Our History
More than 40 years ago, Jim Kiernan pitched the idea of opening an Irish pub to his lovely wife. Roxy answered, “as long as I get to name it” and a Sussex County icon was born. Although we lost Jim in 2018 and Roxy in 2025, their spirit lives on. We hear them every time whiskey glasses clink in a toast, in the happy squealing of our littlest guests and in the laughter around the bar at happy hour.
As Top Gun was headed to the theater and Hands Across America was being planned, that first Irish Eyes Pub opened its doors on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth, Delaware on May 11, 1986. There were challenges. Perhaps the biggest was the kitchen fire that threatened to tank the whole endeavor in 1987, but it was quickly contained and the pub reopened in short order. There was also so much fun. The Irish Eyes family started taking shape there on Wilmington Avenue.
The Irish Eyes passion for community stewardship also took shape on Wilmington Ave. In 1992, Irish Eyes became a sponsor of the Nouveau Beaujolais Wine Tasting and Silent Auction to benefit the Red Cross. Over the next 25 years, we helped to raise money for that worthy cause and started a long tradition of giving back to the communities that have supported us, including raising nearly $2 million so far for the Rehoboth Boys and Girls Club through the Irish Eyes Open and Reception.
Over the next few years, several things reshaped the Irish Eyes landscape. On May 14, 1996, what would become our flagship store opened at Anglers Marina in Lewes. In 1999, Dana Smith was hired as a hostess. Not only did Dana go down in restaurant history as having the cleanest host stand ever (a record which still stands today!), she would eventually work her way through the ranks and become the general manager. Longtime manager, Tom Jones and his lovely bride Charlene became partners in the business in 2001 and Jim and Roxy’s daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Michael Newcomb joined the business as co-owners in 2004.
With that team guiding the ship, Irish Eyes was in a great spot to open a new restaurant. The Rehoboth Avenue location opened in 2001 and would go on to serve many a happy beachgoer for nearly 20 years.
Next up, Milton! When the partners walked into the Milton town meeting to discuss putting a new Irish Eyes downtown, they were concerned. The room was packed with townspeople. Could all these folks be here to oppose a pub in town? Their fears were quickly relieved when person after person demanded that Milton pave the way for the new business! On April 11, 2006 the first Guinness was poured on Union Street! The people of Milton have continued to support Irish Eyes and the pub has become a meeting place and hub of the community.
With that outpouring of support fresh in their collective minds, Irish Eyes announced a new project – The Milton Saint Patrick’s Day Parade! The inaugural parade was in 2008 and raised a respectable $1200 to support the Milton Fire Department and Casa San Francisco. Each year, the parade gets bigger and better, drawing participants and spectators from across Delmarva and beyond. In 2025, with the help of presenting sponsors Dogfish Head and Atlantic Refrigeration, as well as tons of donors and volunteers, The 17th Annual Milton St Patrick’s Day Parade raised over $25,000 to benefit local organizations including the Milton Fire Department, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Gladys Wilkins Seeding the Future Scholarship Fund.
Meanwhile the Lewes pub was going through some changes of its own. On March 26, 2007, on a very windy night, the original building caught fire. Because of the extreme wind, there was no containing the flames and the building was a complete loss. The coals were still hot when plans were laid to rebuild. The new building was bigger and better and opened to much fanfare but on December 31, 2008, on yet another windy day, fire struck once again. Despite the hard work of the Lewes Fire Department and nine other departments, the extreme wind gusts were too much. The brand-new building was destroyed but not our fighting spirit! Just ten months later, on October 15, 2009, thanks to Michael Newcomb and his team, Irish Eyes in Lewes reopened. That building stands today, a community hub, an oasis of hospitality and a testament to perseverance!