Known for its retro, family-friendly atmosphere and homemade pizza, Gay Nineties is located in the heart of Pleasanton. Despite being an unlikely spot for ghost hunters, the 65-year-old restaurant is significant in Pleasanton’s 130-year history. According to local legend, spirits from the past still linger within its walls, sharing space with customers enjoying pizza.
“The building was built in 1864 when Lincoln was president. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Pleasanton, it used to be a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop. It was also a couple of different bars, and at one time it was a brothel. And so upstairs there were 11 rooms, and then downstairs was a bar.” said Close.
As the story goes, the Lady in Blue—the nickname for the restaurant’s ghost—became entangled with the building when she fell in love with a man she met while working at the brothel. He promised her the life of her dreams but ultimately killed her in the early 1900s. Now, over 100 years later, her spirit still roams the building. Only workers at Gay Nineties and passersby claim to have seen her overlooking Main Street in the upstairs window.
“I’ve never seen her, but I’ve seen a lot of weird stuff. I’ve seen chairs pull out and cups fly off the shelves. One of the scariest things that happened to me was [hearing] banging on the basement door. That was really scary because it was loud and it was real, [right] there in front of me, you know?” said Close.
“The museum puts on a walk where they go to all the haunted buildings on Main Street, and they hear the story, and they come in [and] they look at our mirror here because the mirror says “BOO”. One of the owner’s dogs was in here one morning, and he came up to the dining room here, and he stopped and he stared in the mirror as the word “BOO” blew up there, then he ran out of the building and never came back,” said Close.
Despite her mischief, the Lady in Blue co-exists harmoniously with the restaurant’s owners. Her paranormal pursuits are emblematic of Pleasanton’s long and rich history.
“In the beginning it was scary, but now, when anything happens, it’s only really cool. Something happens. You look around [and say], did you see that? Did you see that?” said Close.
