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Date: 7/12/2023
Awaiting the closure of the Eastfield Mall, Donovan’s Irish Pub is gearing up to move to its new location in the Paper City.
The bar will relocate to the current Slainte restaurant at 80 Jarvis Ave. in Holyoke and owners Frank and Justine Garaughty, who have been in operation since 2015, are looking toward being in a new community.
Donovan’s Irish Pub opened at the Eastfield Mall back in 2000 and the restaurant continues to be open seven days a week with take-out and indoor and outdoor dining. In 2015, it was sold to the Garaughty’s by the Donovan family.
“Once again, Justine and I cannot thank our staff, our patrons and our entertainers enough for everything,” Frank Garaughty wrote from the bar’s Facebook page.
The Eastfield Mall opened in 1968 as the Pioneer Valley’s first indoor shopping mall. It is slated to close on July 15 as its Needham-based owner, Onyx, prepares to demolish much of the existing structure and redevelop the property as Springfield Crossing. The Springfield City Council approved a special permit for the project in March. Onyx will invest between $65 and $80 million on a revamped 361,000-square-foot shopping and dining center, with a projected 20 to 30 tenants, according to Principal Anton Melchionda. The redevelopment does not include the parcel on which the former Sears department store sits, according to Springfield Crossing Vice President Brian Kaplan.
The Garaughtys first met at the bar in 2011 and later married shortly after taking ownership of Donovan’s. Frank Garaughty added they always knew after taking over, with the rumors about the mall, that they could one day have to relocate.
As they prepare for the move, the Garaughtys expressed they would miss the location they have been so familiar with for so long. Justine added she will miss the regular crowds that come to Donovan’s and hope they can stay connected with old friends while they meet new ones in Holyoke.
“Most of them have been very supportive of us and they’ll try to make it over to the new location, but also there will be new regulars to meet as well which is a good feeling too,” Justine Garaughty said.
Frank Garaughty added he is no expert from running the pub with his wife, but he will forever take with him the lessons learned and memories into the move. Both added they are happy to be moving the Irish pub to a city like Holyoke with so much Irish heritage already there. Frank Garaughty added the new location was a great deal for what they were pursuing.
The Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council has been assisting many of the businesses that called the mall home in their search for new accommodations.
On July 6, the council announced new locations for many of those businesses and Donovan’s is not the only one making a move north to Holyoke. Exotic Scentsations, Milan Menswear, Midnight Odyssey Crystals and Perfume Club Inc. are all moving to the other prominent Hampden County mall — the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside. Additionally, Raw Beauty Brand will be located at 141 High St.
Several entities will remain within the city proper, including:
The Mall Barber Shop and School of Fish fish store will both relocate to Wilbraham. The EDC noted that the town of Wilbraham’s Board of Selectmen and Economic Development Committee approved $7,500 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for each business to support their relocation. The barber shop will be located at 2440 Boston Rd. while School of Fish will move to 2133 Boston Rd.
Incredible Toys’ new location is 270 Main St., Unit A, and Millennium Nails has relocated to 346 West St., Ludlow.
Two businesses moved south of the border to the Enfield Square Mall — Calm Panda Smartshop and New Age Wrestling.
“We encourage the community to actively show their support for these local businesses in their new locations, as they play a critical role in bolstering the local economy. Small businesses are the backbone of our community, contributing to job creation, fostering innovation, and enhancing the unique character of our region. By patronizing these businesses and choosing to shop locally, we can collectively ensure their continued success and contribute to the overall vitality of our community. Your support directly impacts the livelihoods of business owners and their employees, fostering economic growth and a thriving local economy for all,” the EDC said in a prepared statement.
The EDC credited the Latino Economic Development Corporation with financial contributions to assist marketing initiatives and assistance in onboarding businesses to Feel Good Shop Local, a local e-commerce website, and Homes Logic Real Estate for its assistance in identifying suitable sites and providing legal and real estate guidance.
The EDC also said “Springfield municipal and elected leaders are actively working on plans to allocate mitigation funds to support businesses in their relocation efforts.”