Tom and Barbara Dunnigan, owners of the John Barleycorn located at 216 Front St. in Owego, N.Y. are celebrating their tenth year as owners. An anniversary celebration is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 20, which includes live music, a “slash back” in beverage prices and complimentary snack foods. For information, call (607) 687-6501 or find the John Barleycorn-Owego on Facebook. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
Tom and Barbara Dunnigan, owners of the John Barleycorn, located at 216 Front St. in Owego, N.Y., on historic River Row, are celebrating their tenth year as owners of the popular establishment. An anniversary celebration is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 20, which includes live music, a “slash back” in beverage prices and complimentary snack foods.
The Ithaca / Cortland based band, “Johnny and Lonnie”, are scheduled to play at the anniversary celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. Comprised of Johnny West and Lonnie Park, the “Johnny and Lonnie” band plays crowd-pleasing cover tunes, and are also scheduled to play every Wednesday at the John Barleycorn starting Sept. 23.
History still lives in the walls of the John Barleycorn. Built in 1861 and used by Defiance Hook & Ladder Fire Company #5, the fire company held dinners and entertainment in the upstairs of the property, and some of those events, according to history, were very elaborate. Singers came into town from New York City, and a 50-foot canvas panorama provided a flashy scene backdrop during the performances. History also notes that children of the village came to the building at Christmastime to receive gifts and candy, and to also meet Santa Claus.
Defiance Hook & Ladder occupied the building until 1960 when it became Embers Restaurant. A gym and sauna took over in 1967, and in 1971 another eatery moved in called The Stables Restaurant. With a kitchen located in the basement, dinners were sent up to the restaurant’s second floor via a waiter, while the lounge remained on street level. Kevin’s Place moved into the building for one year in 1974.
In 1975 Don and Marguerite Adams, who named it “John Barleycorn”, purchased the business. In 1995, the Adams’ sold the business to three young Owego entrepreneurs, and then in September 2005, Tom and Barbara (Sauerbrey) Dunnigan kept the well-established community-friendly tavern going and also retained the popular name.
Famous author Jack London, best known for his novel, “The Call of the Wild,” wrote an autobiography entitled, “John Barleycorn.” Originally a British folk song, a number of versions of “John Barleycorn” have been recorded by popular artists – one of the most notable by the rock band, Traffic, in 1970.
John Barleycorn-Owego, a part of Owego’s community identity for 40 years, is one of many bar and restaurant establishments who use the fictitious name.
Barbara Dunnigan chuckled when she shared that people occasionally call in to inquire, “Is Mr. or Mrs. Barleycorn there?”
John Barleycorn-Owego, now with extraordinary live entertainment, a weekly trivia night and a monthly karaoke night, offers a friendly atmosphere and is more spacious than ever before. Since 2013, Barleycorn Pizza, a separate business owned by Bob Tiddick, is in the upstairs of the building. Barleycorn Pizza offers true thin-crust, hand-tossed New York style specialty pizza, homemade with all fresh ingredients and several choices of toppings. Calzones and Stromboli’s also remain on the take-out menu.
A community-gathering place for decades, Barbara Dunnigan is thankful for her devoted staff and years of service, which includes Alycia Haus, Leanne Hawley, Dillon Tiddick, Nancy Jackson, Aubrey Eshler, Stacey Adams, Nick Murtha and Tom Brown.
For information, call (607) 687-6501 or find the John Barleycorn-Owego on Facebook. Barleycorn Pizza is also on Facebook and can be reached by calling (607) 327-0361.
