General contractor Jim Arnoldt grew up in Chicago where small local pubs were tucked around every residential corner. In January, he (along with co-owners Blythe Kinsey, Carey Shea, and Timothy Barrett) brought the neighborhood-bar tradition to his new Irvington stomping grounds. After repurposing a former hair salon along one of the quirky community’s side streets into the Snug, a tiny Irish-themed hangout, Arnoldt now has easy access to Guinness, whiskey, Irish coffee, and a cozy seat at the bar.
“The neighborhood was a perfect fit for this,” he says, adding that neighboring tiki inspired Strange Bird “paved the way for us.”
At 600 square feet, the wee storefront furnished in bespoke handcrafted furniture imported from Ireland and pews donated by a nearby church provides a cozy meetup for like-minded connoisseurs of dry Irish stouts to relax with a pint—or something a little stiffer from the encyclopedic whiskey list.
Non-liquid sustenance comes in the form of a grazing board featuring family-recipe soda bread, cheese, and butter; packaged Tayto chips in a variety of flavors; and occasional collaborative treats, such as warm potato-and-leek or lamb-and-pea hand pies supplied by Pots & Pans Pie Co.
Snug 210 S. Audubon Rd., 317-308-8553
