DARLINGTON – As a third generation bar owner, Jared McGranahan is excited to follow in the family footsteps. Starting on July 1, McGranahan will be the new owner and operator of Booby’s Bar, formerly Trailside Bar.
“I have always wanted to get into the business,” McGranahan said. “This just felt like it was an itch we needed to scratch.”
The bar venture had been an idea brewing inside McGranahan and his wife Kelley’s heads for a while. Both have worked in the industry in different way; Kelley worked as a bartender in the past and before teaching, Jared was a Budweiser distributor.
They began talking about it more over the winter and took a chance to call owners of Trailside Bar and ask about its for sale status.
“Once things got going, they really took off,” Jared said. “The next thing you know we are negotiating a price. “
They agreed on everything in February and will close on the building on June 29.
McGranahan is originally from Darlington. His father, Bob McGranahan, owned a bar in Darlington for several years and his grandmother ran a bar in Green Island, Iowa. The name “Booby” originated from when Jared was little. He was told he looked very much like his father, who’s nickname was “Booby” so he was called “Little Booby”.
“It’s a hand-me-down childhood nickname that seemed to stick,” McGranahan said.
McGranahan, his wife and their family, 4-year-old daughter Brooklyn and sons Clint, 2-years-old and Hank, 8 months old are very excited about coming to Darlington.
“We are absolutely excited to get into the community and get to know people. It is a great community and we are excited to get to know all the different faces,” he said.
As a huge sports fan, Jared sees sports as a great avenue to bring people together.
“I really want to meet the needs of a wide variety of clientele. I personally want to make sure we are catering to a diverse mixture of sports fans,” McGranahan said.
They are open to having bands come in and play and getting in tune with the local music scene with some help from family members who are in local bands.
“I want to make a party out of anything.”
They will be open Wednesday thru Fridays at 6 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays open at noon. McGranahan hopes that when football season for college and NFL start they will be opening earlier during the week.
They will be specializing in a 32 ounce Long Island and hope that when you come to Booby’s you will walk away knowing you had the best Long Island you’ve ever had.
“We want people to know that they can come into Booby’s and have a great social experience without costing them an arm and a leg. Booby’s is about creating an environment to get the community together and have a good time and creating an inviting atmosphere.”
