Tag Archives: Mary Wee Pub

Thank you, educators, from the Mary Wee!

24 Jun

It’s been a long school year, and these last few days, with the extreme heat, have been especially difficult. As we celebrate this last week of school, our district administrators, teachers and support staff deserve a huge round of applause, and our heartfelt thanks.

But the folks at the Mary Wee Pub, 2 West Main St. in the Village of Webster, believe they all deserve even more than that. That’s why, through this Friday June 26, if you’re a staff member at any school in any district, show your ID at the Mary Wee and your first drink is on them — and we’re talking beer, wine or well drink.

And “staff member,” by the way, includes everyone: teachers, teaching assistants, aides, bus drivers, PTs, OTs, food service, speech therapists, social workers, secretaries, psychologists, security, counselors, coaches, librarians, custodians, nurses, and administrators.

So enjoy a drink to celebrate the last days of school, with thanks from the Mary Wee Pub for a fantastic school year.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 6/24/2025)

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St. Patrick’s Day returns to the village’s four corners

7 Mar

I don’t know about you, but one of the things I really miss about Barry’s Old School Irish is how the little pub would celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The festivities lasted for days.

I’m happy to report, however, that St. Patrick’s Day has returned to 2 West Main St., at the new Mary Wee Pub.

The festivities start on Monday March 8, when the pub adds corned beef and cabbage to the menu all week long. It joins an already tasty Irish menu which includes cottage pie, Guinness beef stew, and Reubens. Nice thing about its being on the menu all week is that you don’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day and all the crowds to get your corned beef fix.

On Parade Day (Saturday March 15) AND St. Patrick’s Day, the pub will be open at 8 a.m for breakfast. Chef Kurt will be cooking up his own specialties, including a frittata skillet (scrambled eggs, home fries, Swiss cheese and corned beef), and a sandwich version on rye bread which will offer the option of corned beef or ham, along with the eggs, home fries and cheese.

He’s also considering putting together what he calls a “Dublin omelet” with sausage, peppers, onions, Swiss cheese served with toast.

On Sunday, the Mary Wee will open at 10 a.m., with live music from the Genny Tall Boys from 4 to 7 p.m. On Parade Day and St. Patrick’s Day proper, keep an eye out for some Irish dancers and bagpipers who’ll be stopping by.

On top of the great food and entertainment, owner Mark Petzing says to “expect perfectly poured pints, great drinks, Wee swag, traditional Irish dancing, bagpipes and shenanigans.”

Sounds like the St. Patrick’s Day that we’ve come to know and love from 2 West Main.

Stay tuned to the Mary Wee Facebook page for updates, and if you’d like to call ahead to put in an order for breakfast, lunch or dinner to take away, call 585-236-1258. (By the way, if you’re like me and not a big fan of corned beef, a chicken sandwich and a burger will also be on the menu.)

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/7/2025)

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The Mary Wee Pub is officially open for business

1 Dec

It was about 10:30 a.m. the Friday morning after Thanksgiving at the new Mary Wee Pub — about 30 minutes after it opened — and there were already a half dozen people sitting at the new pub’s long bar, enjoying an early pint or just enjoying friendship.

That’s how excited everyone is about the news that the Mary Wee is finally open at 2 West Main Street in the Village of Webster.

For the last few weeks, owner Mark Petzing (of the Shamrock Jack’s family) has been hosting “soft openings,” which basically meant that if the door was unlocked, you were welcome to wander in. So the word’s been spreading quickly that there’s a great new place in town to get a pint of Guinness.

But those soft openings end on Monday Dec. 2 when Petzing invites the community to the Mary Wee’s official grand opening.

This day has been a long time coming. Petzing has been working since the middle of the summer renovating, updating and beautifying the former Barry’s Old School Irish Pub. The “final touches” seemed to drag on forever over the last few months, as anxious community members peered through the windows every day to see how close it was to completion.

Petzing has put his own twist on the interior design of his new pub, which is obvious the moment you step in the door. Those who knew the old Barry’s would hardly recognize the place.

For starters, the wall separating the bar from the former bakery area has been removed, opening up enough space for a much longer bar, which now wraps from the restrooms to the west wall. The two restrooms have been completely renovated and updated, and now stand side-by-side, one whimsically decorated to look like an Irish telephone box. There’s a digital jukebox, and three TVs streaming sports all the time. And the ceiling has been raised, which together with the new French doors and windows gives the entire pub a much more open, airy feel. Even though Petzing was working with the same square footage, somehow he’s managed to make the new pub feel so much bigger than the old.

Probably the most exciting new feature is the indoor/outdoor seating along the big, north-facing front window. That window’s been replaced with a garage door, which on nice days can be raised to accommodate patrons sitting inside and outside across from each other.

True to its name, Petzing characterizes his pub’s offerings as a “wee bit of everything.” The menu won’t be huge, but substantial, featuring appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches and some Irish-inspired entrees. His nine taps include Guinness, Smithwicks, Harp, a few IPAs, Genny and Stella. A selection of bourbons, vodkas, gins and rums complement an expansive choice of Irish whiskeys. There will even be a wee bit of live music.

Petzing is very uncomfortable comparing his new pub to Barry’s Old School Irish, which closed in September of 2023. He knows as well as anyone the special place Barry’s held in the hearts of the local community, and still does. But there was no way he was going to avoid the obvious questions.

“People would say, ‘Is it going to be like Barry’s? Is it going to be like Shamrock Jacks?'” he said. “I say no, maybe a little of both, but it’s going to be the Wee. It’s going to be our place.”

“I loved Barry’s,” he added. “My wife and I always loved Barry’s. But it’s definitely different.”

Given the response he’s already seen, people have embraced the difference.

“The Webster community has been amazing,” Petzing said. “We’ve been welcomed with open arms; everybody’s been fantastic. The coolest thing for me right now is I’m meeting all sorts of people I never met before. … During this past week I’ve had a blast. It’s everything I wanted and more.”

Check out the new Mary Wee Pub for yourself during the grand opening, Monday Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Live music will be provided by Matthew Stephens from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.. Regular hours will continue to be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day (and perhaps later on the weekends).

Here are some photos from the pub:

I’ve posted this story before, but if you’re wondering how the unusual name “Mary Wee” came about, here’s the story, straight from Mark Petzing himself:

My grandmother Mary, I loved her. My grandmother was older and she liked whiskeys and bourbons. They would water down her whiskeys, and put a little around the rim. She’d always smile, the sweet little thing, she’d say “Oh, thank you.” And when my mom and my aunts weren’t looking, she’d say, “Mark, give me a wee bit more.”

So people ask why is it not “Wee Mary’s?” Because I want you to think about it. And it means nothing at all, but it means a ton to me. Come in and have a whiskey and I’ll tell you the story and we’ll laugh.

Make sure to look for the photos of Mary hanging at the end of the bar.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/1/2024)

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Have you SEEN the Mary Wee?

28 Oct

If you happened to be in the Village of Webster during Saturday’s Trick or Treat Trail, then perhaps you were one of the lucky ones to get a not-so-sneak-peek at the new Mary Wee Pub opening at 2 West Main in the old Barry’s Old School Irish space.

Owner Mark Petzing was there with some family and friends handing out candy and giving tours of the almost completed pub. I’ve posted a few blogs in the last few months chronicling Mark’s progress, but I haven’t been in there in more than three weeks, so I made sure to stop in and see where things stand.

I was blown away by how much has been accomplished in those last three weeks.

Granted, the floor still needs to be finished and the kitchen is still in disarray. But the indoor bar is looking beautiful, the spacious indoor/outdoor bar is ready for pints, the jukebox has been installed, and there are a few special touches that people are really going to love, like how the restroom door looks like an Irish telephone booth and the ceiling is emblazoned with the symbols from Ireland’s four provinces.

Best of all, Mark says all the final touches should be completed within a few weeks. So watch for news of a grand opening, hopefully sometime before the end of November.

Here are a few more photos:

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/27/2024)

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An update on the Mary Wee Pub

3 Oct

For all of you anxiously awaiting the day when the new Mary Wee Pub opens at 2 W. Main St., re-energizing the Village of Webster’s four corners, there’s good news and bad news.

The good news is that the renovations are progressing. The bad news is, they’re not progressing as quickly as we all would like, and certainly not as quickly as Mary Wee owner Mark Petzing was hoping they would.

For sure a LOT has been accomplished over the last few months. All of the electrical and plumbing work has been finished; there’s new drywall, insulation, ceiling and floor; the bar and footrest are in place; the jukebox, speakers and TV are up; the liquor license has been approved and the menu is ready to be printed. But as is often the case with any big remodeling project, when one project gets finished, often another one pops up that you didn’t expect.

That’s happened a lot, Mark said, and when it does, “It takes more time and money in the long run. But when I do something I want to make sure it’s done right.” 

“We’re close, but yet so far.”

Mark is still hoping that everything will be done by the end of the month, and is eyeing an official opening in November. He knows that the new pub is “the talk of the town,” and definitely knows how much everyone is looking forward to its opening. (Apparently people are already coming in to order beers.) And he really appreciates how much the neighboring businesses are supporting him, which makes it even harder to wait for opening day.

“The neighbors have been awesome,” he said. “I really appreciate all the support from The Coach and Roc Style, Brimont, Burkes … Everybody has been very supportive and it really makes you feel at home. I love the village. I can’t wait to be a part of (it).”

Even if it won’t be open yet, you’ll be able to get a sneak peek during the Village of Webster’s Trick or Treat Trail on Saturday Oct. 26. Mark and his family are planning to be outside handing out candy for the kids and handing out good news (hopefully) to the adults.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/4/2024)

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A look inside the new Mary Wee Pub

10 Jul

The new Mary Wee Pub is slowly taking shape at the Village of Webster’s four corners. Fans of the former Barry’s Old School Irish — and pretty much everyone who loves our village — are anxiously awaiting to see what the new corner pub will be like, inside and out.

New owner Mark Petzing, of the Shamrock Jack’s family, is putting his own twist on the interior design of his new pub, and I dare say, those who knew the old Barry’s Pub would hardly recognize the place.

First thing you might notice when you walk in is that the wall separating the bar from the “bakery” area has been removed. That leaves space for the much longer bar, which wraps from the wall near the bathrooms all the way to the west wall, plenty of room for as many as 15 bar stools. There are still two bathrooms, but Mark has reconfigured them to be side-by-side, one of them replacing what many of us know as “keg alley” in the southeast corner of the pub.

Probably the most exciting feature of the new design is the indoor/outdoor seating Mark has planned for the big, north-facing front window. That window will be replaced with a garage door, which can be raised on nice days, allowing patrons to sit inside along a counter, looking out. At the same time, patrons can sit at bar stools outside, along the same counter, across from their friends. Additional high-top and lower-table seating will fill the rest of the inside space.

Even with all that, Mark has somehow managed to actually make the pub look bigger, despite having the same floor space to work with. It already seems like it’s going to be much brighter as well, with plenty of up-lit lighting fixtures, plus two big front doors and the garage door to let the outside light stream in.

True to its name, Mark says his new pub will have a “wee bit of everything.” He’ll be serving a limited menu; right now he’s thinking soups, salads, and sandwiches, what he calls, “simple, consistent, good food.” Plans are to have eight taps, with Irish favorites including Guinness, Smithwicks and Harp, and “a couple Gennys.” There’ll be three TVs for sports fans, a jukebox, and live music.

It’s come a long way in the last few months. But there’s still lots to do, and Mark doesn’t expect to open until sometime in September or October.

  • A inside view of the future garage door seating area
  • The two bathrooms are in the same corner where they were at Barry’s, but reconfigured
  • Mark Petzing in front of the new, much bigger, bar
  • The big front doors will let in a lot of light
  • The garden in front of the garage door seating area will be removed, and a new fence will enclose the expanded patio seating area.

Finally, about the name, the “Mary Wee.” Since the signs went up in the windows, everyone’s been talking about the unusual name.

Here’s the story, straight from Mark himself:

My grandfather is Jack, and over time everything was named after him. I always wanted to be different from my family, separate from my family but at the same time, I want to be part of my family. Shamrock Jack’s is an important part of my life. 

But my grandmother Mary, I loved her. My grandmother was older and she liked whiskeys and bourbons. They would water down her whiskeys, and put a little around the rim. She’d always smile, the sweet little thing, she’d say “Oh, thank you.” And when my mom and my aunts weren’t looking, she’d say, “Mark, give me a wee bit more.”

So people ask why is it not “Wee Mary’s?” Because I want you to think about it. And it means nothing at all, but it means a ton to me. Come in and have a whiskey and I’ll tell you the story and we’ll laugh.

As work on the new Mary Wee Pub continues, stay tuned for more details and more photos from our new little corner Irish pub. And when you can finally visit and have a pint, make sure to look for the picture of Mary on the wall, and raise a pint to her for inspiring her grandson’s new pub.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/10/2024)

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