When Damien Mulconry was first approached about opening a second location of his popular Irish bar, he wasn’t interested. But eventually he changed his tune.
His brother, Peter Mulconry, now lives in Rochester and was on board to help him expand the business. “We’ll be running it together basically,” Damien Mulconry said.
Construction of the second location of Mulconry’s Irish Pub and Restaurant is now under way in Elm Ridge Center, off West Ridge Road in Greece. As recently as 2019, the strip center was a retail apocalypse, with just a few hair and beauty businesses amid a vast expanse of vacant retail space. Since then, Wegman Companies (unrelated to the grocery store chain) purchased the property and now most of the 335,000-square-foot strip center is leased.
Mulconry’s will be situated next to Cotoletta, a casual Italian restaurant and bar. Other nearby eateries include Refresh Smoothie Bar, Asian Street Cafe and Bozza Pasta, a pasta manufacturer and fast-casual lunch eatery.
Damien Mulconry, a native of Cork, Ireland, opened Mulconry’s at 17 E. Liftbridge Lane in the Village of Fairport in 2008. It’s a fantastically popular spot, even when Jimmy Fallon, Mulconry’s celebrity friend, isn’t visiting. The comedian and host of “The Tonight Show” has been friends with Mulconry since his days working at the Gaf West, a bar Fallon frequented in New York City. He has turned up in Fairport from time to time; Fallon usually gives Mulconry a heads-up a couple hours in advance.
Does Mulconry expect Fallon to visit him on the west side?
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped up unannounced. I never know with him,” Mulconry said. “I suppose I have to share him with the west side also. I can’t just share him with the east siders.”
At 4,700 square feet, the new location will have roughly the equivalent total space as the Fairport location, but will be housed all on one floor. It will have the same homey, casual vibe and the same menu of Irish and American pub fare. Mulconry expects to host live music on the weekends, and he’ll give trivia nights a trial run to see if they are as popular in Greece as they are in Fairport.
Mulconry is eyeing an opening in late October or November, depending on how construction progresses. “It’s going smoothly so far,” he said. “We’re getting there.”
Tracy Schuhmacher has been food and drink reporter for the D&C for the past 10 years. Notice an eatery open or close near you? Email her at TracyS@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Popular Fairport Irish pub is opening a new location in Greece
Reporting by Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
