Dunbars

[Tcl123]

I'm pretty confident he does not own the building.

[jtwcornell91]

The problem is that Dunbar's is only crowded for 2-3 hours 2 or 3 nights a week.  So it probably isn't that profitable.  That is one of the reasons there are so few bars in Collegetown these days.  

Students drink where they live, and go out to Collegetown at 11 pm to be seen before hitting after-hours at a fraternity or apartment.  And that is if you have ID [fake or otherwise] to get into a bar.

Reminds me of the dire straits facing English pubs, which are closing at calamitous rates.  20 years ago, 90+% of English beer was purchased in pubs (including takeout for consumption at home), but with the rise of American-style big box supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury's), the percentage is, IIRC, under 50% now.

There also seem to be a proliferation of clubs and American-style bars (loud music, small glasses), at least in the cities, for competition.  Those places also used to be open later, but my understanding is that the 11pm pub closing time has been relaxed in recent years.  Personally, I find people's apparent preferences in that area upside-down.  Even in pubs (or gastro-pubs) you'll see e.g., a pint of real ale for 1.85 and a pint of Carlsberg for 2.10.  (This was Cardiff a few years ago, so prices may be higher now...)

[Trotsky]

Would people be offended if some of the music in the jukebox wasn't 40+ years old?  ::drunk::

You'll have to pry that from the Boomers' cold, dead fingers.

(Which is pretty much what's happening, here.)

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Truly the end of an era, but I can't say as I blame Pep.

Dunbar's was my "local" in Collegetown.  I lived right around the corner on Dryden Rd. and was in there several nights a week.  Usually I'd show up without a jacket because it was such a short walk.  Friday happy hour I'd claim a seat right in front of the taps at 4 o'clock, and wouldn't leave until closing.  I was such a regular that Dave would cash personal checks for me if I ran out of cash on the weekend (this was in the days before ATMs).  I'll have to check, but I may still have a Dunbar's t-shirt or two in a drawer somewhere.

And a trivia question for you youngsters:  Who was Dunbar?

[Robb]

Truly the end of an era, but I can't say as I blame Pep.

Dunbar's was my "local" in Collegetown.  I lived right around the corner on Dryden Rd. and was in there several nights a week.  Usually I'd show up without a jacket because it was such a short walk.  Friday happy hour I'd claim a seat right in front of the taps at 4 o'clock, and wouldn't leave until closing.  I was such a regular that Dave would cash personal checks for me if I ran out of cash on the weekend (this was in the days before ATMs).  I'll have to check, but I may still have a Dunbar's t-shirt or two in a drawer somewhere.

And a trivia question for you youngsters:  Who was Dunbar?

I always just figured they named it that due to the color scheme of the bar...

[nyc94]

And a trivia question for you youngsters:  Who was Dunbar?

I don't know and would like to know if nobody answers!

[dag14]

Not just youngsters might be in the dark; some of us oldsters spent more time with Jim at the Chapter House than with Pep at Dunbar's....

[Trotsky]

Not just youngsters might be in the dark; some of us oldsters spent more time with Jim at the Chapter House than with Pep at Dunbar's....

Or the Palms.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

And the answer is:  Dunbar was Pep's dog at the time he bought the bar in 1979.  He was a black lab and appeared on older t-shirts wearing a red scarf and sunglasses.

[Trotsky]

And the answer is:  Dunbar was Pep's dog at the time he bought the bar in 1979.  He was a black lab and appeared on older t-shirts wearing a red scarf and sunglasses.

Cool.  What was it before?

[nyc94]

And the answer is:  Dunbar was Pep's dog at the time he bought the bar in 1979.  He was a black lab and appeared on older t-shirts wearing a red scarf and sunglasses.

I Googled Dunbar's when this thread started just to see if there was any other information. What I did stumble upon is that the business is incorporated as Dunbar's Fenway Tavern West. Any idea what that's about?

[Rita]

And the answer is:  Dunbar was Pep's dog at the time he bought the bar in 1979.  He was a black lab and appeared on older t-shirts wearing a red scarf and sunglasses.

I Googled Dunbar's when this thread started just to see if there was any other information. What I did stumble upon is that the business is incorporated as Dunbar's Fenway Tavern West. Any idea what that's about?

If the dog was a purebred and registered (like in the American Kennel Club), that might be the dog's formal name. Purebred/show dogs have very fancy names, but their "call name" is something short and easy like "Dunbar" or "Topher".

And if you are going to incorporate a business named after your dog, might as well go all the way.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

And the answer is:  Dunbar was Pep's dog at the time he bought the bar in 1979.  He was a black lab and appeared on older t-shirts wearing a red scarf and sunglasses.

I Googled Dunbar's when this thread started just to see if there was any other information. What I did stumble upon is that the business is incorporated as Dunbar's Fenway Tavern West. Any idea what that's about?

If the dog was a purebred and registered (like in the American Kennel Club), that might be the dog's formal name. Purebred/show dogs have very fancy names, but their "call name" is something short and easy like "Dunbar" or "Topher".

And if you are going to incorporate a business named after your dog, might as well go all the way.

I know Pep is/was a Red Sox fan, so that fits, too.

[KeithK]

And the answer is:  Dunbar was Pep's dog at the time he bought the bar in 1979.  He was a black lab and appeared on older t-shirts wearing a red scarf and sunglasses.

I Googled Dunbar's when this thread started just to see if there was any other information. What I did stumble upon is that the business is incorporated as Dunbar's Fenway Tavern West. Any idea what that's about?

If the dog was a purebred and registered (like in the American Kennel Club), that might be the dog's formal name. Purebred/show dogs have very fancy names, but their "call name" is something short and easy like "Dunbar" or "Topher".

And if you are going to incorporate a business named after your dog, might as well go all the way.

I know Pep is/was a Red Sox fan, so that fits, too.

Really?!?  Well, good riddance then!!! :-P

[Greenberg '97]

I know Pep is/was a Red Sox fan, so that fits, too.

Is he a Red Sox fan?  I know he HATES the Yankees, so that could just be part of the same spectrum.  I always thought he was more of a Mets fan.  Or just grumpy.

For the record, I'll be wearing my Dunbar's hat tonight, if anyone wants to find me.  I don't have the dog shirt, but a number of my (slightly older) friends do, so I figured there was a dog involved in the naming somehow.