By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — After moving locations almost twelve months ago, one of New York's most iconic bars, the P&G, is still without its crown — a famous 68-year-old neon sign.
The sign, recognizable to many as a backdrop to TV shows such as "Seinfeld" and "Will and Grace," was set to move with the bar when it reopened on W. 78th Street and Columbus Avenue in May last year. However, after years of weathering the New York seasons, the sign is still in storage.
Steve Chahalis, the fourth-generation family owner of the P&G, said it's costing as much as $40,000 to repair.
"Between the wear and tear and them having done sandblasting for cleaning of the building the sign is pretty damaged," Chahalis said.
"When we took it down, the steel back part was all destroyed."
The red, green and yellow neon lighting is still relatively intact and when the sign does go up it will be the original, said Chahalis, who still works the bar most nights.
He says the delay in getting the sign up lies in the damage to the metal and ceramic backing.
"It is going to be all the original neon and back will be all new," he said.
Even without the sign, Chahalis says the faithful have followed the P&G to its new location.
"The people in the bar area are exactly the same, the music is a lot more part of what is going on," he said.
At open mic night on Monday there were streams of aspiring musicians taking to the stage until after midnight.