Barstool Sports is bringing its name to life in Philadelphia. During its Q2 earnings report in August, Penn National Gaming, which owns a 36% stake in Barstool, announced it planned on opening Barstool Sports-branded sports bars in Philadelphia and Chicago by the end of the year.
Barstool Sports Bar Philadelphia opening date and details here.
The Barstool Sports bar in Philadelphia will be located at 1213 Sansom Street. Playin Pennsylvania exclusively learned through sources in Philadelphia commercial real estate, on-site workers, locals lunching in the area, and other sources.
Barstool Sports Bar Philly update (Feb. 2022)
In January 2022, a green vestibule was built at the entrance and a “Barstool” sign was added. As of early February 2022, Barstool Philadelphia is not yet open.
Philadelphia Barstool Sports Bar
1213 Sansom Street is the former site of the Brickwall Tavern. The short-lived restaurant opened in 2018 and closed in 2020.
On Tuesday afternoon, contractors inside were hard at work. The brickwall was still intact and one of the of the contractors mentioned that it was going to stay exposed.
Midtown Village is filled with some of the city’s most popular bars (longstanding Irish pub Fergie’s is across the street from Barstool’s location) and restaurants. On an unseasonably warm November, diners sat outside of El Vez enjoying stone bowls filld with guacamole. One woman in her mid-twenties said she knows of Barstool and Dave Portnoy from the pizza reviews and had heard they were moving to Sansom Street.
“It’s going to be a fun place. I hope Portnoy shows up…don’t use my name though in this…you know how some feel about Barstool.”
The Barstool sports bar won’t have sports betting kiosks. It really doesn’t need to. In Pennsylvania, if you are 21+ you can bet on Barstool Sportsbook or the other sports betting apps anywhere on your phone. The majority of bets (90%) are placed online.
Video of Barstool Sports Bar Philly on Sansom Street
The neon orange Pennsylvania liquor license application at the Philly location is in the name of SBH PHL LLC. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported “SBH” is likely Stanton & Bowery Hospitality. They have also filed an application under “SBH CHI LLC” for their Chicago location.
Chicago Barstool Sports Bar now open
Barstool Sports Bar (Barstool River North) in Chicago opened in early January. It’s located at W. Hubbard Street. Portnoy was there for one of the first days and there is a picture of him and White Sox legend Ozzie Guillen on Barstool River North Instagram.
Pictures of Barstool River North
Bars part of Penn National’s strategy
During the Q3 trading update last week Penn National Gaming President and CEO Jay Snowden, touted Barstool Sports “rapid ascent into one of the premier entertainment and lifestyle brands for Millennials and Generation Z.”
On the Barstool-branded bars Snowden said:
“We anticipate launching the first two stand-alone Barstool-branded sports bars in the coming months in Philadelphia and Chicago, which will represent an extension of our omni-channel strategy to more targeted, flexible, and highly valued locations.”
Penn National and Portnoy
During the Nov. 4, Q3 report, $PENN adjusted earning per share dropped year-over-year 44% from $0.93 per share to $0.52. Two year stack EPS jumped 36.8% from Q3 2019’s $0.38, however the results delivered a 41.6% negative surprise below the average expectations of major analysts.
On the same day of the Q3 results, Business Insider published an article which alleges sexual misconduct by Barstool President Dave Portnoy. He has denies all allegations, calling it a “hit piece.”
Penn National, Barstool growing in PA
Wyomissing-based Penn National Gaming is growing its footprint across Pennsylvania.
- August 12, 2021: Hollywood Casino York, a mini-casino, opens. It’s home to the first Barstool Sportsbook on the east coast
- Fall 2021: A new Barstool Sportsbook is opening at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
- By end of 2021: Hollywood Casino Morgantown, a mini-casino, is slated to open. It will also be home to a Barstool Sportsbook.
Lead image by Katie Kohler. Pictures of Barstool Chicago from Barstool River North Instagram
