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Cornell’s Irish Pub to change hands later this year, pending state approval

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

After a lengthy attempt at buying the business, new owners are set to take over Cornell’s Irish Pub later this year.

Bradley Kaye and longtime Cornell’s employee Erin Trites have teamed up to buy the establishment from owners Colm and Ellen Scanlon. “Erin has been trying to buy the bar for a while,” said Kaye.

Trites said the process has taken some time. “I’ve been trying for two years,” she said. She cited issues with the sale price and the bank as hurdle she had to overcome. “Finally it worked out.”

Kaye and Trites are longtime friends. Kaye, who has owned other businesses, said his wife convinced him to partner with Trites on buying the pub. Now that the Select Board has approved transfers for the liquor and the common victualer’s licenses, the pair said they are waiting on the commonwealth for final approval before the sale can go through.

Although Cornell’s is changing hands, patrons won’t see much about the restaurant changing, according to Kaye and Trites. “Everybody loves that place, as do I,” said Trites. “I wanted to keep it the same.”

“Probably, people won’t even realize [the switch] happens,” Kaye said.

Kaye explained that the restaurant’s menu may see some small adjustments and that staff will remain in place. The one big change he did note was an expanded entertainment license the Select Board also recently approved. “We plan on having maybe a karaoke night, a music trivia night … stuff like that,” he said.

The new co-owners anticipate hearing back from the state sometime within the next month. Those approvals, along with regular town inspections, are the last major pieces needed for ownership to change hands.

“We’re pretty excited,” said Kaye. “We’re looking forward to it.”

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Photo of the Day

Hopkinton Reservoir is visible as a vehicle makes its way along Route 85.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE