Q: What’s the story behind the “Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub” and why the name?
A: A pub was something that the owners had in the back of their minds. The "olde blind dog" belonged to one of the owners who had rescued her as a puppy with an eye sewn shut.
“While none of the owners were restaurant guys, they were all self-made and wanted to have a business that could be part of their community, a local hangout or a favorite kind of place for folks,” said Geoff Kokoszka, director of operations for the restaurant.
“People drink when they are happy and when they are sad. It gives them a place to come together,” he said.
Years of international traveling and collecting by one of the owners provided the look that they were wanting including stained glass and benches out of churches from England and Ireland.
The interior is broken up by turns, snugs, nooks and crannies giving the feel of privacy they wanted to provide. The layout separates the dining room and the bar.
“If you walk in with your kids, you’re not going to see their soccer coach sitting at the bar having a beer,” he said. “It’s okay for him to do that, but you don’t really want those two things seen together.”
Deciding on a name for the restaurant took some time.
“One evening one of the owners was in his office about to send out the proposed list to his contacts. He looked over to Peaches, patted her on the head and said, ‘Hey, you old blind dog, it’s time to go to bed,’ ” Kokoszka said.
He caught himself for a minute, added it to the bottom of the list and sent the email out. Predominantly everyone came back with “Olde Blind Dog.”
All of their food is made in-house, from scratch.
“It’s a pride issue for us. If we are going to spend that much money on this beautiful building, the last thing we want to do is throw a bunch of frozen food on a plate,” Kokoszka said.
The restaurant is involved in the community through fundraisers and donates to the local schools.
“Instead of spending money on advertising, we put the money back into the community. It’s better spent that way,” he said.
A second generation is now coming into the Milton location because it’s been there for so long, and some from the early years continue to cross the threshold.
In seeing those now familiar faces, Kokoszka said “It’s a really cool feeling knowing he’s served them since day one.”
Addresses: 12650 Crabapple Road, Milton (678-624-1090) or 705 Town Boulevard, Atlanta (404-816-5739).
For more information, visit http://oldeblinddog.com.
New to town or simply have a question about this place we call home? Email your requests to atlactualfact@gmail.com.
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