Fitzgerald's Pub opens on Franklin Street

At 4:45 p.m. on Friday, James Jackson gathered his staff near the back bar of Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub. With only 15 minutes to go until opening, and a few eager customers already queuing at the front door, Jackson wanted to give one final rallying speech to his group of waiters, bartenders and hosts.

“A lot of hard work, a lot of hours, a lot of sleepless nights — but I want you all to give yourselves a round of applause,” Jackson, Fitzgerald’s owner and operator, said as the staff clapped.

“I know we still have some things to kind of work on, but last night and the last couple of days, I’m really feeling confident and comfortable with everything. We’re going to do big things here in Chapel Hill.”

Fitzgerald’s — which hosted a grand opening celebration Friday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. — is the first business to occupy 206 W. Franklin St. since Kildare’s Irish Pub closed in March. Jackson, who worked at the original Fitzgerald’s in Charlotte, moved to Chapel Hill after the company decided to open the new location.

“This is the second Fitzgerald’s — (we’re) kind of creating a brand,” Jackson said. “This space opened up and we jumped up, really excited to be here.”

While the space was already well-equipped for an Irish-style restaurant, Jackson and Fitzgerald’s partners did make some changes. Besides a new floor and fresh coat of paint, they installed a sound system, a DJ booth and brought in all new furniture.

Jackson said they wanted to make changes to redefine the space, so customers wouldn’t be comparing the restaurant to Kildare’s.

“We’re kind of fighting some battles of people comparing us to them,” he said. “We’re more of an Irish-American sports pub, is what we call it.”

He said he was hoping for a good turnout on opening night.

“Hopefully, the entire city,” he said. “A good amount of people have been coming by all day, opening the door, wondering what’s going on.”

Chapel Hill resident Lauren Kearns and Durham resident Deborah Erickson were two of the first customers of the night. The pair was celebrating Kearns’ birthday and looking forward to trying a new place.

“Lauren said, when I asked her what she wanted to do, she said, ‘Something new and different,’” Erickson said. “And I found out that they were having their grand opening and I thought, ‘It’s new and it’s different and we’d not been here before. So there’s your birthday wish granted!’”

Paul Tyman, a former Kildare’s employee, said he worked with the Fitzgerald’s management on the transition between restaurants.

“Kildare’s went out of business and I just helped them come in here and help out with training, help them do some maintenance projects and get set up for the grand opening,” Tyman said.

While he’ll be going to work at the Charlotte Fitzgerald’s location in the coming weeks, Tyman said he’s thrilled to see how the Chapel Hill community embraces the restaurant.

“I think Chapel Hill is really going to enjoy what Fitzgerald’s is offering,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.