Beacon Hill Bar Red Hat To Reopen This Fall

BOSTON, MA — In a city filled with decaying bars and empty restaurants that couldn't survive the pandemic, two men worked to preserve an institution they felt that Boston needed.

Jake Nicholson and Keith Gleason, formerly of Finn McCool’s, Bushwood Cocktail Club, and Delta Haus have agreed to purchase the famed Red Hat.

Earlier this week it was confirmed that the century old watering hole would be shutting down, but patrons might not have to be shut out for too long, as the two have plans to reopen the institution this fall.

No further details are immediately available but Gleason says they aim to re-establish the bar as a Beacon Hill destination, while holding onto its rich history in the ever-evolving, post-Covid bar landscape of Boston.

We're not sure if Nicholson and Gleason will keep the Red Hat name, but the two have agreed to keep - if not improve the feeling of hospitality and comfort that the Red Hat was famously known for.

"We're thrilled to finally get the opportunity as owner-operators and can't wait to tackle the challenge of such a unique and storied location in Boston," says Gleason.

If not for Nicholson and Gleason, the Red Hat would just be another famous name on the list of bars that couldn't make it through the pandemic, names like the Pour House, McGreevy's, Whiskeys, Deep Ellum, Lir, Wonderbar and Gaslight - bars that served millions through decades. Iconic bars that brought communities all over the city together, leaving lasting memories in buildings that are now haunted by boarded up windows and empty bar stools.