A Little Background on O'Lordans...

The stone building appears on the maps between 1867 and 1870 as part of a land tract marking the opening of the west end of town. It opened as a foundry where they developed and refined innovative machinery such as the "Lion Fodder Crusher", making the job of local farmers easier. In 1878 the property was purchased by B. Frank Shriver Company. Having paved the way for advances in the canning industry, Shriver sold the property to Farmers Supply Company.

We have knowledge of several special uses of the building. There was a live chicken house, barber shop, teen center and practice hall for the Westminster Municiple Band. The first floor housed the Stone House Restaurant owned and operated by the Sharkey Family in the 1930's. It also Housed B's Coffee Shop operated by Bernice "B" Fox in the 1980's.  After B's closed the building stood empty for many years.

The Johansson Family had a dream for the old stone building. When they realized that 14 Liberty Street fit the vision for the perfect Irish Pub David and Wendy purchased the property. Following a challenging renovation the Johansson's opened the doors to O'Lordans Irish Pub on October 25, 2005.

The O'Lordan's name whose lineage can be traced to Wendy's grandmother's family. Granda O'Lordan made a living off the sweat of his brow as a stevedore in the old country. Legend has it that he provided a refreshing red ale to his fellow workers after a long day on the docks.

Despite its age and cosmetic alterations, the buildings predecessors live on. Those who are old enough to remember the familiar creak of the stairs comment on the sound. They tell the story of how they used to come to take dance classes and go to public dances on the second floor in the 30's, 40's & 50's.  The raw wood beams that you see are original to the building. This is where we see the lineage of the old stone building.

Through this process we have come to know and understand the power that history has on a building and a town. The old stone building is a landmark to the locals and a place to reminisce about. We enjoyed hearing the stories of the coffee shop and the love stories of the dances. We are still learning about this grand old place and everyday brings a new story from someone who is reliving their memories.

The Johansson family thanks you for your patronage. Remember we are all Irish when we walk through the doors of the old stone building, so lift a pint and share in the blarney.

Cheers!