The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mullarkey’s Irish Pub turns 25
Downtown staple plans celebration
Mullarkey’s Irish Pub in downtown Willoughby will be celebrating a 25th anniversary this year.
For owner John D. Bowers, it’s like a “blink of an eye.”
“It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long,” Bowers said.
“We’ve seen so many changes here in Downtown Willoughby. We’re excited to have been a part of the growth.”
The celebration will take place from 4 to 10 p.m., Aug. 13, at Mullarkey’s, located at 4110 Erie St. Those who join in on the celebration can expect free food, appetizers, giveaways, prizes and live entertainment by Mossy Moran, who is from Ireland’s southeast coastal city of Waterford.
“We’re, hopefully, looking forward to seeing a lot of friends from the past stop in,” Bowers said.
His father-in-law, John Mullarkey, who was from Philadelphia, had a passion for Irish music.
“When he (Mullarkey) visited in Cleveland, we used to have to go way over to the west side to hear (Irish music),” Bowers said. “He used to run tours to Ireland and in 1995, he took my wife and I on the tour. That combination of not having anything like this on the east side and going to Ireland was really the start.”
Since its inception, Mullarkey’s has stayed true to the Irish theme and has brought Irish tradition to Northeast Ohio. Bowers said the best part about being in business for this long are the people he has met through the years.
“My kids, as they grew up, were all a part of the business as well,” he said. “They’ve all gone on to other careers, but this was a big part of our life.”
The key to a successful business is being hands-on, Bowers said.
“You have to be there and you have to be a part of the business,” he said. “I’ve been hands-on the entire time and that is the key because no one is going to care as much as you care.”
Bowers said the downtime everyone had during the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic made everyone realize how much they enjoy being together.
“We went through a period of time where you couldn’t see anybody and I think since that time, everyone is just glad to be a part of society again,” he said.
Bowers plans to bring back live entertainment in mid-September or early October this year, which is a core thing the business takes part in, he said.
“We always had Irish entertainment on Saturday night, so I’m looking to bring that back,” he said. “This community is a great place to have a business and do to business. I appreciate the fact that we’re here.
“We enjoy all of the support we get from the city and the community.”