The Shamrock Brewing Company’s history began long before the craft beer craze of recent years hit Colorado. Shamrock Brewing Company is one of the oldest Irish pubs in Colorado. Originally constructed as a mercantile building in 1908, the first notable tenant was Johnson Bros. Motor Company in 1913. Founded as a bicycle shop, Johnson Bros. became one of the first Xcelsior dealerships west of the Mississippi.
Around 1940, the Shamrock Café opened for business in the east side of the building. The age of the mahogany bar is not certain, however it was the original bar when the Shamrock Café opened and there is a picture of the café inlaid on the bar top.
Over the years the west side of the building housed numerous businesses, including a cigar shop and a pool hall.
The Shamrock Café was owned and operated by the Calantino family. Over the sixty plus years of operation, the Café evolved into the Irish Pub and eventually the Irish Brew Pub with the addition of the brewing component. The Pub was the main meeting place in downtown Pueblo for many years and locals still reminisce about past business deals, raucous St. Patrick’s Days, and old romances. To this day couples frequent the establishment on the anniversary of the day they met there so many years ago.
In February of 2005, the business and real property were purchased and a complete renovation/restoration began. What started out as a simple update turned into a six month project. Great care was taken to preserve some of the historic aspects and charm of “The Pub”. The 98 year old wood floor in the dining room was refinished.
The World War II era tile floor in the bar was cleaned, repaired, and resealed.
However, with over 180 hours, the most tedious task was the restoration of the mahogany bar top while preserving as many of the inlaid pictures as possible.
Although Shamrock Brewing Company has its own comfortable character, The Pub’s 60 year old history and charm still lives on.