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On-premise Spotlight:
JD McGillicuddy’s
Whether it be the warm and
inviting atmosphere, the camaraderie
between the guys who
run the show or the genuine
warm feeling you get when
you enter the bar, JD
McGillicuddy’s is like a little
piece of home.
Tom Thornton Sr., patriarch of the
family, opened the Goal Post (now
Frankie’s Café in Havertown) 32 years
ago and the beer business has been in
the Thornton family ever since. Tom
Sr. introduced his son to the business
when he was a young boy and in
1994 he and his father opened the
doors of the first JD McGillicuddy’s in
Ardmore, PA. Not only is Tom Sr. a
beer man, he also has a great sense of
humor. When asked how JD
McGillicuddy’s got its name, Tom Jr.
laughed and explained that one day
his father was golfing with a close
family friend, Jack D. McDonald, and
as they conversed about Mr.
Thornton’s bar, Jack turned to him
and asked, “when are you gonna
name a bar after me”
Now, fourteen years later there are
three more JD McGillicuddy’s locations
in Manayunk, Kirklyn and
JD McGillicuddy’s, located in Ardmore,
Manayunk, Kirklyn and Tinicum
Back row, left to right: Matt Thornton, Tom Thornton
Front row, left to right: Keith Petka, John Stauffer,
Kyle Thornton, Eric Eberz, Chris Thornton,
Danny Quinn
Tinicum with a new location
in the works, somewhere
in the Philadelphia area. These
thriving bars are the perfect
place to unwind after a tough
work week or enjoy a meal with the
family. Known for their classic cuisine,
friendly service and inviting
atmosphere, JD McGillicuddy’s is sure
to treat you like family.
Tom Thornton Jr. oversees the operation
of each JD McGillicuddy’s location,
but he has a lot of help thanks
to an extremely close knit family.
From brothers, to cousins, to in-laws,
the bars are all run by members and
close friends of the Thornton family.
“Each of us has our own part in the
business because we are all good at
different things,” says Tom.
Family is of the utmost importance to
the Thorton clan and they attribute
the success of the business to just
that. “You can count on each other
no matter what. If someone is sick,
one of us will always pick up the slack
without hesitation. The corporate
world is very selfish. We never have to
worry about that here. We are all here
to look out for each other and the
business.”
Thornton expressed how the deep
sense of family extends to staff. “We
don’t need server incentives here, our
staff wants to be here; there is very
low turnover. They really do stick
around; no one ever wants to leave!”
As for the customers, they know many
of them by name and often engage in
conversations. It is very important to
the JD McGillicuddy’s team that their
customers feel welcome. “Our customers
really are an extension of our
family-some of them even end up at
our family parties!”
Not only are the Thornton’s great
businessmen, they also give back to
the community. JD McGillicuddy’s
sponsors several youth sports teams
and some of the guys even do some
coaching! “We love sports, as you can
see,” Tom says as he points to the
walls of the bar that are adorned with
sports paraphernalia from floor to
ceiling. “We bought all this stuff ourselves.
It’s all personal touches. We
want it to look like home, well, at
least what we would want our homes
to look like if we were bachelors!”
In a world that has become so corporate
and uninviting, JD
McGillicuddy’s is definitely a place
that brings back the family-feel we all
yearn for.
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