Photo and story by Matt Kelley
Liam Flynn never intended to move to Baltimore when his ship first docked here so many years ago. To him it was just another port in another American city. But when the ship he was working on lost its contract at the start of the Afghan war he suddenly found himself in a strange town with no job and few connections. At first he began working on local tow-boats in the Chesapeake but, eventually, his inclination towards social activism propelled him into the local radical community of Charm City.
This is where the story of Liam Flynn’s Ale house really begins. In exchange for a place to stay, Liam agreed to fix up the second and third floor of a deteriorating info shop called Black Planet Books in Fells Point. At the time Black Planet was a community space comparable to the old Reptilian Records store on Broadway or Normals Book Store in Waverley. Community members would often congregate to share ideas, browse the latest zines, or just stop by to see some familiar faces. Unfortunately, after over ten years in business, Black Planet closed its doors and Liam moved on.
Photo and story by Matt Kelley
Aware of the need, in Baltimore, for a space where radical ideas and eccentricities were welcome, Liam, along with several collaborators, formed a collective. They spent the next year and a half planning, fundraising, and building a new community space on the corner of St. Paul and Madison Avenue in Mt. Vernon and called it Red Emma’s. “It was a completely burnt out liquor store when we started working on it. We went in, rebuilt the place, and opened the doors to a community that, at the time, was lacking in what a bookstore like Red Emma’s offers.” As Liam continued to tell the story of the building of Red Emma’s, he continually credited others for all of their work while downplaying his own important contribution. Since then Red Emma’s has become more successful than I think anyone could have imagined. It has since spawned incredible projects such as the 2640 space in Charles Village, which hosts an array of concerts and community events, and the Baltimore Free School located on the corner of Mt. Royal and Calvert Street.
Once Red Emma’s had opened Liam began working at a small bar across the street from his apartment. At the time it was just a local dive with little recognition or business, that is until the owner of the bar fell on bad terms with the owner of the building and decided to end the relationship. Liam was then made the new owner and operator of the first incarnation of Liam Flynn’s Ale House or Liam’s Pint Size Pub as we once called it. “It had a feeling that you were at a real place. You weren’t trying to fill up a place, you were trying to fit into a place where you knew everybody; so it was a good experience,” explained Liam as we sat over beers in the courtyard at Grand Central. The Pub ran for two years, gaining more popularity than the cramped space would often allow and won “Best Neighborhood Pub” in Mt Vernon. Sadly Liam’s Pint size pub closed it’s doors after the building changed owners leaving Liam and his loyal patrons stranded in Mt. Vernon without a pub of their own, but all of that has changed now.
Photo and story by Matt Kelley
Around two years have passed since the Pint Size Pub closed. Since then Liam, backed by the overwhelming support of the community and the incredible skill and determination of a handful of friends and tradesmen, have managed to build a new bar in the heart of the Station North Arts District. The new Ale House is already entrenched with rich, Baltimore history and culture. The Bar is made from salvaged doors and a lane from an old North Avenue bowling alley that used to operate in the neighborhood. The steel work is all custom made by Baltimore local Artist Dave Scheper, and Master Carpenter Robert Olsen is responsible for the majority of the woodwork. Everything else can be credited to two years of donations, community volunteering, and will. The Ale House will have 15 taps, two being cask-conditioned, real ale brewed locally. It will specialize in British Isles Ales, Whiskeys, and Ciders. When the season starts up in August again, it will have Association and Rugby Football, and Gaelic Athletic Associated Sports. The Ale House also intends to host a Baltimore Celtic FC Supporters Club. As far as music, they plan to start with a juke box and work their way into three nights of live entertainment.
The Ale House is literally opening as soon as the lacquer dries and the kegs are tapped. So the next time you are in Station North make it a point to pass by 22 W. North Ave and if the door is open, get a pint or two or six and sing Erin go Bragh until you can’t pick yourself up off the floor anymore. That’s my plan at least.
