Thomas MacMIllan Photo
After over a decade in the U.S., Patrick Hogan and Lisa Doherty returned to live in Ireland. But it didn’t take. Now they’re back in New Haven — and reviving the Irish heritage of a downtown building.
On St. Patrick’s Day, Hogan and Doherty opened up their new Crown Street pub, Kelly’s Restaurant and Bar. They named it in honor of the building’s previous owner, P. J. Kelly, an Irishman who operated a furniture factory and showroom there near the turn of the 20th century. The ornately decorated exterior of the building still bears the Kelly name.
On a recent afternoon, Hogan offered a brief tour of his restaurant. In his mild Irish accent, he showed off out the real mahogany bar, just like a traditional pub in Ireland. He pointed out the bar’s 20 taps, including four dedicated to Guinness. He later offered a demonstration of how to pull a proper Guinness pint (pictured).
Hogan also demonstrated the bar’s new gas fireplace, which was one of the very first additions he put into the bar after acquiring the space last November. The fireplace is a key attribute of Kelly’s, since Hogan aims to create a “homely, cozy” atmosphere. He’ll be working to distinguish Kelly’s from the bars and clubs that line Crown Street, including several “Irish” pubs nearby. One of those, the Playwright, was recently acquired by a local entertainment conglomerate.
The fireplace was the first step in a complete renovation of 196 Crown St., Hogan said. After years as the home of the Amalfi Grill, the space was briefly occupied by Marius restaurant. When Hogan came in, he took it down to four walls and built it back up again, he said. The front of the restaurant is now completely redone. The rear of the space, still under construction, will have room for private parties and gatherings, Hogan said. Sliding barn doors open and close to create custom room arrangements for different functions.
Hogan drew attention to the restaurant’s many windows. He said he intends it to be a light-filled place. While lots of American Irish pubs are murky and filled with dark wood and antiques, Irish pubs in Ireland are actually very modern and bright, he said.
Regardless of the aesthetic, it’s most important that pubs have a comfortable and welcoming environment, in Hogan’s view. “They’re supposed to be homely and inviting.” Hence the fireplace, which will not be burning peat, as they do in Ireland.
Hogan said he’s aiming for a relatively mature, all-ages crowd. His predicted his clientele will be 24 and up, with a significant percentage in their 40s and 50s. Hogan said that was the demographic he attracted in Bridgeport, where he ran the Field restaurant for many years.
He had a successful operation there before he sold it two years ago so that he and Doherty could return to Ireland — for good, they thought.
“We were home for three months, and the economy just tanked,” he said. Hogan’s return to the homeland happened to coincide with the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, the economic boom that had lifted Ireland over the course of a decade starting in the mid-‘90s from “Europe’s third world” to a tech-driven economic powerhouse.
In addition to the suddenly unfavorable economic climate in Ireland, Hogan and Doherty found that they missed the States. After nearly 13 years living in the New World, they had become American.
“You become part of the people,” Hogan said.
So Hogan and Doherty packed up again and headed back to Connecticut. They settled in Milford with their two young children and started looking for a place to open a new restaurant.
They found themselves drawn to New Haven, to its businesses and educational institutions.
When they found that 196 Crown St. was open, a few minutes of internet research revealed its history as the site of P.J. Kelly Furniture. Hogan’s grandmother happens to be a Kelly as well. They signed the papers on their new restaurant last November. The month marked not only the start of a new business venture, it coincided with the couple taking on American citizenship.
The situation reflects a modern immigrant story and an interesting mash-up of two cultures. Two Irish natives — now Irish-Americans — open an Irish pub in a space built by another Irish immigrant after leaving Ireland because they missed America. Evidence of this cultural mix-up can be found on the wall of Kelly’s, where two big clocks show the time in New Haven and in Hogan’s home town of Kildysart in County Clare.
The cultural blend is also evident in the menu that Hogan, a trained professional chef, has put together for his new restaurant. He described it as “contemporary American with a European flare.” The restaurant offers an international mix: spring roll and quesadilla appetizers, pasta dishes, burgers and steak, duck, and seafood. Traditional Irish dishes like shepherd’s pie, lamb stew, and beef and Guinness hot pot are also on offer.
Hogan said he plans to showcase live acoustic and electric cover bands on the weekends and is planning a grand opening for April or May.
Welcome back cousin!