By John Hayden
A pub by any other name is still a pub. Known over the years as The Village Pub, The Pub, and now Pub On the Drive, the community watering hole has spent the last thirteen years growing with the community.
Owner Alex Sadeghi’s vision is omnipresent. He started The Village Pub as a way to become an active member of Wilton Manors at a time when he decided to stay in the U.S. and start a business. He saw the space was available and signed a lease. Alibi founder George Kessinger helped him get started, and eventually, he introduced him to a couple of friends who came in as business partners.
“George said they had a lot of experience in bars,” and they were well-established in the local gay bar industry, Sadeghi told OutClique. Five years later, they were ready to cash out, but Sadeghi was here for the long haul. He met Michael Connell, who became Sadeghi’s new business partner. “He was one of my best and most supportive customers and had great experience.”
The bar quickly became an anchor for nightly entertainment, from variety Sunday brunch shows to karaoke nights to bringing in the best drag entertainment from South Florida and beyond.
“Every night we have special entertainers, which bring in huge crowds to the bar and make the bar a huge success.”
Once they upgraded the entertainment, they needed to upgrade the kitchen and menu. “We made the kitchen bigger and focused on the food and a better menu. This helped us tremendously.” The menu features upscale classic American bar fare.
Their latest upgrade came a year ago when the covered outdoor patio and bar opened. It is a quieter space where people can talk over their drinks and dinners. When there are events out there, they are different from the musical acts inside. There are group gatherings, private parties, trivia, poker, and more. The patio was Connell’s last project for The Pub; we lost Michael last autumn.
The patio and adjacent parking lot have taken on a life of their own. A pair of political kickoff events were held there, The Pet Project held its Cornhole Tournament, and softball teams’ afterparties.
But even without the great location, food, and entertainment, you get the feeling people would come to Pub no matter what. When you walk in, you know someone. The smiles are warm, and the drinks are cold. Pub On the Drive sits in the heart of Wilton Manors and is a big part of what makes the city tick. “For the past thirteen years, The Pub has consistently been revered by the local community as well as nationwide. We are extremely lucky to have so much ongoing support. I would definitely like to thank the staff (DJs, bartenders, waiters, cooks, dishwashers, food runners, hosts, chefs, and managers) who all have helped keep Pub On the Drive doing so well. The Pub is also involved in many different charities, such as Smart Ride, Poverello, The Pet Project and Kids in Distress, Broward House, just to name a few. All of them are very important for us. We have entertainment every night of the week ranging from Drag Entertainers, Live Singers, Karaoke, Showtunes, National Recording Acts and much more. Everyone is welcome!”
