By Shelbi Mulcahy
Shenanigans, a pub popular with Bellarmine students, plans to fully reopen its doors beginning in March.
Shenanigans’ owner Edward Kuppar announced in December the pub was closing its doors after Gov. Andy Beshear halted indoor dining in Kentucky for a second time since the Covid-19 pandemic began. “It was the hardest decision I ever had to make, but I needed to do what was best for the pub,” Kuppar said.
When Kuppar broke the news that Shenanigans would close with no known date of reopening, many who had come to love the pub said they were devastated.
Kaitlin Murray, who graduated from Bellarmine in 2018, started a GoFundMe page to give back to the bar that has allowed so many Bellarmine students to make lasting memories. Murray said, “The Kuppar family is special to so many people in the Louisville area, especially the Bellarmine community, that it was a no-brainer a GoFundMe was the right thing to do.”
Murray set the GoFundMe donation goal to $15,000. “This was just a starter goal,” she said. “I felt like it would be enough money to at least get the servers and cooking staff some funds for the holidays.”
As soon as the donation page opened, donations came pouring in. The GoFundMe page has close to $18,000 in donations.
“I had no doubt in my mind that people would come through for Shenanigans. The Kuppar family is so generous, and the regulars are constantly surprised with free appetizers and pitchers of beer on the house, just out of pure love from the owners,” Murray said.
Kuppar said, “It took me a week to figure out that we even had a GoFundMe page started and I immediately teared up seeing all the love and support.”
“The pub will definitely be open weekends until the first week of March, then that’s when we will be able to open back on the regulations set by the governor,” Kuppar said. There will be a limited food menu, draft beer, domestic bottles and liquor available to purchase.
Chad Stear, a bartender and server at Shenanigans, said he was devastated to lose his job temporarily at the place he called home. Stear said, “The scary part of Shenanigans closing was not knowing what was to come next.”
When Stear got word Shenanigans would be able to re-open on weekends, he said, “I told Eddie, ‘Tell me when and what time and I will be there.’”
Stear will take on extra roles due to short staffing. “I don’t care what role I need to do. I just want to be back at the bar and see all the regulars back in,” he said.
Bellarmine students also said they were disappointed when Shenanigans announced they were closing. “When Shenanigans closed, I was heartbroken. Donating to the GoFundMe page was the least I could do to help Shenanigans reopen so future students can have the opportunity to make lasting memories like I have,” Bellarmine senior Maddy Barber said.
Shenanigans has always been a big part of Bellarmine students’ lives but an even bigger part of Kuppar’s personal life.
Kuppar comes from a family of 12, including seven brothers. Kuppar and two of his brothers, Damian and Joseph, always dreamed about starting their own restaurant and bar ever since they were young. Both Damian and Joseph passed before they could make their dream a reality. Kuppar said, “I was determined to make it happen and live out our dream.”
In 2002, Kuppar was attending Sunday Mass at St. Agnes, and he grabbed The Record where he saw an ad that said, “Bar in Highlands for Sale.” He left church, called the number in the ad and said, “Take it off the market. I am buying it.”
Kuppar took ownership of Shenanigan’s April 23, 2002. With the help of Rick Ralston, who has worked as a groundskeeper since 2003, Kuppar has made a lasting impact on all those who walk through the doors.
“I am ever so thankful for all the love and support we have been given, which has helped Shenanigans to re-open,” Kuppar said.