockefeller Estate. In the lounge area, rickety older leather chairs were removed, replaced with what just might be or most favorite Craigslist find ever — two mint condition leather Ethan Allen reclining chairs. They now flank the fireplace and our regulars know they are the perfect fireside napping spot. Not to mention an unusual double-sided chesterfield sofa, which feels like it was made just for the space.
With the main building ready to accommodate more guests, and a refreshed menu, the team turned its attention to the motel’s seven rooms. Plumbing was finished, floors were sanded, sinks were hung and bathrooms were completed.
We brought in an old friend, Ry Scruggs of Nightwood NY, who created incredible bed frames made of more of our salvaged barnwood from Schenectady, New York.
She came back to work with us in 2024 and created new modular tables and seating allowing us to continue to maximize our flexibility in the dining room. The hardwood tabletops feature sweet little hand painted illustrations of wildlife on inset tiles and sport bright red bases, which tie the room together and deliver on many of the overarching themes featured throughout the Rose.
A partnership with Brooklinen was established to provide high-quality bedding and towels and Public Goods was selected from dozens of vendors for its superb selection of sustainable bath soaps. Rooms completed and styled, the first four rooms opened in November of 2018 and the last three rooms opened several months later.
Today and Tomorrow
The refreshed Red Rose menu features a variety of house made specialties and our menu changes seasonally, featuring a careful selection of local products, including the meat in our ever-popular Smash Burger which is delivered weekly from our friends at Whiting Farm in neighboring Hancock.
Our tavern pours beer from our three local breweries — Roscoe Beer Company, Catskill Brewery and Upward Brewing Company — among others and a small but thoughtful list of wines and ciders. Our seven rooms are available year-round and have been designed for comfort with their own complete bath suite, two separate heat sources for the winter and AC for those hot and humid summer days.
For eighty-two years the Red Rose Motel and Tavern has served as a destination for locals and travelers, hunters, fly fishers and friends old and new. We started this long and winding journey to save The Red Rose and to restore and rebuild this classic Catskills roadside motel. We are honored to share this long-cherished landmark with you and your friends and family.
Warm Regards,
JP & Kris
Owners