That’s what happened at The Shack. It’s owner, Patrick Good, came out to Los Angeles 13 years ago on a road trip and never left. He decided to go into the bar business, a hangover from his earlier days when he worked as a bartender for his dad at a lodge for Catholic war veterans in a small town outside of Philadelphia.
In the beginning, there was only one satellite at The Shack, so customers could watch one nationally televised football, baseball, basketball or hockey game, but the satellite was strictly for Philly teams only. That started bringing in the fans from back east, and ever since, the place has been packed.
“I have people who are here for every (Eagles) game, no matter how well the team’s doing,” Good said. “I call them my season ticket holders.”
On the walls at The Shack, Good has a Donovan McNabb jersey, Eagles helmets and for-sale “Eagles Nest” T-shirts.
“It’s all about the camaraderie,” Good said. “People come in here and feel at home …(Santa Monica) is where I live, but (Philadelphia) is where I grew up.”
There is definitely that “small world” feeling at The Shack and other bars catering to a certain fan base. People will bump into each other, start up a conversation and find out that they have a friend in common. Friendships have grown from these encounters. Some have even tied the knot after meeting at one of the bars.
To keep the camaraderie going, Good organizes bus trips to Dodger Stadium when the Phillies are in town.
While it’s good for fans to hang out with one another and share in the victories and the defeats, creating a significant following is also good for business. It guarantees a packed house almost every Sunday during football season, and if the teams make it into postseason play, the rewards can be even greater.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a great year in sports,” said Mike Bongarzone, a bartender at McLean’s who moved to Los Angeles from Ipswich, Mass., 16 years ago. “The Red Sox won the World Series, Boston College is doing really well and so are the Patriots.”
And don’t forget about the Celtics. Over the summer, the struggling Celts, one of the most successful franchises in sports, landed NBA All-Star Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, who will play alongside their superstar Paul Pierce. Things are looking up for the boys in green, which can only mean good things for McLean’s.
“I’m pumped. How can you not be?” Geary asked.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 3, 2007. Read the original PDF.