Shippy's in Southampton Gets a Makeover, But Keeps Its Authentic Charm
It’s hard to come by two things in the Hamptons: authenticity and a deal. Yet, if there is one place to offer you both, it’s Southampton staple Shippy’s.
William “Shippy” Casgrain was a former marine and bartender at the infamous New York City bar, Toots Shor, whose cliental included famous faces like Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio. In 1954, he ventured to Long Island to open up his own shop. For better and worse, it hasn’t changed much in the nearly 70 years since.
Shippy’s wood-paneled dining room is dark and cozy, and its plaid upholstered chairs exude the smell of decades worth of cigar smoke; during the week, ‘Schnitzel Mania,’ which has truly every type of schnitzel you could ever dream of—and a few that might cause nightmares—is on the menu; and the “art” on display depicts famous golf courses across the East End. (Safe to say that the Christie’s employees next door may not be patrons.) But, what it lacks in immaculateness, it makes up for in unique charm.
“I think the most important aspect of Shippy’s is its ‘patina,’ a concept that too many folks don’t understand. It’s extremely elusive, but once it’s gone, it’s definitely noticed,” Steven Stolman, designer, author, and longtime Shippy’s disciple, tells Town & Country. “The great tastemaker Bunny Mellon was famous for saying, ‘Nothing should be noticed.’”
But the appeal of the Hamptons establishment goes beyond its unique aesthetic; it also has a storied ownership legacy.
In 1978, the original Shippy sold his namesake eatery to Ed Nielsen, a German-born restaurant owner. Hence, the German-inspired menu. (If you are in the area and searching endlessly for beef rouladen, please look no further!) Ed’s son, Nick, grew up working in his father’s restaurants, and after Ed was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, Nick scraped together his life’s savings to purchase the restaurant. Last fall, after several decades of owning, operating, and working at Shippy’s, Nick put the place up for sale once again.
At the same time, John Betts, a Southampton native, decided to move back to the area after stepping down as the President and CEO of McDonald’s Canada. He had begun his career in the restaurant world with McDonald’s in 1970, working as a bun prepper in their Southampton location for $1.85 an hour—just down the road from Shippy’s. After numerous jobs across the organization, he rose the ranks to become one of the most senior executives at the $100 billion company; however, he left the golden arches behind to take over Shippy's, and has vowed to continue catering to the restaurant's loyalists—both customers and employees.
"As a North Sea native, I'm eager to build upon the restaurant's legacy and create something remarkable for our community. I'm grateful to have the support of our outstanding tenured and dedicated staff,” Betts tells T&C.
Minor renovations, which are expected to take only a few months, are planned to spruce up the restaurant, while ensuring that none of its authenticity is lost. The cosmetic changes are expected to take only a few months—they hope to be open in time for some Oktoberfest bratwurst—and in the meantime, the restaurant has launched a survey to incorporate customers’ feedback to their menu. Want to keep tabs on the progress? An Instagram account entirely dedicated to the updates promises to chronicle the entire process.
You Might Also Like
