ORLANDO, Fla. — UPDATE: The Claddagh Cottage has reopened in its new location at 2421 Curry Ford Road in the developing Hourglass District.
It’s a place where you can get the “perfect pint,” but in a few months, the diamond in the rough on the corner of South Conway and Curry Ford roads, will be gone after more than 20 years in business.
“I’ve been coming here for 4 ½ years, and it’s a complete blow to me and my friends,” said patron Stephen Villiotis.
Why? Because according to the pub’s Facebook page, “The strip mall that the Claddagh Cottage occupies is being sold and the building will be torn down and a Walgreens will be built.”
“It’s an outrage,” said patron Andy Roy.
Channel 9 visited the Claddagh Cottage to get an idea of why so many patrons are up in arms over its closing. There is one common theme: “It’s like a second home.”
“This is my second home. The friendliest and most genuine place. Music, people, atmosphere: that’s the Claddagh Cottage,” Roy said.
That’s right. Patrons told Channel 9 that the pub should not only be seen as a place to drink, but as a gathering for locals and out-of-towners looking for a traditional and lively place to relax and “forget about the stress of the real world for a while.”
“I was not in a good place, and I came here and made friends. It’s like being somewhere else for a while,” said patron Ken Lewis.
Lewis has been going to the pub for about five years, and what he loves so much about the Cottage is the friendly staff, the low-key atmosphere and the great people that have become locals and his friends.
Every other Wednesday, there is a traditional Irish band that plays, and has been playing for the past 16 years. People come from around the U.S. just to listen to them and enjoy a little piece of Ireland.
But folks who fly in from Dublin and the U.K. also visit the Claddagh Cottage, instead of the themed bars of International Drive and downtown Orlando.
One couple from Ireland, who have traveled the U.S., told Channel 9 that their friends who live locally suggested the Cottage, and to their surprise, they walked in and thought, “This is the most authentic pub we’ve been in the states.”
Many are outraged about yet another pharmacy being built in the neighborhood. Channel 9 found out there are five pharmacies -- CVS and Walgreens -- within a two-mile radius in the area.
“What is the benefit of having another Walgreens when you have a CVS right across the street?” Roy pointed out. “This has been my second home for the last eight years; see my friends or make new ones. My pool of friends has grown.”
The owners, Scott Vocca and Vicki Gish, bought the pub earlier this year from former owner, Jimmy Mulvaney. Vocca and Gish bought the Cottage with their hard-earned money to fulfill a dream of owning the pub they love so much.
“It’s hard to believe this place won’t be here,” said Vocca. “I wanted this to be a place where people can listen to unique music.”
Vocca and Gish said they were told by a representative of developer, Centennial American Properties, based out of Greenville South Carolina, “I don’t want to see you going into debt, and I don’t want to see you go out of business.”
But the owners said no help has been given to them, just a lot of promises.
At the Cottage, you will find a variety of people laughing, talking and sometimes dancing and singing.
The memories are endless, and some of the patrons’ stories are pretty amazing.
“I just survived cancer. I got a job at Florida Hospital East. I knew no one. I went through a difficult time. It became a home, a safe place. It’s a place where the laughter was the best medicine," said patron Cathy Bellamy. "When you walk into this door, it’s home. They just became my family. Every time I come here, since 2009, everybody feels like family from all walks of life.”
So what happens to the Claddagh Cottage now? Time can only tell. Vocca and Gish are hoping to relocate, somewhere in town, but that is proving difficult and very expensive, so far, without help from the buyer.
The Cottage isn’t the only family-owned business being pushed out. There is a restaurant, a few shops and a laundromat that are all family-owned.
“These days, it seems like a common theme that family-owned, mom and pop places are being bullied out, just so Walgreens and CVS can continue their sword fight, without caring about the consequences that battle has to the local community,” said a patron.
Channel 9 has emailed Walgreens for a statement, but has not yet received a response.
The date of closure for the Claddagh Cottage is unknown, because the owners have not been given a final notice to vacate.
You can read the full Facebook post from the Claddagh Cottage and the pub's story below:
Below is the project overview:
Cox Media Group
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