When Liam Flynn’s Ale House opened on North Avenue five years ago, it was somewhat of an anomaly. Station North was known more for gallery spaces and nightclubs, so an Irish bar with a penchant for soccer games, Scotch eggs, and Celtic tunes was a bit different for the neighborhood.
It turns out that thinking outside that mold has backfired on the bar, which is owned by Liam Flynn and his wife, Jessica. Now locked in a lease that they see as “unfit” for its business model, Liam Flynn’s is facing eviction and has started a campaign on GoFundMe to help raise $50,000 by Monday, July 18, in order to save the bar.
“The lease has never really worked for us,” he explained. “Plus, it’s never been changed to reflect the extra space or increased expenses over the years. I’ve been trying to get back to the negotiating table and they come back with 10 different ways of saying no.”
When the couple initially signed the lease agreement with Center City Inc. in 2011, they agreed to pay 10 percent of its annual sales to the landlord once they surpassed $300,000 (otherwise known as percentage rent). At the time, Flynn didn’t think this would be an issue. But, in 2013, in an effort to “change the dynamic of Station North,” he applied for a Class-B liquor license, which required he add the kitchen and start selling food.
“We wanted to get more daytime traffic for the bar and neighborhood,” Flynn said. “And it worked out great. Our revenues tripled. But so did our labor, cost of food, equipment, build out, all that sort of stuff.”
Soon, the bar started exceeding that $300,000 mark, and owing Center City in increasing numbers that it couldn’t afford. That initial percentage rent (which Flynn says is 2-5 percent for many other establishments) didn’t make sense for his new business model.
“Places like the Windup Space and Metro Gallery have a similar lease agreement,” Flynn said. “But they charge at the door, which they don’t count towards sales, so it works for them.”
Flynn explains that his model, being a restaurant and community hub, should have a different lease agreement, but Center City was never willing to negotiate. He also points out that Liam Flynn’s features local art and free music nights, lends its commercial kitchen out, and donates food to neighbors through its coalition of farmers called Open Plough.
“We’re giving to the community and now we’re asking them to give back to us,” he said.
The GoFundMe campaign runs for a week with a goal of $50,000, which will go towards paying off debts, combating legal fees, and supporting the bar’s 15 employees. So far, Flynn said, it’s been “amazing” to see the community band together for him.
“There’s always that hope that [Center City] will see how we are a valued asset to the neighborhood and will consider renegotiating with us,” he said.
For her part, Carolyn McGuire-Frenkil, one of the partners of the developer, told City Paper that the closing of the bar would be “sad and unfortunate.”
Besides supporting the fundraising campaign, Flynn said that interested patrons can come out during Artscape this weekend where jazz band Tongue in Cheek will be playing Saturday afternoon and Sunday the bar will host a silent auction.
“We have put so much into this place and people love it,” he said. “I just can’t imagine starting all over again.”