(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub and Restaurant in Downtown Colorado Springs is celebrating 25 years of serving the community with an official birthday party Thursday evening.

“It means so much,” Business Manager, Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, Meredith Klube, said. “We are so thankful to the Colorado Springs community for keeping this going. We have a lot of folks that come in and see us regularly that have come in four years.”

Since 1998, Jack Quinn’s has brought traditional Irish meals to the city with fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, corned beef, and more.

“Well the main focus of our menu is traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, lamb stew,” Klube said. “We really do have something for everyone.” 

The pub is located inside of one of the oldest buildings in the city and even with the pandemic the loyal customers have been Dublin and keeping their business afloat.

“It was hard for restaurants, your just at risk of COVID, but our community came through,” Klube said. “They showed that they loved us… customers came in, said ‘we want you to stick around, so we’re going to order food from you to-go every single week.”

One by one the pub filled with people from all over the country to celebrate the exciting milestone.

Kathleen Lynchneveu arrived with a suitcase in hand coming straight from the airport to join in on the festivities.

“I was on the start up team when Jack Quinn’s opened in 1998,” Lynchneveu said. “I worked for Western Pacific Airlines, which went out of business, and I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Lynchneveu is a member of the original Jack Quinn’s crew working at the restaurant for 17 years.

“It was very like a social outlet for me,” Lynchneveu said. “Such a good family, so many people meet here, lots of great camaraderie.”

While interviewing Lynchneveu a big smile appeared on her face when she revealed the exact spot she was standing in was where she started serving.

“This was my section the first night I ever worked, I got this section,” Lynchneveu said. “… And we opened on St Patrick’s Day and it was insane.”

In addition to tunes and a sing-along, the restaurant is bringing back 1998 prices with $3.50 Colorado beers and $4 Jameson.

“Colorado beers are $3.50 that’s how much a 16 ounce beer was in 1998 I remember and then Jameson is $4 the same price as back then,” Klube said. “We talked about discounting some food like fish and chips to 1998, but we would have been paying people to eat our fish and chips, so I couldn’t do that.”

The celebrations will not be coming to an end as Jack Quinn’s will be offering live music all day on St. Patrick’s Day. Doors will open at 8 a.m. on Friday with live music playing throughout the day.

“We have people that take off every year and then before we open the doors, we’ll have a line up all the way almost to the alley of people,” Klube said. “They come in, they want their certain table. They are there the whole day. They eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks.”

Details on the times of the performers for the downstairs and upstairs stages can be found online.

CDOT advocates for those going out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day to have a plan on getting home safe. For Jack Quinn’s patrons you can receive a discounted Lyft ride using the code “SPDSAFE” in the Lyft app.

The party doesn’t stop there – with special celebrations featuring Celtic step dancers, a face painter, a balloon man, and pipers throughout the day.

While miles apart from the Emerald Isle, Jack Quinn’s has created a Southern Colorado family.

“We really pride ourselves in the community that our staff has become,” Klube said. “And I’ve made lifelong friends here over the years and a lot of people have.”