Since 1974, The Pub has been serving good times and great burgers in downtown Athens — 50 years.
If there is any place in town where everybody, be it a college student or an Ohio University alumnus, maybe a city official like longtime former Mayor Ric Abel or a journalist like Terry Smith when he was editor of the Athens News, has eaten lunch and perhaps enjoyed an aquarium filled with cold beer, it is The Pub. It’s one of those places that is considered an “institution” to those near and dear to Ohio University.
The Pub’s General Manager Garret Mathson attributes the restaurant’s longevity to the space on Court Street, a special space where folks come together to talk in one of the cozy booths or order a beer at the wrap-around bar that has dominated the setting since the 1970s when the present day owner, Thomas Van Dyke, purchased the bar.
As to The Pub’s longevity, Mathson said, “It’s sticking to the same thing and not really changing a whole lot. There is a sense of duty to the community and to the world, even if it comes down to just making a burger or interactions like this conversation — just making them right.”
Make a note — see below for more information about $2 burgers, celebrating The Pub’s birthday party and the Athens Summer Concert Series.
Located at 39 N. Court St., Athens , The Pub’s kitchen is open every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the bar is open every day from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
When it comes to The Pub, Mathson knows what he’s talking about because check out this hero’s origin story.
“I worked in the oil fields in North Dakota for a year or two. I’m from Athens, originally, graduated in 2003, and then just came back and started working here in 2006. I met my wife (Hannah) over in this corner in 2008,” he said.
When alumni return to Athens, they tend to go where memories were made — the more things change, the more they stay the same.
“Court Street has changed, but the identity still remains the same, especially in places like this that are kind of, I don’t want to say locked in the past, but they kind of hold on to the past. You know what I mean?” Mathson said. “There’s a set certain amount of nostalgia that people attribute to places like this. They grew up here. They went to school here. So when they come back here, I think it does them well to see it, that things haven’t changed a whole lot. I think that’s why the longevity of the bar might come into play as well too.”
Back in the day before this writer was raising children, The Pub was a favorite stopover, particularly on thirsty Thursdays or the weekends after exams for fries and a beer. Then as now, the bar was jam-packed with a variety of customers, holding up to 125 people, with some folks ordering food up until the late night buzzer and then staying until last call.
A point embraced by Mathson, who said, whether it is day or night at The Pub, “It’s always been an array of people. You know what I mean? You get the Greek life. You get the townies. I mean, you get everybody mixing in together. It’s a melting pot. It’s like America,.”
Mathson, who enjoyed a pint or two when he was a student at OU, said, “That’s why I’ve always loved working here. There’s a little bit of everybody that comes in here and drinks. So if you’re cool, you’re cool.”
Depends on who you ask, but folks have certain favorite dishes served by this special place that is a frequent winner of the Athens News Readers’ Choice awards. Some people like the burgers — the real deal — while others aim toward their top-notch chicken sandwiches and beer cheese soup or fries.
As to the best dish, Mathson said, “I’d say our small cheeseburger or the steak burger, which is local. Those cows are 10 miles down the road. I wave to them every day when I come in. Usually the cheeseburger, the french fries — everything’s really, really good, fresh, local.”
Mathson continued, “My favorite food or drink? I love the steak burger. I absolutely love the steak burger or I love the chicken sandwiches. I can eat the french fries every day of my life, although I don’t think it would be good for my health. Drink wise, I don’t know. The local IPAs here are usually pretty good. Something from Jackie O’s or Ricky’s, maybe a summer shandy, Sambuca, a good shot of tequila is really, really good too.”
Townies know this — besides The Pub, probably the oldest bars in Uptown Athens are Tony’s Tavern (1982), the CI traces its roots to 1917, the Smiling Skull and Casa Cantina (1993) and The Union (a very long time too).
That said, the locals know that many bars and restaurants come and go — The Dugout, O’Hooley’s, Blue Gator — so what is The Pub’s secret to success that will keep the bar around for another 50 years?
“The secret? Customer interaction is very, very important,” Mathson said. “Trends come and go. People are here to stay. Me and you talking — I mean, I think that is important in servers, bartenders, anybody in the service industry. It’s just a sense of duty. You know what I mean?”
As part of the Athens Summer Concert Series, there will be a big party between noon and 11 p.m. Saturday on Court Street — also a chance to celebrate The Pub’s 50th anniversary.
Organized by the Athens Tavern Association, the party will feature live music from Memphis Rundown, Corey Hager and the Renee Steward Band, as well as DJs spinning tunes, a kids’ zone featuring face-painting, Kona Ice and a bouncy house.
Between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., maybe buy one of The Pub’s burgers — fresh from the grill.
“We’re going sell cheeseburgers for the original 1974 price, which is $2,” Mathson said. “Then all of that money is going toward the Athens County Veterans Association. That’ll be one of the more, philanthropic things we’ll do. We’re also going have T-shirts. My daughter who’s 7-year-old will have a little lemonade stand out there too. I think every bar is doing something similar for the street fest. There’ll be art vendors and all kinds of stuff.”
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