McGillin's Olde Ale House, Philly's oldest continuously operating tavern, has a new gift shop around the corner from the storied 19th century bar on Drury Lane.
The 500-square-foot McGillin's Shoppe, located at 123 S. Juniper St., carries a mix of Philly-themed souvenirs, bar apparel, books and imported Irish goods. The year-round retail concept was inspired by McGillin's holiday pop-up shops that operated the last two winters in a different storefront nearby.
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McGillin's owner Christopher Mullins Jr., who operates the bar with his parents, said he hopes the shop's selection will rival the offerings at the Independence Visitor Center in Old City.
"With so much Philadelphia merch, we’ll strive to be the city’s best souvenir shop," Mullins said in a statement.
Some of the Irish imports at the shop include stained glass, candles, teas and wool garments. The store also carries books by local authors and baby accessories. During the holidays, it will stock gifts similar to those sold at the prior pop-ups.
McGillin's originally opened in 1860 as the Bell in Hand, a tavern run by Irish immigrant William "Pa" McGillin and his wife, Catherine. The property at 1310 Drury Lane doubled as the McGillins' home, and laborers who frequented the business nicknamed it McGillin's.
The tavern and attached oyster house passed through generations of the McGillin family before it was purchased by brothers Henry Spaniak and Joe Shepaniak (who spelled their last name differently) in 1958. Henry's daughter, Mary Ellen Spaniak Mullins, and her husband Chris Mullins took over the bar in the early 1990s. The bar is now in its third generation with the Mullins family.
McGillin's remains one of Philly's top sports bars and a frequent stop for celebrities and athletes. Denver Nuggets star and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic visited last year and ate 50-cent wings after a loss to the Sixers. Other McGillin's guests over the years have included Joe Biden, Jason Kelce, Eric Lindros and members of the Foo Fighters. The tavern celebrated bartender John Doyle's 50th anniversary at McGillin's last year.
In addition to the gift shop, McGillin's will sell most of its merchandise through an online store. The shop is already open, but the official grand opening is June 6. Initial hours will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. The store will be closed on Sundays in July and August before expanding hours in the fall.
