Sunny side sips

Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are opening a bar in Old City with some friends.

Always wished you could grab a beer at Paddy’s Pub with the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang but felt alone and incomplete because you couldn’t?
Wish granted.

It’s Always Sunny stars and spouses Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson are opening a bar in Old City, to be located at 226 Market St. The Mac and Sweet Dee actors will be co-owners of Mac’s Tavern, along with four friends, who all know each other from their years at St. Joe’s Preparatory school.

Ben Haney, a real estate investor and former St. Joe’s Prep teacher, is one of the co-owners and will oversee the day-to-day operations.

“We’re not going for a Cheers. We don’t want it to be gimmicky. We want it to be a standalone bar. It’s a bar that happens to be co-owned by people from It’s Always Sunny. The best way to put it is, if you like the show, you’ll like the bar,” Haney said in an interview in front of the Sunny gang’s favorite coffee shop, Philadelphia Java Company.

“There’s going to be elements of it, but don’t necessarily go in there expecting to see waiters dressed as Greenman or something. We’re trying to create the bar that we always wanted to go to.”

They said the bar they always wanted to go to would have a relaxed atmosphere, a view of the game, good food and economical pints. This, too, is the plan for Mac’s Tavern.

“Unpretentious – that’s our motto,” Haney said.

Mac’s has been in the works for about three years, beginning when Haney and St. Joe’s Prep Dean of Students Dennis Hart decided to open a bar together. It grew to include several more friends, including McElhenney and Olson.

“It came to a head last year when we started looking for a place. The story broke, Philadelphia Inquirer ran the story, and then we finally found the place, Skinners,” Haney said.

The bar where Mac’s will be is currently Skinner’s, and while the group plans to outfit the inside with new floors, furnishings and fresh paint, the staff will remain.

“We wanted to be open by St. Patty’s Day, but through no fault of our own, we can’t. We’re not five months away. I would say sometime in April,” Haney said.

Transferring the liquor license from Skinner’s to Mac’s Tavern has posed a problem, not because folks are voicing complaints, but rather because it’s a lengthy and complicated process.

“We’ve been really fortunate that we haven’t had to try too hard to get our name out. Everybody’s been really happy about it. The Philadelphia Inquirer has been helpful. Local bar blogs and restaurant blogs want people to succeed,” Haney said of the bar garnering local support.

Even longtime Skinner’s patrons are intrigued. They have only gotten one complaint thus far: the booths.

“I know a lot of people have been crying about the booths. They have these booths that apparently a lot of people like,” he said.

Despite cries to keep them, the booths are out, substituted by high-top tables to allow more people in the space.

The FX series has a loyal following, both in Philly and elsewhere. The Mac’s Tavern Facebook fan page has drawn more than 1,200 fans and an overwhelming response of comments.

“I’m your No. 1 Australian fan! Next time I’m in the states, I’ll be sure to make a detour to Mac’s Tav!” Eliza May wrote.

“Can’t wait! Will there be [Wi Fi] so I can get a hoagie through the Internet?” Lisa Capuzzi McGarrey asked.

Alia Chaudhri, a senior political science and economics major, said she is looking forward to visiting Mac’s because she’s a fan of the show and feels it represents the spirit of Philadelphia.

“I started watching [It’s Always Sunny] because it had the word ‘Philadelphia’ in it. The World Series episode was the greatest thing on television. I would love to visit that bar. It’s like being in a piece of the show. Everyone I know watches that show,” she said.

Fans like Chaudhri can be a part of the upcoming grand opening festivities, which will be a series of openings to ensure room for everyone.

“There’s going to be a couple rounds of openings,” Haney said. “We put a little charity thing together. For a donation, you can become a part of our bar. We’re going to have a plaque. You’ll be on the mailing list, and we’ll have a grand opening separate for the VIPs.”

Following the opening schedule, Mac’s will begin weekly Quizzo, game-day events and of course, show-watching nights.

What if you have your heart set on meeting Mac, Dee, Charlie, Dennis or Frank in the flesh?

“The plan is the cast members will make an appearance, but it’s dependent on timing. When they’re in town, they will be at the bar,” Haney said. “It’s their intention to be a part of it.”

Michelle Provencher can be reached at michelle.provencher@temple.edu.

‘Sunny’ star still a Philly guy at heart

If the name of his show wasn’t enough proof already, Rob McElhenney, 31, is a Philadelphia guy. In an exclusive interview with The Temple News, the writer, producer and star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia reminisces about his days of hanging out in Fairmount Park, sneaking into bars and roaming Temple’s Main Campus for a semester.

The Temple News: You’re a born-and-raised Philly kid. How did you spend your time growing up?

Rob McElhenney: I grew up in South Philadelphia at Moyamensing and Dickinson, then, I moved to Delaware County after high school. I went to high school at St. Joe’s Prep and hung out with kids from all different schools. I don’t know if kids do this anymore, but we used to go to Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park after school to hang. Sometimes we’d go to the bars that let underagers in.

TTN: I hear you went to Temple for a while. Have any fond memories?

RM: My time at Temple was short. I went for a semester but didn’t finish. I wasn’t a great student – I wasn’t excelling, and I wasn’t there long enough to declare a major. I wanted to leave Philly and see new things, so I moved to New York. I stayed there for seven years before heading out to Los Angeles.

TTN: When did you realize you wanted to make a career out of acting?

RM: As a kid, I did plays in school but never really thought of it as being a career option. It wasn’t until I got to New York City and met waiters and bartenders who were doing shows at night that I ever considered it as a profession. I enrolled in Lee Strasberg [Theatre and Film Institute], which is associated with the Screen Actors Guild and started acting.

TTN: The show is set in Philly, but some of its scenes are shot in Los Angeles. Why’s that?

RM: FX (the station Sunny airs on) is based in L.A., and originally, they wanted to keep us close. Since we were a new series, they didn’t want us running the whole show. It’s much easier to film parts in L.A. than to move the entire production to Philly. But the network is really supportive, and we film a lot in Philly. Philly is a major character in the show.

TTN: Do you still have ties to Philadelphia?

RM: I’m home now more than I was when I lived in New York. I come home for Christmas and all the major holidays. My parents live in King of Prussia and Delaware County. My closest friends are guys I went to high school with. I’m actually in the process of buying a bar in Philly with guys I went to high school with. It’s in the early stages, but they’ll run everything, and I’ll get back as much as I can. We’re still planning it, but it looks like we’ll open it in Center City.

TTN: You don’t have much of a Philly accent. Why’s that?

RM: I specifically worked my way out of the accent for acting. It’s also partly a natural result of all my years in New York and L.A. My brother and sister have much stronger accents than I do. I still have a little bit of the accent on the show. 

TTN: Do you think Philly will ever be a big movie town?

RM: I think Philly is already on its way. With all the talk about M. Night Shayamalan building a studio and all the recent things that have been filmed there, I think there’s a real chance. Sharon Pinkenson (a Temple grad) of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office works tirelessly to see that that happens. I love shooting in Philly.

TTN: With all the time you spend in Los Angeles, do you ever interact with other Philly actors out there?

RM: There are a lot of people from Philly in L.A. – other actors, agents, managers. We all meet in a bar in Santa Monica to watch Eagles games, and you wouldn’t believe how packed it is. There is a huge concentration of Philly people – and East Coasters in general – in L.A. I think they come for the weather and end up staying.

TTN: What’s next for Sunny?

RM: We’ll be back in June for a week or so to film, and I also get throw the opening pitch at a Phillies game, which I’m pretty excited about.

TTN: Do you have a favorite episode?

RM: I don’t really have a favorite, but there are some I like a lot – like the 1776 episode. People had really strong reactions to that, which is great. I like when people either really love or really hate something. 

TTN: What else are you working on these days?

RM: We’ve been working on the new show (Boldly Going Nowhere) for Fox. It’s going pretty well. Right now, we’re looking for someone to take it over, since Sunny takes up a lot of time. The actors who play Artemis and Rickety Cricket will have main roles in the new show. 

TTN: With all the time you spend away from Philly, what do you miss most when you’re gone?

RM: My family and friends, definitely. They’re spread out all over the city, so I get to see everything. And I love coming back for sporting events. I’m a huge Eagles fan. I try to get to as many games as possible. The Eagles are easier to watch since they have a shorter season. Unfortunately, I missed the Phillies’ championship parade. But it’s great to be able to come back and see all the people I love. 

Despite spending the bulk of his time in L.A., Rob McElhenney might be more of a Philadelphian than he ever was. Instead of getting to his head, the huge success of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has connected him more with the city. His time away leaves him with nothing but good things to say about his memories of growing up, his time at Temple and all the things about Philadelphia that make it the perfect setting for a hit TV show. 

Shannon McDonald can be reached at shannon.mcdonald@temple.edu.