Yesterday it was confirmed that a beloved Boston bar that has been around for more than 100 years had shut down, but now we have learned that the space may not be shuttered for long.
According to message sent to us, The Red Hat in the city's Beacon Hill neighborhood is being purchased, with a Facebook post from Jake Nicholson saying the following (the same post was also put up by Keith Gleason, who is also involved):
With all the press and speculation about another Boston bar saying farewell, a couple of industry vets have agreed to purchase the famed Red Hat. We're seeking to breathe new life into the 110+ year old watering hole, ripe with nostalgic lore. Stay tuned as a Beacon Hill staple will be resurrected, while holding onto its rich history in the ever-evolving, post-Covid bar landscape of Boston!
It is not yet known whether Nicholson and Gleason will keep the Red Hat name; once we find out more, we will post an update here.
The Red Hat has been a popular spot over the years for college students from nearby Suffolk University as well as business and government workers.
The address for The Red Hat is 9 Bowdoin Street, Boston, MA, 02114.
[August 29 update: A Facebook post from Keith Gleason indicates that he will not be teaming up with Jake Nicholson to reopen a restaurant/bar in the Red Hat space, saying that "After finding out Jen and I were expecting a son in early '22, I had to re-evaluate things. Long story short, about a month ago I stepped away from the ownership position at Red Hat. One of the toughest decisions I've ever made, but the right one....Truth be told, after making the decision, Jake was so supportive, as always. I have full confidence in him completing the project we envisioned for the last few years."]
[Earlier Article]
The Red Hat in Boston's Beacon Hill Neighborhood Is Closing
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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