Of all the things that Tom Scott has learned owning McGrath’s Pub, this lesson may be the most pertinent: you never know how life will turn out.
Tom and his wife Amy had been running the upscale steakhouse, Scott’s when the narrow building two doors down Locust Street in downtown Harrisburg came up for sale.
Wanting to own a place–instead of just renting like at Scott’s–they bought it and opened McGrath’s, named for Tom’s mother. It changed their lives.
“It was a success from the minute we opened,” said Tom. “It just clicked.”
McGrath’s recently celebrated 10 years in business with a block party outside the restaurant. The party and pig roast was a small way to say “thanks” to the people who, each day, crowd the bar and pack the tables, eager to tuck into fare a step above other Irish pubs, washed down with a constantly changing selection of American microbrews and European beers on tap.
Tom and Amy understand their good fortune.
Their first restaurant, Scott’s, had been a struggle since the moment the couple opened it in 1992. They persevered, but each day was difficult, said Tom.
McGrath’s was exactly the opposite.
The couple fixed up what had been the Pub at 202 Locust and created a menu very distinct from Scott’s–casual, inexpensive. But, otherwise, they pretty much just unlocked the doors and declared themselves open for business.
“Right from the beginning, this was easier than Scott’s ever was,” said Amy.
A year after opening, they sold Scott’s, which the new owners closed for good several years back.
McGrath’s is a favorite haunt of Brian Polensky, who, living downtown, has many other options within easy walking distance.
He often chooses McGrath’s for its simple, but proven formula: good food and good beer in a relaxed atmosphere.
He especially enjoys the upstairs space, which features several sofas where he and his friends can gather and chat as if they’re sitting in someone’s living room.
“I really like the multi-level concept,” said Polensky. “First, there’s a bar area in the front. Then you can dine in the back in a separate area or go to the second floor just to relax.”
For Tom and Amy, McGrath’s has worked well for several reasons. Yes, the pub has been a business success, but it also has given them the time and space they needed to raise their now-grown children.
In addition, it has taught them that, in business, sometimes the magic happens–and sometimes it doesn’t.
For instance, trying to build upon their success, Tom and Amy opened McGrath’s Emerald Grille at the Capital City Mall. Despite good reviews, the venture didn’t pan out, and the restaurant closed after a couple of years.
Tom thinks that a mall location probably wasn’t the right fit for what is, at its heart, a neighborhood pub.
Indeed, it’s difficult to re-create the warm, authentic atmosphere of McGrath’s cozy space in a Civil War-era building in downtown Harrisburg.
In addition to the high-quality food and drink, the look and feel and sounds and smells of McGrath’s are a large part of its appeal, drawing in a large crowd of regulars, whom Tom and Amy have gotten to know as friends over the years.
“At the end of the day, a business is about the relationships you build,” said Amy. “For me, that’s been the nicest thing.”
McGrath’s Pub, 202 Locust St., Harrisburg; Open Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday, noon to 2 a.m.; closed Sunday; 717-232-9914; www.mcgrathspub.net.
