Kelly's Is Hosting Pitt's Game Watch, This Is Why I'm A Maloney's Guy

We lived and died with this bar. This would have been unheard of back when Kelly’s was Kelly’s and had holes in the floor and writing on the wall. But now it’s a characterless replica of Gullifty’s. No reason to go back there now. It’s not the same bar and now it isn’t even a Villanova bar.

I agree with Mannino’s comment. This isn’t Kelly’s, except for the mooshead . . . its a local version of Crapplebee’s. I have always hated this Kelly’s in name only. I get that they needed to spruce up the place for township approvals and family-dining purposes but they also sucked the soul right out of the place. This move to bring in Pitt people for a game watch (even if restricted to 3rd floor) when Pitt is playing Villanova is either (i) a saavy business move by a business with no care for it former reputation as a “Villanova” abr, which is fine and should lead the charge of Villanova fans to other venues; or (ii) a stupid business move that backfired. Either way – show me the way to Maloneys or any other place.

I am writing to set the record straight about rumors and inaccurate comments made about our Club’s upcoming event being held in conjunction with the Pitt v. Villanova basketball game on February 12. First, let me introduce myself. I am the President of the Greater Philadelphia Pitt Club. I live in Philadelphia and practice law in Center City. Our Club is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh’s Alumni Association. Our Club members are some of the nearly 11,000 proud alumni of the University of Pittsburgh that call Greater Philadelphia home. Other than for social and networking purposes, the Club primarily exists to raise money to support scholarships for students from Greater Philadelphia that will attend the University of Pittsburgh.
Our Club has hosted an event prior to any Pitt v. Villanova basketball game for over 15 years when the game is played in Philadelphia. Our Club has hosted a pregame event at the bar and restaurant located where Kelly’s Taproom is now operated dating back over 15 years. We have hosted successful pregame events at the Wild Onion as well as at Flip & Bailey’s. So when the basketball schedule was released showing a game at the Pavilion, we contacted Kelly’s to arrange an event. We entered into a contract with Kelly’s to have a pregame dinner from 7-9, and a television game watch following our dinner, for those who were unable to get tickets. No controversy or objections were ever raised by Kelly’s or anyone else about this event. Interest in our event apparently became an issue, when a poster here raised it by way of a blog post, complaining about Pitt alumni coming to Kelly’s and threatening a boycott of the bar and restaurant.
As this post gained circulation, Kelly’s apparently became concerned about how it may affect their business. Kelly’s contacted our Club representatives indicating our Club would not be able [or discouraged] to stay after our dinner to watch the game, as set forth and provided for in our contract. We decided rather than fight about our contracted right, as well as the enjoyment and safety of our guests, that we would move our event to a venue that would welcome us. Understanding that Kelly’s was a place where we and our money were no longer welcome, we contacted Kelly’s to negotiate out of our contract for the event. We are pleased to report our event will not go forward at Kelly’s on February 12.
I am frankly surprised and disappointed that the greater Villanova community is apparently so threatened by our Club’s proposed event. Our members are respectable citizens of Greater Philadelphia, some of whom also have degrees from Villanova. We have partnered with your Villanova Club to run a number of successful joint events over the years. We hope that the discrimination and overtly nasty things said about us were the shallow and thoughtless comments of some ill-mannered minority, rather than the consensus of Villanova fans, students, and alumni.
Our event will go forward on February 12 at The Fox and Hound in King of Prussia. We welcome any Pitt or Villanova fans or alumni to join us. If you have an interest in joining us, see our web site at: http://www.alumni.pitt.edu/clubs/philadelphia/ for details. We are looking forward to a great game and Panther victory. Hail to Pitt!