Decomposing rat carcasses, rodent droppings, fruit flies, roaches and awful smells are just some of the delights that greeted the city health inspectors who shut down Downey's Irish Pub and Restaurant, in Philadelphia, the day before St. Patrick's Day this year -- only for the pub to open two days later.
For what seems like the worst Irish pub in America this crack down didn't come too soon. After a three-hour inspection they city officials found Downey's to be in breach of 51 health-code violations. However, two days later the bar was open again.
The report read "This inspection has revealed that the establishment is not in satisfactory compliance and that current management practices have allowed unacceptable public health or food safety conditions."
The bar's owner, Domenico Centofanti, appeared in court on Thursday to address the health violations and establish how the conditions in Downey's can be improved. The bar, which is due to appear on a Spike TV bar makeover show later this month, must pass two inspections before the case can be closed.
Centofanti is already in trouble with the law for failure to pay back taxes. The city administration has named him as one of Philadelphia's top deadbeats owing $125,881 in business-privilege, wage, liquor and other taxes.
On August 2 this 35-year-old business man is up for sheriff sale to satisfy the $2.4 million he owes to Wells Fargo and the city. Last September he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Centofanti has also faced legal complaints from his staff. Bernardo Corona, a former employee, alleges that he worked 47 hour weeks for two months and only received $800. This is a violation of wage and overtime laws. He won a judgment against his former boss in April and received $2,502. Centofanti appealed this ruling.
Steve Renzi (30) told Philly.com "He did it to everybody in the restaurant." Renzi, a school-district teacher was a valet-parker for Downey's in 2007. "Pretty much everybody in the entire restaurant wasn't getting paid."
He said the hardest hit were the immigrants working in the kitchen who were mostly paid in cash. He claims that Centofanti would stiff them for months. The teacher said that he threatened Centofanti that he would take him to court. However Centofanti continued to say he was broke when it came to pay day.
On July 24, an episode of "Bar Rescue" featuring Downey's will air on Spike TV. The show features struggling bars in various cities around the United States.
Tim Duffy, the senior vice president of Spike, said "We were drawn to the story of Downey's itself. It rose to become a Philadelphia institution under Jack Downey. When we heard that it had fallen into disrepair and could potentially shut down forever, we wanted to help."
In May, as part of the makeover show, Downey's received a new stove, a walk-in freezer along with new chairs and signage. The show reported that the freezer they replaced was "dark, rancid" and "rotting"
However things at Downey's haven't been turned around. Philly.com received an email from a local, Bernice Sierchio (65). She said that when she visited Downey's just two weeks ago she could smell mildew.
Her mail read "Not only does the place owe taxes, it smells, has the poorest customer service around, but it does serve bugs with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, what more could patrons or the City of Philadelphia ask for?"
"Downey's used to be a great place to go. I'd never go back there."
The owner, Centofanti, did not respond to repeated phone calls, for comment.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.DJEasyNuts | Aug 01, 2011, 11:23 PM EDT
Too bad, the Spike program made it look like they really turned it around. Irish Pubs are very popular in the United States due to St. Patrick's Day Celebrations where they can throw a large party and make a lot of money. Most are owned by the Irish or named after someone of Irish decent. Other than Cinco de mayo for Mexican restaurants there is no other nationality that has a guaranteed cash cow bar day. Mardi Gras can be celebrated in any type of establishment. Irish pubs have a different atmosphere than your local lobby bar or Sports Bar, although many Irish Pubs are sports bars. They usually specialize in some of the basic Irish foods: Corned Beef and Cabbage, Bangars and Mashed and Shepherds Pie Irish Whiskeys: Jameson's, Bushmill's and some higher end Irish Whiskeys, & Irish Beers: Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's and Magners Cider. It is perfectly acceptable to think it is wrong for an Italian to say that his bar is a true Irish Pub. But what is an Italian Pub, normally Italian restaurants are for eating and drinking wine not boozing up during all times of the day and night.
KMcSinger | Jul 18, 2011, 08:34 PM EDT
Mamaginnty, I LOVED your post. God love this George Dillon loser character.
yakimak | Jul 18, 2011, 10:08 AM EDT
Because John Kin MD "a drunkard staggers in his own vomit" because the term "Irish bar"makes the word Irish and alcoholic synonomous. We all have to eat no matter what the ethniticity of diner or restaurant owner but we all don't have to drink thirdly its a way of controlling people as for instance the Roman phrase "drink Goth drink" Who you want to control you first make drunkI hope I've given just an inkling of why the term as well as the actuality of Irish bars should be done away with I could literally write a book on it but the conclusion of the argument is that Irish bars and banality are synonomous .Have a drink JohnKinMD have a drink
JohnKinMD | Jul 18, 2011, 08:28 AM EDT
yakimak how is a non Irish person owning a Irish bar any different than a Greek running a Italian restaurant,it is a theme.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 18, 2011, 03:07 AM EDT
That's a real good idea, yakimak. And maybe they could recruit for bar staff here on Irish Central.
yakimak | Jul 17, 2011, 03:42 PM EDT
I think that if a beer joint is going to be called an " Irish bar" it should be owned by Irish people. I think that people opening these so called "Irish bars" is just another example of how low the Irish have prostituted themselves with this alcohol crap and now perhaps since we've had this first case reported of an Irish woman dying after having sex with a dog perhaps we should start opening up"Irish bar beastiaries" and complete the circle of inanity.
joanxis | Jul 16, 2011, 08:31 PM EDT
Now,Georgieboy, you know I can't ignore you. I'm afraid you're just going to have to put up with me. Hey, you'll have someone to sling nasty names at - one of your favorite things to do.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 16, 2011, 12:59 PM EDT
sirpeter aka antoman: I've looked up that word langer, and I see it means "p3nis" (don't know whether our prim schoolmarm IC will censor that word). I must say I've been called worse, though I would have expected a longer word.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 16, 2011, 12:47 PM EDT
Momma Ginnty: You're half right. I did report you--but it was for hate speech. But don't worry, it'll do me no good. IC accepts posts even from racists like joanxis. Say, Momma, have you heard they are talking of bringing back the Irish pound now that the euro has flopped? They're looking for people whose faces might adorn the one pound bill and represent Irish womanhood. Remember that for the old pound they had to get an American woman to symbolize Ireland. Don't let's have that happen again. Any chance you could post a pic so that we could see what a rale Oirish woman looks like?
GeorgeDillon | Jul 16, 2011, 12:42 PM EDT
joanxis: I asked you earlier not to try to contact me. I want no dialog whatsoever with racists. Go away.
peterson | Jul 16, 2011, 12:00 PM EDT
YUK !
mamaginnty | Jul 16, 2011, 11:28 AM EDT
oh jasus, The first comment from G.D...I thought a slight change in his attitude for the better, holy mack how wrong can one get it, GoergefrigginDillon just cannot control himself, tis a bad sickness he has. GoergefrigginDillon who on this earth gives you the right to say how much money a person has or has not, to the people below who have been verbally abused by GfrigginD do not take any heed to this.. manic depressive brain dead bullying slimy piece of pig manure, Ah....I feel better now, but GfrigginD will probably report me to IC. for verbally abusing him now, well I don't give a friggin sh.. what he does. He has been asking for it, for a long time.
joanxis | Jul 16, 2011, 10:13 AM EDT
I see that you're at it again, Georgieboy. Maybe it's you that can't read. Kitty called you a grump, not a grimp.
sirpeter | Jul 16, 2011, 09:25 AM EDT
Georgy boy you're a langer and a twat rat.(See Cork Slang)
GeorgeDillon | Jul 16, 2011, 07:28 AM EDT
robertsweird--Don't talk garbage. You couldn't afford to buy that place, you don't even have enough money to pay for the rats. Oldtimers like you should stick to your daydreams. And by the way, the next time you address me--which I hope will be never--knock off your stupid Philadelphia slang. You're not in a booze joint on Market Street now.
JerryLynch | Jul 15, 2011, 07:27 PM EDT
robertswierd: Good luck on your acquiring the Pub and turnin' it around. I may be in Philadelphia in late October of this year. If I am, I'll stop by fer a pint...or two. Slainte! Jerry
cillowen | Jul 15, 2011, 06:22 PM EDT
what's in a name
robertsweird | Jul 15, 2011, 03:05 PM EDT
This is very sad ! i used to work there when Jack Downey ran the place it was a place were all showed pride in what they did - on August 2nd i will be at the sale with check in hand and i will do my best to get and rebuild the building to meet the high standards of the city of Philadelphia. @ phinsman - we do call it filthadephia! but only us who live here can. @ GeorgeDillon get a life ! or a job you bum! My love for the city of Philadelphia is great -and i am very lucky that this city has made my life so rich.
IrishLass127 | Jul 15, 2011, 02:56 PM EDT
It's just sad in every respect whether it be a Irish Pub or any establishment that serves the public food and drink.
Springfield9 | Jul 15, 2011, 02:47 PM EDT
I take it that the green paint made it SEEM Irish. It was owned and operated by a sleazy crook - paint it red, green and white.
phinsman | Jul 15, 2011, 01:58 PM EDT
Maybe they should rename the city "Filthadephia"? :-)
JerryLynch | Jul 15, 2011, 01:32 PM EDT
If St. Patrick took care of Ireland's snakes, is there an equivalent potential saint for rats, rodents, fruit flies and roaches that could come to Philly?
mamaginnty | Jul 15, 2011, 12:07 PM EDT
I.C. again, big headline that is.. officially wrong. If it's under NEW ownership. Does not matter who owned before. Though knowing I.C. if it had been owned by irish 200yrs ago and every other nationality from then on, I.C would still say irish pub. Right I.C ??
GeorgeDillon | Jul 15, 2011, 11:59 AM EDT
KittyMurphy: It occurred to me after I wrote my note that maybe it was too subtle for you. So let me spell it out: The article doesn't talk of the "worst former Irish pub in America", it refers to "worst Irish pub in America". Your dumb post hasn't elucidated what makes it an Irish pub. NOW, not years ago. Stop wasting our time with nonsense.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 15, 2011, 11:56 AM EDT
Kity Murphhy, Down where we live, we never heard of the word "grimp". Is that some kind of Philadelphia slang? But down where I live, folks are usually able to read. Apparently wherever you live, they aren't.
Meow08101 | Jul 15, 2011, 11:01 AM EDT
Wow, what a surprise it's in Philadelphia.
Yardleypa | Jul 15, 2011, 09:50 AM EDT
Great location right on the water could be a goldmine with a good operator.
KittyMurphy | Jul 15, 2011, 09:48 AM EDT
@GeorgeDillon Ah George if you'd read down. You'd see that it was once a great Irish pub under Jack Downey. Ye grump.
IAPRINCESS | Jul 15, 2011, 09:33 AM EDT
This turns my stomach. Get our Irish name out of there and and refurbish and rename to something else. I won't be going there any time soon!
GeorgeDillon | Jul 15, 2011, 09:33 AM EDT
"The worst Irish pub"? Would Ms Hayes pleased tell us what makes this joint an "Irish pub"? What part of Ireland does the owner, Domenico Centofanti, come from?