When locals want a place where they can go to relax, connect with friends, and be treated well by the bartender, it’s no wonder they head over to Casey’s Public House. A Newtown Square fixture for nearly four decades, Casey’s has seen lots of growth and change over the years, but their authentic charm has remained.
Owner Steve Graham opened Casey’s in 1976. A Newtown Square native, Steve’s parents moved their family from southwest Philadelphia to Newtown Square back when it was mostly farmland. At the time, Steve’s grandmother worked and lived at Fox Tail Farm in Edgmont. Steve began working at Fox Tail Farms around age 12, first painting fences and then mucking stalls. It was there that Steve began developing a strong work ethic.
Back then, Steve played basketball for St. Anastasia, where he was also a student. “I knew I wasn’t the best player on the team,” said Steve. “I had to work harder than others and put in the time.” That also meant attending a basketball camp each summer. But being one of six kids, Steve said he knew his parents couldn’t afford it. “As soon as school let out in June, I went to work and worked until August when camp started,” he recalled. “I was able to pay for the camp with the money I earned.”
During high school at Marple Newtown High School (MNHS), Steve took an afterschool job at Dunwoody Village that paid $1 an hour, and he was also a star player on the school’s basketball team. Steve earned a college scholarship to play basketball at LaSalle University, but an injury sidelined him from playing and finishing college.
For several years, Steve owned a local custom sign business called Arrow’s Sign Co. and he bartended on the side to make extra money at local places like Nick’s Roast Beef and Riddle Ale House. When he was 25, he had the opportunity to buy the bar we now know as Casey’s, which back then was a sports bar called the Graham Slam Sports Bar. Steve explained that back then, there weren’t as many sports bars in the area and they were one of the first to have TVs on the wall. “The Flyers were doing really well during that time, so it was fun for people to come and have a place to watch the game,” he said.
Steve later changed the name to Casey’s, a nod to Casey at the Bat, the poem about a baseball team from the fictional town of “Mudville.” The atmosphere was casual and fun, with a trolley set around the restaurant and the original idea being a chain of “trolley stops” that reached from Upper Darby to West Chester.
That idea may not have stuck, but there was something central to that concept that persists today. With its cozy, comfortable atmosphere, delicious food and friendly staff, Casey’s has been a go-to neighborhood place, where people come back after they try other places. “I like to say it’s a working man’s country club,” said Steve. “Come in after a round of golf with friends or after work with colleagues.”
Pete Crisanti joined Steve as a partner in 2001. Like Steve, Pete grew up in Newtown Square and attended St. Anastasia and MNHS. Steve knew Pete through Pete’s father, who owned a meat market near Casey’s. Pete also opened a beer distributorship in Marple Newtown and operated that business for 20 years. When Steve invited Pete to partner as Casey’s co-owner in 2001, he knew they shared the same work ethic. “I thought he’d be a good partner,” said Steve. “Pete understood that the restaurant business is 24/7. When everyone else is playing, like on weekends and holidays, we are working.”
The idea of a business partnership in his hometown had Pete immediately excited. “I have never left this town in my three careers,” Pete said with pride. Not only did Steve admire Pete’s work ethic and dedication to the community, but he was a great friend. “He is such a great husband and father and he’s like a brother to me,” Steve said proudly.
The partners also own several other restaurants, including Casey’s Pour House, Berwyn, Casey’s Ale House in Malvern and Casey’s in Drexel Hill. For many years, they owned the Lamb Tavern, which they sold a couple of years ago to Anthony’s Restaurant group. A source of great pride is the number of people who have stayed with their restaurants for years, including some who have been with them for more than 20 years. “We have a lot of long-time staff members, and we treat them like family,” Pete said.
Just as important as a wonderful staff is to Steve and Pete, so is the importance of giving back to the community. They are the proud sponsor of our Friends & Neighbors magazine’s Student of the Month, which honors local middle and high school students who demonstrate excellence in service to school, friend- ship, community or area groups. Casey’s is proud to celebrate each student with a gift certificate to the restaurant.
Mackenzie Duffy was the Student of the Month in July 2023 and recalled how Casey’s employees met her with such enthusiasm. “I loved sharing a bit about myself with the hometown community that has been so formative to me over the years,” Mackenzie said. “Whenever I would go to work or the store, someone would stop and mention the article. It was such an amazing way to connect with members all over the township.”
Casey’s also sponsors and supports local sports teams as well as the Marple Newtown High School Marching Band. “I grew up in the neighborhood behind the high school and would hear the band practicing twice a day,” recalled Steve. “Their work ethic really stuck out to me and I continue to support them in whatever way I can.”
It’s that friendly, personalized feel that keeps friends and neighbors coming back to Casey’s, no matter what the occasion. Whether you are looking for great food, a cocktail or to meet old friends and new ones, Casey’s is the best place close to home! Located at 3529 West Chester Pike, Casey’s Public House is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.