At Blarney Stone Pub, They Know Your Name—and Their Beer

If you live in Oak Forest, and you've tipped a pint of beer or a glass of wine, you've most likely visited Blarney Stone Pub. Or at least, so it seems. Since 1994, it has been one of the more popular establishments in town.

It is owned by Tom Spellman Sr., and his children: Tom Jr., Kim Keane, and Tracy Needham. Tom Sr. has been in the restaurant business for many years. He was one of the original owners of Durbin's in Burbank. Prior to that, he owned other restaurants and a hotel.

It's no surprise then, that Blarney Stone is as much restaurant as it is pub. 

"We can be your neighborhood bar," said Tom Jr., "but our customers also come in for the food."  They offer sandwiches, pasta dishes and pizza.  They also deliver, cater, and can accommodate parties as large as 80 people.

"We have a really mixed crowd," said Keane.  "You see people from 21 to 70 sitting around our bar. The retirees will come in for lunch, and sometimes wait for the after-work crowd to arrive. Soon the families start coming in for dinner, and eventually the younger crowd comes in to finish the night."

Part of the after-dinner crowd are members of the many teams that Blarney Stone sponsors.  Recently, the members of Balls Deep, a co-ed softball team that plays in Tinley Park, popped in after a game.

"They take very good care of us here," said team member Brian Olejnik, an Oak Forest resident. "They've been sponsoring us for three years.  We've all been coming in here since we turned 21. We really like the relaxed atmosphere."

Like many local businesses, Blarney Stone has seen the economy have an effect on their business.

"We noticed it about three years ago," said Keane.  "The regulars became semi-regulars. The construction guys stopped coming in as often. And then when gas prices spiked, we saw it a little more.  That extra $60 a week for pizza and beer was going into the gas tank."

Unlike many other businesses, the Spellman's have been very proactive in trying to make their place stand apart from the crowd.

"We just got tired of doing the same things over and over," said Tom Jr.  "You feel like you're beating your head against the wall. We decided to do things differently.  We believed we could offer more than cheap beer and a place to sit."

So five years ago they created Obscure Sports—adult leagues for those who enjoy kickball, dodgeball, flag football, wiffle ball, sand volleyball, bean bags, and four square.

The kickball league started five years ago with four teams; they now have 18 teams and 300 players. 

"What could be more fun than playing games you used to play as a kid," said Tom Jr.

Blarney Stone works with the Oak Forest Park District to offer may of these leagues.  "They have tons of things for kids," said Tom Jr., "but they don't have a lot of leagues for adults, so we offered to help them out. It has worked out real well."

If they come for the sports, Spellman hopes they'll stay for the beer selection.

"We've been offering a limited craft beer selection for a few years," said Tom Jr.  "Our customers responded well, so we expanded it."

Their beer list, updated easily by a swipe of an eraser to the chalkboard,  now has 40 craft beer selections on tap.  They also offer 80 varieties of bottled beer. 

They'll host their annual Summer Solstice Craft Beer and Wine Festival on Saturday, June 25. 

More than 36 breweries and 20 vineyards will offer samples, and the Blarney Stone chef will also be offering tastes of new menu items.

"We're going to have our customers select their favorite beer, wine, and food selections, and we're going to add them to the lineup," said Tom Jr.

That's not something you're going to find at every neighborhood pub.

For more information on the Summer Solstice Festival, go to www.blarney-stone.net. For more information on Obscure Sports, to go www.blarneystonesports.com. Blarney Stone Pub is located at 15400 S Cicero Avenue. You can reach them by phone at (708)535-4800.