New Irish Pub Adds To Social Scene Of North Carolina Town
There’s a legendary scene in movie history. It occurs at the end of “The Wizard of Oz.” “Dorothy” clicks the heels of her ruby red shoes together, closes her eyes and repeats the mantra, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” For Gary Murray, this is what the last three years have been like. Murray is the owner of Matthews Social House that just opened for business this summer. In what was an old bike shop, now resides his labor of love, an Irish pub modeled after those in his hometown of Limerick, Ireland.
Murray and his business partner began planning the establishment before the Covid-19 pandemic. Its initial open date was last fall, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. And anyone who’s built or renovated a house knows that you just NEVER hit the date you planned, right? Also, you find out that it doesn’t take long to realize it was worth the wait. The same is true of Matthews Social House. Since opening in June, the pub and beer garden on Charles Street has been doing great business and really adding to the social scene of the south Charlotte town.
In speaking to The Charlotte Observer about his Matthews Social House, Murray says, “When people come here for the first time, their eyes are just so big and their faces light up. We call it a Social House because we want strangers to talk. We have the long tables because hopefully two groups will gather around and strike up a conversation.” Those long tables are part of the huge patio area with seating for 180 people that includes 10 high top tables converted from old whiskey barrels designed to look like pints of Guinness. How cool is that?
Inside Matthews Social House’s 1,000-square-foot building, about 50 people can socialize in a more intimate setting. There are six tables, a bar, and a pool table. And here’s a unique fact. That’s the only pool table in downtown Matthews. You can’t have a pub without a pool table, right?
A food truck supplies some good pub grub as well featuring three burgers: a cheeseburger, a Carolina BBQ burger and an Aloha burger-as well as fries.
Matthews Social House is located at 105 W. Charles Street in Matthews.
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