Community Rallies To Help Save Doyle's Cafe

JAMAICA PLAIN, MA — Doyle's Cafe plans to sell its liquor license to steakhouse chain Davio's, which plans to use it at its Seaport restaurant. But a growing group of community members are working to find a way to save the cafe - if not in its present form - at least in spirit.

"The potential loss of Doyle's Cafe is a gut-punch to Boston. It becomes another in a list of many venerable Boston institutions that have recently shuttered including Jacob Wirths, Durgin-Park, and Maria's Pastry Shop," Boston Preservation Alliance said in a statement. The alliance which advocates for historic buildings, said it was behind-the-scenes in dialogue to help save Doyle's.

"We know that the character of our neighborhoods rests in more than the physical buildings," said the organization in a statement.

And they're not alone. The potential loss has hit a nerve with people in the neighborhood.

Soon after the announcement, JP became peppered with signs directing folks to a Facebook group called "Save Doyle's Save JP" that has popped up. More than 2,500 people strong, the group is sharing ideas and plans to try to keep the historic community pub in town.

"We are working on the landmark petition," reads one recent post. "We continue to appeal to the owner to sell to a restaurant operator or someone else willing to rent to a restaurant operator, but beyond these two steps, we aren’t sure."

City councilor Matt O'Malley also weighed in.

"Like many of you, I’m still reeling from news about the impending closing of Doyle’s. Over the past 48 hours, I have reached out to Burke family associates, restaurateurs, & city officials to gauge the interest in finding a new steward for this beloved institution."

The Doyle's family opened the pub in 1882. Since then, it's gone through ups and downs, at one point changing its name to advertise Braddock Rye as a way to get enough funds to stay open. It's been home to political meet-n-greets over the decades. It's made cameos in films from "Mystic River" to "Patriots Day."

Eddie Doyle who owns the building has been out of town for the past few weeks, according to someone close to the business.

In 1969 when the Doyle family was ready to retire, Brothers Ed, Bill, and Gerry Burke stepped up and agreed to buy the place, according to the Jamaica Plain Historical Society. Gerry Burke Jr. took over about 15 years ago

Eddie Doyle who owns the building has been out of town for the past few weeks, according to someone close to the business.

Read More: Historic Doyle's In Jamaica Plain To Close

But though it's long been considered a staple of Jamaica Plain, what happens when the owners are ready to retire? Anyone in the business can tell you owning a restaurant is a very difficult business. Those close to Doyle's say it needs work, hasn't changed the menu in years and business has been down.

"It is our decision as a family and as owners of the property that we can no longer maintain Doyle's as some would like or would think practical. We have therefore chosen to market the property for sale in order to secure our much-deserved retirement," Eddie and wife Joni Burke who own the building said in a statement.

The choice, they said, was not taken lightly. And it appears they, too, hope a locally owned tavern might take its place in some form.

A relative of the Doyle family said when her family started the restaurant it wasn't their aim to keep it going indefinitely. She urged those who were upset at the restaurant's closure to consider that when pushing to save the place.

The great niece of Francis Doyle, who owned the restaurant for years, said she spent her childhood Sundays in the late 60's after church sipping root beer floats in the bar and sitting on bar stools at Doyle's and she, too, has fond memories. But, Mary Dotson said her family never set out to make it last forever. It was a way to make money and then retire.

"My great uncle Francis and my great grandfather Patrick never founded this with the expectation of it becoming an institution. Francis (the elder) left it to Francis and at a certain point he wanted to retire," she posted to a group on Facebook. It didn't occur to the rest of her family to take over the ownership of the bar, she said. But Francis found Ed Burke so their family could retire. Now, she said, Burke is entitled to retirement.

"The difficult part is that the business is worth--due to exhorbinant real estate values--north of $2.5-$3M. How does a community reconcile that? [I don't know]. But it's something that Francis and Patrick Doyle never envisioned--they were only poor immigrants trying to find a present income in their own world. If you want to do anything in their honor--appreciate an immigrant--like the Doyles."

Read More: Historic Doyle's In Jamaica Plain To Close

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).