82: Whyte Ave in Focus Issue 3
w/ O'Byrne's manager Alexa Pillipow
Good ol’ O’Byrne’s. The bar, situated near the end of the busiest portion of Whyte Ave, appeals to 18 year old high school seniors excited about grabbing their first (legal) beer, middle-aged professionals looking to relax after a busy day, and an older crowd that most likely knows more about the Ave than anyone else. It's rare for an establishment to become the third place for such a wide age range, but there is a very simple explanation for this: O’Byrne’s is a family joint.
Opened 26 years ago in Edmonton by an Irish couple, the bar is now owned and operated by their sons Lawrence and Cathal O’Byrne, who have cultivated an atmosphere of close ties and familial relationships. The brothers’ uncle poked the idea of opening a bar to their father, after discovering the large Irish community in Edmonton had no establishment that truly felt like home. Speaking to the staff, I get the sense that “we’re family” isn't just another corporate facade at O’Byrne’s– it's the real deal. People are happy here, whether you're there to work or to enjoy a cold one (make it a Guinness).
The bar is fashioned so distinctively it's difficult to imagine it any other way. Decorations of all sorts sit in the front of the bar; cameras, typewriters, worn out books. The most notable element is the countdown to Saint Patrick’s Day that hangs in the upper portion of the bar; that’s their superbowl.
Alexa Pillipow started working at O’Byrne’s 5 years ago to pay off her undergrad degree. What began as a means to support herself through school quickly became a career, due to the great atmosphere at O’Byrne’s. Today, she’s the Events Manager and responsible for ensuring everyone has a memorable and joyous experience at O’Byrne’s. A good look at the smiling faces, boisterous laughter and bouncing crowds and it's easy to tell she’s excelling at her role.
I spoke with Alexa about the bar, her journey, and 82.
What does Whyte Ave mean to you?
Well, I live on Whyte actually. I've lived here since I moved to the city for university. I love it a lot more than I like downtown. Like, I find it's safer, it's more convenient. I lived alone and I never had any issues. I never felt unsafe. Like I was always fine walking home alone in any hour of the night. I just love it. I honestly think it is the heart of Edmonton too. I would have to agree with you, like I think it's more the heart of Edmonton than downtown.
What’s your favorite place to eat on Whyte?
I've been going to The Next Act a lot lately. I really love their lunchtime food there. And I am also a huge fan of, like, Pip for brunch. They make such a great eggs benny.
What do people need to try at O’Byrne’s?
To drink, I'm gonna have to say Guinness. Our staff do get trained and certified in pouring Guinness. Guinness comes in and does like a little exercise with the bartenders and stuff. So that's something we pride ourselves on, is like the perfect pint.
Food wise, I would definitely have to say our wings! We've been revamping our wings and stuff like that. We've been doing, like, wing of the week. Just recently, we did one called Irish Spikes Bag, which is, like, a very popular one from back home. And a bunch of our, like, European regulars were just in love with it, like, enamored with it, because they said it tasted like back home.
What is your most memorable experience at O’Byrne’s?
Last summer, we had a dunk tank for a weekend at the pub. Seeing people just having like, the best time was really awesome. I went in it for a bit in the beginning, just to get people going. And then, like, there was a long line of college guys ready to, like, rip off their shirt and get in there.
How involved are the owners?
The owners are in and out all the time. Today was 9/11 so we had over 200 firefighters show up to do a commemoration. The brothers were in today, and they were helping out and bartending and chatting and being present.
That's beautiful. they could have gone anywhere on the Ave but chose to go to O’Byrne’s.
Working here has been such a joy, like they take such good care of us. Cathill has a big house with a pool and he's brought us over there for, like, staff get togethers and stuff like that. Like, they really encourage that family vibe, which is incredible. They'll give me a budget and say, “Hey, we want to get staff together. You guys have worked really hard all summer, let's plan a party to celebrate how hard you guys have worked”. And that's something that's just really special.
What other events do you guys have coming up?
We’re going to be doing a neon glow in the dark Halloween party called Rave From The Grave. We're going to be partnering with Bubble Stash and Movember for all of November and raising some money there. And then Christmas, we get to do 12 days of giveaways with Guinness. So we're gonna do 12 days of prize giveaways. So we give away air pods, iHomes, iPads, and stuff like that.
For more information about the 12 Days of Giveaways ending on 23 December, visit O’Byrnes on instagram @obyrnesirishpub
Music by Nujabes