After operating the Logan Square landmark for 50 years, the owners of Cherry Street Tavern have listed the 124-year-old bar for sale and are close to finalizing a deal, writes Mike Newall for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Originally opened as a bar around 1902, the tavern survived Prohibition by operating as a barbershop. Much of its old-world charm remained intact into the 1970s, from the elaborately carved mahogany back bar to the multiple mirrors and an old-timey phone booth. Still, as the neighborhood faded, so did the business.
Bill and Bob Loughery, both in their early twenties at the time, started out behind the bar as bartenders and then went on to buy the tavern in 1990. They spent years turning it into a thriving, insider destination for food and drinks, drawing a loyal and eclectic group of regulars.
After dedicating five decades to a tavern they ran as a true labor of love, the Loughery brothers have now decided it is time to retire.
“Time to take off the apron,” said Bill.
After months of discussions, they are nearing a deal with a buyer who plans to expand the kitchen and undertake other renovations.
Read more about Cherry Street Tavern’s long history and its longtime owners’ decision to sell in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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