Bielat Santore & Company's Who's Who in the Restaurant Industry Spotlights John McGillion from Johnny Mac House of Spirits
Asbury Park, New Jersey (PRWEB) October 29, 2015 -- When talking about Johnny Mac House of Spirits, frequent customers may describe the business as “the bar with the free pizza and omelets.” Although this is a major advantage, there is more to the story for the Asbury Park hotspot. Owner John McGillion reveals his latest plans as well as some other interesting facts about the family-owned restaurant.
Since opening his first bar in October 1968, McGillion has owned 14 bars as recent as three years ago. He has since scaled back to 10 venues including those in Manhattan and Brooklyn. He is also the owner of Kim Marie’s Eat n Drink Away and the YMCA in Asbury Park, New Jersey. McGillion manages the local eateries with the help of his wife who oversees the New York locations. “My wife and I love the business,” said McGillion. “She has 15 years of restaurant experience and I’ve been at it 47 years.”
Johnny Mac House of Spirits first opened its doors on August 16, 2010 and has seen some major renovations. With a recently added outdoor patio, McGillion plans to expand the property, eventually, as tall as five stories. “Johnny Mac’s is my best bar,” said McGillion. “It was supposed to be my last bar, so I had more time to conceptualize. Our other businesses are small, Brooklyn buildings.” The extension will include a banquet hall for weddings and parties and three new kitchens serving traditional Irish fare. “We started out with two bars here and now we have six,” said McGillion. “We still have a lot more work to do but it’s coming along nicely.”
The development also means more room for the unique decorations that cover the walls and ceilings, which McGillion picks out himself at various antique shops. “The decorating, that’s all me, with the help of Adele,” said McGillion. “She does the writing you see on the walls and tables and she and I come up with some of the writing.”
The bar is also known for its fun atmosphere and entertainment featuring skeeball competitions, monthly speed dating sessions, music, and various games. “Skeeball and speed dating started in Brooklyn and we brought them here. They are all a plus,” said McGillion. “They all attract different individuals. A very eclectic group.” Other amusements proven to be popular are basketball, ping pong, checkers, chess, monopoly and a deejay. “We try to do things that other people aren’t doing,” said McGillion. “Some things we have that they don’t.”
One thing you do not see often in other restaurants in the area is giving away free food, which McGillion has been doing for years. “It was actually a mistake,” admitted McGillion, who went on to explain how they started making pizzas after purchasing a previously owned Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. “A brick-oven stove was left on the premises when we bought it,” said McGillion. “We put that to our advantage and hired a pizza cook and sold pies for $4 or $5.” With pizza sales not doing well, McGillion made the decision to start ‘giving it away.’ “At first, we were offering free pizza just on Mondays, but that ended up being our best day of the week. So we decided to give it away seven days,” said McGillion. The bar also offers free omelets with a drink on Sundays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. “That also generates a different bunch of people.”.
McGillion credits much of the restaurant’s success to the many events they host each year. Along with participating in several neighborhood bar crawls, the pub also celebrates every holiday with a party, including specials and giveaways. “We decorate for all the holidays.” Also in the works is a canoe race slated for next summer. Then there is the very popular Train Run that takes place three times a year. “People gather here, get on a train, and have a choice of getting off at Bradley Beach, Spring Lakes, or Belmar. They choose how far they want to run back. It’s a really fun day.” The most popular event for the bar is the annual Asbury Park Saint Patrick’s Day Parade that kicks off the second Sunday in March. The New Jersey Zombie Walk, which was resurrected by McGillion this month, comes in a close second. “Jason Meehan who founded the parade couldn’t do it anymore, but we couldn’t afford to have the event cancelled,” said McGillion. “So the only option was to buy it.”
Other weekly events at the restaurant are Industry Night every Monday, Ladies Night on Wednesdays, and Country Music Night on Thursdays. Free pizza is served every day and omelet specials on Sundays. “We have the college kids up to the Grandma’s. We have a very diverse crowd depending on the time of the week and the day. It’s not just a 21-year-old crowd.”
Johnny Mac House of Spirits is open seven days a week, 11:00 am to 2:00 am. Visit their website for more information on upcoming events and specials at http://www.johnnymacbar.com/ or call 732.776.6666.
About Bielat Santore & Company
Bielat Santore & Company is an established commercial real estate firm. The company’s expertise lies chiefly within the restaurant and hospitality industry, specializing in the sale of restaurants and other food and beverage real estate businesses. Since 1978, the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry Bielat and Richard Santore, have sold more restaurants and similar type properties in New Jersey than any other real estate company. Furthermore, the firm has secured in excess of $500,000,000 in financing to facilitate these transactions. Visit the company’s website, http://www.123bsc.com for the latest in new listings, property searches, available land, market data, financing trends, RSS feeds, press releases and more.
Richard Santore, Bielat Santore & Company, http://www.123bsc.com/, +1 (732) 531-4200, [email protected]
Share this article