This story has been updated with additional information.
The owner of the Abbey Bar announced on June 2 that the popular bar and restaurant will close this summer after 52 years in downtown De Pere.
Kerry Counard, the bar’s second-generation owner, on Facebook posted a “heartfelt farewell” to longtime customers and staff, saying the bar at 303 Reid St. will soon close its doors.
“I’m grateful for every loyal customer, every coworker who became family and the chance to work alongside my parents, siblings, family members and my own kids,” he said in the post’s video. “At 60, I’m thankful I can walk away on my own terms, excited for the next chapter whatever that brings and proud to keep the Abbey spirit alive in new ways that will be announced in the future.”
Counard’s announcement comes as One Barrel Brewing Company continues to finalize its purchase and plans to convert the Abbey property into a new brewery, taproom and restaurant.
‘From the bottom of my heart: thank you for 52 years of memories, laughter, hard work and community’
Before it closes, The Abbey will host a two-day farewell celebration June 12-13, with details still being worked out. Counard also said everything in the bar will be auctioned off online in the future.
Counard, who’s owned and managed the business for 36 years, was 9 when his dad bought and opened The Abbey. In the post, he said he and his siblings literally grew up in the business, watching it become more than just a bar and restaurant, but “a home, a gathering place, and a constant thread running through generations of family, friends and St. Norbert College neighbors.”
“From the bottom of my heart: thank you for 52 years of memories, laughter, hard work and community. Thank you for letting my family be part of all your lives. And thank you for being part of ours,” Counard wrote.
Abbey has been a mainstay of downtown De Pere since 1974
The Abbey’s genesis story begins in 1974 when Al Counard, Kerry’s dad, rode his bike from Green Bay to De Pere to finalize a bid to purchase the End Zone Supper Club, formerly Witbro Grocery, at a sheriff’s sale.
Al and partners renovated the property and renamed it The Abbey Bar that year. It quickly became popular with De Pere residents and St. Norbert College students. Steve Harrison by the 1980s became a co-owner along with Al Counard.
Kerry and Kip Counard in 1990 joined their dad in running The Abbey, renaming it Westchester Abbey and giving it a sports bar-focus.
Westchester Abbey in 1999 completed construction of and moved into a two-story building on the east end of its original space. The original bar was converted into a retail space, according to Press-Gazette archives. The new building was part of De Pere’s efforts to redevelop the portion of downtown south of Reid Street and east of Grant Street.
Counard and the Abbey gained national notoriety in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic when Barstool Sports, the popular sports and pop culture site, chose The Abbey as one of the first bars to benefit from the site’s Barstool Fund. The fund aimed to help local bars and restaurants get through the tough pandemic years.
Downtown De Pere craft brewery, taproom and restaurant project would invest $1.5 million in Abbey site
One Barrel Brewing’s continues to finalize acquisition of The Abbey site and its estimated $1.5 million renovation plan for the Reid Street property. Peter Gentry, who owns One Barrel along with his wife Jennifer, indicated the project tentatively is on track for a soft opening by the end of 2026.
The plans include:
The city and One Barrel continue to work out a formal development agreement related to a request for $125,000 in tax incremental financing assistance. City staff members now need to draft the formal development agreement terms. And One Barrel needs to submit a site plan for review and approval.
The De Pere City Council will need to vote on both the development agreement and the site plan before One Barrel can proceed.
Contact business reporter Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X at @JeffBollier.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Popular downtown De Pere bar and grill to close after 52 years
Reporting by Jeff Bollier, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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