BEVERLY — Of all the places to watch the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup, Keegan's Pub in Beverly was not among them.
The longtime tavern at 10618 S. Western Ave. was closed for the big game Monday night.
The bar is undergoing a major renovation that will double its size, add a private party room in the basement and include a small stage for hosting live music and other entertainment, said Mary Callaghan, the wife of owner Bernard Callaghan.
The signature island-style bar that stretched down the middle of Keegan's will be replaced with a 50-foot bar along the north side wall. The pub will also be renamed Barney Callaghan's.
The new name is a nod to the Morgan Park family's dog, Barney. The beloved mutt was a staple at Keegan's for years before he died about two years ago, Mary Callaghan said on Monday.
"Even people who didn't like dogs liked him," Mary Callaghan said of the mixed-breed dog that was some combination of Rottweiler, Labrador, shepherd and collie.
Howard Ludwig says the construction should be done by mid-August:
The complete overhaul of the bar also provides a rare opportunity for Bernard Callaghan to put his name on the business after 25 years pouring Guinness on the far Southwest Side. It's a move he was prepared to do after the last renovation some 21 years ago, even going so far as to order the sign.
"People gave him too much grief about it," Mary Callaghan said of the prior effort to change the name.
This time, Bernard Callaghan is firmly committed to putting his family name on the bar, his wife said. And with the name change imminent, Keegan's Pub entered the final stage of construction on Monday.
With the front of the bar closed, a small bar in the basement will open on Tuesday for regular customers. These "diehards" will enter through the side of the building as the main entryway is being gutted, Mary Callaghan said.
Once complete, the new entrance will be in the center of the building. A vaulted ceiling throughout the bar will be made to look like the inside of a wine barrel.
Speaking of wine, the renovated bar expects to offer more varieties of wine to the thirsty customers. The number of draft beer taps will also double to 20, giving room on the rail for more craft beer.
The new open floor plan will also feature a larger fireplace with booth seating along either side. The bathrooms have also been moved to the back of the bar and are significantly larger than before.
Despite rumors, the renovated bar will not feature a beer garden, said Callaghan, who expected the final piece of construction to include the repaving of the parking lot on the south side of the tavern.
She said the improvements were meant to draw new, younger customers to the Western Avenue bar. Plus, many of the upgrades are long overdue.
"We've been letting things go a bit knowing we are going to do an overhaul," she said.
Callaghan is hopeful that the front of the bar can re-open for business by the end of July. A grand opening celebration is tentatively set for Aug. 15.
"We'll see how it goes," Callaghan said.
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