It was widely reported this week that Tom Bergin’s Public House Irish Pub will be closing soon. The story started with a post on Facebook and Instagram by Tom Bergin’s owner Derek Schreck, announcing the restaurant will be closing on January 21st.
“It is with heavy hearts that we reach out to you today to announce that starting Sunday, January, 21st, Tom Bergin’s will close for “regular business,” and remain operating on a limited schedule until further notice. It has been a decision that has proved itself almost impossible to reach, and the culmination of deliberation and grief.”
But then, it seemed it really wouldn’t be closing after all when Schreck told the Los Angeles Times that the first social media post wasn’t really accurate:
“That’s simply not true,” said Schreck, who explained that the post was written by a staff member before Schreck had a chance to look at it. “We’re not shutting down forever. We’re just curtailing our staff and hours to try to push through as long as we can. We’re still ordering stuff; it’s just more limited than what we’re used to.”
This was good news to many of the iconic neighborhood watering hole’s fans. But just when it seemed like all the worry was for naught, Eater LA reported Wednesday that Schreck acknowledged, after being pressed to clarify, that the business would indeed be scaling back its hours and ending its food service, morphing into a bar with shorter hours and focusing more on private events.
According to Eater LA:
“So what does this all mean for fans of Tom Bergin’s? Schreck is clear on one point: Much of what Tom Bergin’s has traditionally been is still going away as of January 21, and all that will be left — if anything — is a limited weekend bar with some booze, while the group behind the property decides what’s next. And as for that original Instagram post detailing news of the shutter? It’s still up, and still says that when alcohol has been served, they’ll be sending out “the last of last calls” before shutting their doors “for the last time.””
So if you’re fan and you’re confused, this weekend might be a good time to stop in and check it out for yourself.
