Everyone knows the Irish don’t like change, but a 153-year-old pub in Philadelphia has ushered in a new era by becoming one of the most environmentally conscious bars in America, proving that green is more than just a color for the Gaelic. By Chris Ytuarte
All photos by Curt Hudson
F
or as long as I could remember, I could basket liners) with compostable and biodegradable set my watch to it: Eugene Curran, my options. But they won’t stop there. The bar’s latest efforts beloved Irish grandfather, would sit began last month with something called a “waste audit.” down everyday to watch the five o’clock Philadelphia-based Niche Recycling conducted the study, news with a sandwich and a whiskey. and will use the information to help McGillin’s develop a As he grew older and his health began plan to become a “Zero Waste” business. And as Mullins to fail him, doctors suggested he cut likes to point out: “If we can do it, anyone can do it.” McGillin’s Olde Ale House opened in 1860, the year that whiskey out of his daily regimen. Gramps promptly ignored those “know- Lincoln was elected. It is Philadelphia’s oldest it-alls,” and continued to enjoy his continuously operating tavern and one of the oldest in daily taste for many, many years. Such a recommended the country. The picturesque historic tavern is located on a tiny alley just behind Philadelphia City Hall, called change in behavior does not sit well with the Irish. Drury Street. But this little alley is the backyard for Yet here we find ourselves, in 2013, the eco-friendly many restaurants, bars and businesses that have grown business model progressing nationwide across various up around it. Over the years, more than 20 dumpsters industries, and an Irish monolith of a bar in the heart of have been placed in the alley. That means locals and Philadelphia providing the proof that even the most tourists have to walk through unsightly, unsanitary and, entrenched establishments can make a change in the frankly, smelly, conditions to get to the tavern. right direction to help better the environment. At “We’ve been working the last few years with our McGillan’s Olde Ale House, with 153 years in business, neighbors to try to going green is not just reduce the trash and for St. Paddy’s Day keep the area at least anymore, as the familyvisually as clean as can owned business and its be,” says Mullins “It’s a management have big project with a lot of enacted a monumental coordination between move towards reducing owners, but we developed the bar’s carbon a plan to build a footprint—on its block centralized trash station and in the big picture— with a compactor for by reinventing its waste trash, a recyclable unit, management approach. and something that “Change is not the would handle easy here,” admits Chris compostable items. It’s a Mullins, Jr., manager at very expensive, very big McGllian’s. “We’re 153 Mary Ellen and Chris Mullins project. We’re talking years old. It’s not easy to have run McGillan’s since 1993. over $300,000. And we’re make change in a place working towards that big like this. There is a lot of goal, but we thought it tradition here, there is a would be easier for us to envision this plan and then sell lot of history and values that we still hold true. And we’re it to the city and to our neighbors if we could first show pretty much erasing a lot of the concept of ‘just dumping’ what that ultimate function is: to reduce the amount of garbage. And if we can do that here, anyone can do it.” garbage that goes into landfills, and do it in a way that’s What, exactly, have they done at McGillan’s? According easy for your staff to manage.” to Mullins, the bar started looking for ways to go green Enter Niche Recycling, which spent three full days—a about six years ago, via various small steps. Today, he Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from the time the bar says, they recycle approximately 30% of the waste from opened its doors until the time it locked up—weighing the bar, and of the remaining 70% of the trash and each of the three waste groupings (trash, recyclables, garbage they produce on-premise, only 11% of that will compostables) as the staff would bring them outside to be end up in a landfill. To get to that point, the bar’s initial disposed of. Niche will help McGillan’s prepare a plan plan involved recycling, composting kitchen waste, and customized to the bar’s operations, complete with scope of replacing non-biodegradable restaurant trash (straws,
www.barbizmag.com
April 2013 Bar Business Magazine
35