Mike “Sully” Sullivan is selling his sole remaining bar.
The brains behind some of Peoria’s most beloved restaurants and watering holes said Saturday he is selling Sullivan’s at 4614 N. Prospect Road to Joe Kahn and Justin McConnell.
Kahn owns two Heights restaurants, Seven on Prospect and Basta Mangiare. McConnell is a Peoria entrepreneur who spent a summer working in one of Sullivan’s kitchens in the 1990s. McConnell also worked in management at the Journal Star for about six years, through 2007.
Sullivan’s is closed, as of Saturday night, Sullivan said. Kahn said he and McConnell are purchasing the building and the equipment, and they plan to change the name of the business.
“It’s not going to be an Irish pub. It will be more European,” said Kahn, who plans for the new business to be called the Public House.
“We’ll have straightforward dishes – rotisserie, smoked meats, steaks, chops, great salads,” Kahn said.
McConnell said they plan to keep some of Sullivan’s more popular menu items, add more appetizers and expand the wine list. He plans for the pub to be closed for the next two to three weeks.
“The changes aren’t going to be radical, but it will take a certain amount of time (to implement),” McConnell said.
Kahn said he had been speaking for some time to Sullivan about this deal, but the specifics were hashed out Friday afternoon.
“We’re neighbors, so we visit, we have coffee together. Us barkeeps, we gossip,” Kahn said.
Sullivan would not share his selling price but did say he was satisfied with the transaction.
“I feel a lot better when a former employee (buys a restaurant), because it’s in their blood,” Sullivan said. “People think I just want to open (bars), sell them and move on. That’s not true. Each time I’ve sold, it’s been different circumstances. This time, I’ve got to get my health back in shape.”
Sullivan has been battling cancer of the bile ducts since Christmas. He’s been undergoing chemotherapy.
“I’ve got about three weeks to go, and then we’ll find out what direction we’ll go in – the next direction will be surgery or radiation,” he said.
McConnell said he is looking forward to his new opportunity.
“He has done a great job,” McConnell said about Sullivan. “It’s very unfortunate that it’s happening under the circumstances that it is, but we’re pretty privileged to take over what he created.”
Although Sullivan said he will be focusing mainly on fighting his cancer, he won’t be completely out of the bar scene. He said patrons might very well spot him visiting with regulars at the Prospect Road business on St. Patrick’s Day – after he attends church with his mother, of course.
And, if Sullivan’s health goes the way he hopes, he might have his hands in another venture before long.
“I hate giving (Sullivan’s) up, but maybe something will come up later,” he said.
Danielle Hatch can be reached at 686-3262 or [email protected].
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