Sloop Tavern is celebrating its 70th anniversary this weekend.
The 70th anniversary party—happening Saturday, June 24 starting at noon—will include door prizes, a charity raffle, food and drink specials, outdoor seating and music, and limited edition merchandise.
The history of the tavern is a colorful tale; owner Patrick Files says that legend has it that Ole Olsen brought it with him from England after the Great War. He says there’s a picture in the bar of the “Sloop Inn”—the original Sloop—somewhere in England.
Pre-1970, Files says it was only half of its current size; the other side was a machine shop. In 1976, Wayne “Big Wayne” Schmidt bought the tavern, and then started the Sloop Tavern Yacht Club (STYC), “so he and his sailing buddies had a clubhouse and a place to drink,” Files says. The club is still active, hosting races every Monday night.
Phil and Connie Chase bought the Sloop in the early 80s and passed it on to their son Joe in 1995. Files’ dad, Charley, bought it from Joe in 1999.
Charley was partners with the Mitchell Bros restaurateurs (owners of Charlie’s, Windjammer, Golden Tides and Spinnakers). In 2011 Charley passed away and Patrick took over. “I’ve tried to keep the Sloop as a time capsule of its heydays,” he told My Ballard in a previous interview.
Sloop faced an uncertain future in recent years. The previous property owner sold the Sloop in April 2020 for $2.5 million. Fortunately, the new owner has decided to extend the tavern’s lease for at least another four years.
Photo: Sloop Tavern
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