Jennifer Boyd will close her life-long family business, Patrick’s Pub in Apollo, at the end of the month.
“My parents have owned this for 43 years, I don’t want to sell it, but I can’t afford it,” Boyd said. “In order for us to fix everything, including the roof, electrical panels and fire suppression system, it would be well over $50,000.”
The pub received a notice from its insurance company stating if issues involving the electrical panels and fire suppression system are not addressed, the pub will no longer be insurable as of Sunday, June 2.
The pub’s electrical panels need to be replaced, Boyd was informed, because the model is a fire hazard. That model of panel stopped being made in 1985 because of the problem, yet every inspection Patrick’s Pub received for the past almost 40 years never made mention of the problem — until this year, Boyd said.
Boyd’s son, CT, and his wife, Deejay, run the restaurant fulltime by themselves while Boyd works as a medical assistant at United Physicians as a way to put money into the pub.
“CT and Deejay work hard in there by themselves. There’s nothing we can do. No one wants to work.” Boyd said of trying to hire additional full-time employees.
She’s poured thousands of dollars of personal savings into the pub, working on repairs to help with the costs, all in an effort to keep the pub alive for the community.
Often, Boyd said, she would not take a paycheck and would put her pay right back into unforeseen issues.
“I do this for our supporters who love to come here and eat. I know they don’t want to see this place close.” Boyd said.
Fan favorites from the pub include Pierogi Pizza, chicken wings and the Radio Hoagie, with lettuce, tomato, fried onions, cheese and mushrooms.
Over the years, the state of the building has become unmanageable. Boyd said a sizable loan, with substantial risk, would be needed to fix all of the problems.
“The building is so old.” Boyd said.
Patrick’s Pub customer Merissa Majocha started a GoFundMe account to try to save the pub.
The fundraiser has raised about $1,025 toward it $20,000 goal.
