What if Fergie's Pub never existed?
It’s speculation, of course, but without a Fergie’s Pub, there might never have been a series of hot, new bars.
As Fergie's Pub at 1214 Sansom St. marks its 20th anniversary, we pause to think of the unthinkable.
It's speculation, of course, but without a Fergie's Pub, there might never have been a Jose Pistola's, Sancho Pistola's or Southwark, as owners of these mainstays got their start working at Fergie's.
We might not have a Monk's, Grace Tavern or Belgian Cafe — these being the bars co-owner Fergus Carey was able to partner in with Tom Peters thanks to seed money from his first venture.
There might not have been a Nodding Head (Carey's wife was a co-owner) and without that brewpub to serve as incubator for another future bar owner, possibly no Memphis Taproom, Local 44 or Strangelove's.
The influence of Fergie's Pub even reaches outside the realm of brew.
"Working as a server and bartender at Monk's and the Belgian Cafe made it possible for me to invest in Federal Donuts," relates Felicia D'Ambrosio. She's now a partner in the cult-favorite shop, and the person co-owner Steve Cook refers to as "the voice of FedNuts." (For the record, he credits that voice with the mini-chain's success "as much as the donuts or the chicken.")
So there's that.