Talking about Culhane's Irish Pub with owner Mary Jane

24 beers on tap. Craft beers change seasonally.

22. Why aren’t there more cask ales available, hand pumped, like they have in Ireland and England?

I don’t know. That’s something that you’d probably find more in bigger cities, but it’s not something we’ve seen a demand for.

23. Can you tell us a little about your background?

I moved to St. Paul, MN 17 years ago to find a new life and worked in the financial business up until 2007. We opened up Culhane's in 2005 so us four sisters could work and live close together.

24. What made you transition from working in financial services to opening a restaurant?

Freedom of working my own hours and spending more time with my young son, family, and of course my partners/sisters. The mortgage industry was slowing down, and I wanted a change of career. My passion is marketing and I love marketing Culhane's Irish Pub. Our story is unique and we are living the American Dream!

25. How did you decide on the Jacksonville area for your restaurant?

We researched demographics and targeted a more mature audience. Atlantic Beach was ideal because it didn't have an Irish restaurant in the area. My sisters and I love Irish traditional music, great food, and craic (fun). Jacksonville was lacking an authentic Irish pub and we saw a huge void here. Our goals and dreams are to be the best Irish pub in America and to grow Culhane's Irish Pub. We must keep the Irish traditions alive. We also fell in love with Atlantic Beach's community feel - similar to home. Our grandparents lived in Beale Strand, Ballybunion, County Kerry, which is similar to Atlantic Beach. We are a neighborhood pub that enjoys mingling with the locals and supporting local community events. Every town needs a local family Cheers pub like Culhane's.


Cinotti’s Lover’s Chocolate Cake

26. Lynda Culhane was recently nominated 2014 JAX Chamber Beaches Division Small Business Leader of the Year. Can you tell us about that?

We’ve always been very involved with the Chamber and with the local community. After 8 years of being committed we’ve developed a strong business reputation. Lynda is a high level performer who has proven leadership within Culhane's and the local business community. Lynda serves as a role model at the restaurant while managing over 30 employees and hosting many charity events.

27. What’s next for Culhane’s?

Due to many requests we will open for lunch every day starting in February. We are currently adding more lighter, smaller portions to our new Spring menu. But don’t worry, we will never change our traditional pub favorites!

We’ve also been aggressively looking for a second location. We feel there’s a calling for us to go to St. Augustine’s because the culture there is so similar to Ireland. We’ve been looking for the last couple of years. There are a lot of places to lease, but we grew up on a farm where we owned the land and ownership of property has always been important to us. For that reason we’re looking for a place we can buy and that we can hand down to our children. We’re excited about growing. We want a place that’s similar to what we have here in Atlantic Beach. We haven’t found the right place yet, but we’re looking hard.


Culhane's Pub 360 view





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