De Vere’s Irish Pub is making its grand opening today. The pub, which already has a location in Sacramento, is expanding and opening a new branch on E Street.
Henry de Vere White, who is a co-owner of both branches along with his brother Simon and their parents, believes that Davis is a perfect place for the pub to open.
The family has a long history with pubs. De Vere’s great-great grandfather owned a bar business in Dublin and the family has kept the tradition ever since. Henry himself has been working in the business since he was 15 and worked in a bar in Seattle while attending the University of Washington.
The family ended up in the area after de Vere’s father, Ralph, became the director of the UC Davis Cancer Center. They realized Sacramento needed an Irish pub, and now feel Davis is a perfect place for one as well.
“Davis is a community that needed a gathering spot for birthdays and graduations,” Henry said. “People who live here can [also] come and enjoy.”
The pub is full of decorations, paintings, pictures and history from all over. Many of the bar stools, tables and the actual bar were imported from Dublin.
In the back of the bar is a family room, as well as a mini-library where students can do work. The library provides a study hall environment for students and businesspeople. There is also a back room in which businesspeople can conduct meetings and conferences.
The goal of the pub is to be an ‘every man’s bar’ according to Henry.
“Every walk of life can have peace and quiet, or have a celebration,” Henry said.
The pub serves as a restaurant as well and includes local pastries and espresso. They butcher their own meats, bake their own bread and even stuff their own sausages.
While the grand opening is today, the pub officially opened last Monday for a week of dry runs. Last Monday night the pub hosted Mayor Joe Krovoza, as well as the fire and police departments. On Saturday night, the bar was open for the close friends and family of the owners as they celebrated opening the new pub together after all of their hard work.
The pub will host many special events, some of which will be weekly. The biggest attraction is likely to be the weekly Monday night pub quiz with local phenomena UC Davis lecturer Dr. Andy Jones. Jones, who used to run the quiz at Bistro 33 every week, will move over to de Vere’s after the owners received more than 30 e-mails recommending him.
Another attraction hosted by the pub is the Whiskey Society. A one time $50 fee lets you become an all access member, which includes discounted flights every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 20 percent discount on whiskey on the first and third Tuesday of the month, and getting to taste a large variety of whiskeys.
There was one main goal Henry had at the beginning of the dry run week, which he feels went as planned.
“[I hoped] Davis would react and make it their own,” he said. “People have been very courteous, and given us great feedback.”
At the grand opening today, the main attraction will be a ribbon cutting, with the Davis Chamber of Commerce coming to take part in the action.
In terms of opening up in more locations in the future, de Vere White said it’s too soon and if you asked him a year ago he wouldn’t believe this one could be opening so soon. He hopes that both students and city residents can benefit from all that it has to offer.
“I want people to come down and experience the pub experience,” he said. “I hope we can gain people’s patronage and friendship.”
ZANDER WOLD can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
