Owner Seeks Help For New Hamden Pub After Tragedy Derails Plan

HAMDEN, CT — Steven Boddie has big plans for the former Dunn’s Pub in Hamden and is asking for help with getting it done after being derailed by tragedy.

Boddie, also known as “Stevie B,” planned on opening Tavern by the Hall in the space at 2345 Whitney Avenue last September.

However, by early January, he was ready to give up his dream after one of the three men he enlisted to renovate the building had fallen ill, another died suddenly, and the third was injured in a motorcycle accident, according to the New Haven Register.

The Register reported that Boddie was set back financially by those events because the contractors had agreed to do the project at a fixed cost with materials they already owned. Two men have since stepped in and offered free labor to help Boddie move forward, according to the Register.

Boddie, who owned the former Stevie B’s in West Haven, has also launched a crowdfunding campaign through Kickstarter to help him cover the remaining costs, the Register reported.

“We are asking for $23,487,” Boddie wrote on the Kickstarter page. “A Kickstarter campaign is ‘all-or-nothing,’ meaning if we don't reach our goal, we won't receive any of your pledged money. If the goal is exceeded, the extra funds will go a long way to providing an even better experience for everyone who visits Tavern by the Hall.”

Boddie has until Feb. 21 to raise the funds and if he reaches the threshold, he is hoping to open Tavern by the Hall by mid-March, according to the Register.

Boddie said he chose the Whitney Avenue location to build on the legacy of Dunn’s Pub, which closed in June 2020 after 14 years in business.

“I chose this location because of the history of Dunn’s and how it impacted the community in a positive way. I intend to embrace that history and build upon it,” he wrote on the Kickstarter page. “Dunn’s was a place that was beloved by the locals because it had a friendly, inviting atmosphere. Tavern by the Hall will continue that legacy.”

Boddie said the Kickstarter funds would go toward specialized equipment that is needed in the new kitchen, which has a tight space. The equipment includes a “specialized custom refrigerator and freezer, two Turbo Chef ovens (these ovens do not need to be ventilated, saving space and money), and two Panini presses. This equipment is costly because of its specialized nature.”

Boddie said his passion and experience in the industry will provide a “unique customer experience for all who patronize Tavern by the Hall.”

“My goal is to provide customers with the best possible entertainment, food, beverage, and social experience in downtown Hamden,” he wrote on the Kickstarter page. “My experience as the former owner of a bar/restaurant in West Haven will allow me to expand on what worked in the past, correct what didn’t, and provide me the confidence to try new things. During my first venture, I took a troubled business with a poor reputation and turned it into a beacon of positivity that was visited by dignitaries and citizens alike. The surrounding community took pride in what I built and provided and I was proud to be able to serve them.

“My ability to convert troubled spaces into a viable contributor to the community will shine through when customers visit Tavern by the Hall.

“This once Irish pub will serve great food, great drinks, and provide great entertainment to all without forgetting the heroes, firefighters, and veterans it once served for so long.”

For more information, visit the Kickstarter page here.

Read the full story at the New Haven Register here.