“There is nothing which has yet been
contrived by man which so much happiness is produced as by a good
tavern or inn.”
- Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
On December 5th, 1933 the modern age of publicly licensed tippling in
the United States was ushered in. With the ratification of the
Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution, the ill-conceived notion of
legislating sound judgment and temperance was hopefully forever put to
rest. The millions of Americans that had become part of the new
criminal class could emerge from the shadows and speakeasies with glass
in hand, to be welcomed back into the fold of law-abiding citizens.
While I am immensely grateful to those that possessed the political
acumen and good sense to put an end to the Volstead Act, it is mostly
those pre-Prohibition era establishments that have been the source of
my well-being and occasional inspiration.
As one might suspect from the name of this publication, American Public
House Review, I much prefer the confines of the eighteenth and
nineteenth century tavern. For me there is nothing more pleasing than
consuming a quality pint of ale in those rooms where the rebels,
rascals and raconteurs that shaped this country took their leave and
libations. So during a recent excursion to the city of Boston, David
McBride and I assigned ourselves the pleasant task of spending time at
some of those celebrated drinking houses where the spirit of ‘76 was
exercised with enthusiastic abandon. But with the exception of the
Warren Tavern in Charlestown, we were somewhat disappointed by our
other choices.
Perhaps it was the unremitting frigid gale off the harbor, the
overwhelming crush of Christmastime tourists, or just the competing
noise from too many flat screens, but neither one of us was able to get
in touch with our inner enlightened insurrectionist during our pub
crawl along Boston’s Freedom Trail. We returned
to our hotel worn out and dejected. But in the spirit of those
indefatigable and brave Bostonians that suffered through the
deprivations and hardships of the British occupation, we decided to
press on.
I explained our crisis to the woman behind the front desk. I made it
clear that it was imperative that our sanity and survival was dependent
upon finding that perfect Beantown tavern. Without hesitation she
instructed us to take our sorry selves to 77 Charles Street. From the
moment we entered The Sevens, I knew that we had a found an excellent
home for the evening.
Since opening its doors in 1933, this simple pearl of a pub has seen
its loyal patrons through times of tribulation and great joy. And like
any good community institution, The Sevens is an extension of family
for the locals and a welcoming refuge for those who venture here from
beyond the boundaries of this stately Beacon Hill neighborhood.
At some point during the night, I commented to Dave how the
energy and atmosphere at The Sevens reminded me of the bar depicted on
the popular television sitcom Cheers. It
was only after a later conversation that I learned that the show’s
production team had originally scouted two or three other locations
before deciding to shoot the exterior shots using the former Bull and
Finch Pub (now renamed as Cheers Beacon Hill). It seems that The Sevens
had the right feel, but not the correct physical dimensions that the
producers were looking for. As a rather intriguing aside, the show was
almost cancelled during its first season when it was ranked dead last
during the premier (77th out of 77shows). Perchance the gods of Charles
Street were voicing their opinion about the apparent snub.
For the last thirty-five years the bar has been in the very capable
hands of Jack Kiley. This extremely affable publican ascribes to my
philosophy of ownership. “Treat your staff well and they will do so in
kind.” And that disposition and kindness will ultimately be showered
upon the clientele. That was certainly our experience during our stay
in Boston. This New England town long considered “The Cradle of
Liberty” had given rise to a public house that can be best described
as— “The Cradle of Congeniality.”
The Sevens
77 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114
(617) 523-9074
(No Website)
Directions
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Faneuil Hall in Boston
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