A 1940s Midtown bar vanishes without a trace

What kind of place was George’s Cafe?

Based on this 1940s black and white postcard, it was a cozy joint, one with a long, well-stocked bar and solid stools that didn’t swivel.

A handful of checkered-tablecloth booths were available if you wanted to eat and drink. A poster of a horse race is tacked up on the far wall next to the American flag.

Was it wartime—or was the flag always up? There’s a jukebox too. I wonder what songs it was stocked with.

George’s was just off Seventh Avenue on 33rd Street, right next to Penn Station. It probably attracted customers who were in no rush to catch their train or bus back home.

It doesn’t appear to be a total dive either. Look at the slogan on the back: “A delightful retreat for good friends to meet.” George Mitchell, the owner, ran a tight ship.

I tried to find some information about George’s, but I uncovered no trace of it in newspaper archives or bar and restaurant guidebooks of the era.

When did it disappear? There is no 203 West 33rd Street anymore; the nearest address, number 210, is a one-story postwar building that houses a Capital One Bank branch.

Perhaps it went down with the old Penn Station itself in 1963. But here it is, frozen in time in a throwaway penny postcard.

Tags: 1940s New York City, 33rd Street New York City, Chickering Phone Exchange NYC, George's Bar Penn Station, George's Cafe NYC, Midtown bars NYC, Penn Station bars, vintage New York postcards