by Cierra Lannon

Step inside Tommy’s Pub on any given night, and you’ll find a crowd as varied as Charlotte itself. People of different backgrounds, beliefs, and identities gather under one roof, drawn by a culture that regulars say feels more like family than a bar. Just as Jamie Starks hoped.

Starks, owner of Tommy’s Pub, has been driven to create a welcoming atmosphere for as long as he’s been associated with the bar. He lives by that mantra today, warmly welcoming young newcomers alongside the longtime regulars that make up his bustling clientele.

Tommy’s is one of Charlotte’s longest-standing neighborhood bars. Despite ownership changes, relocation, and the city’s rapid transformation, it has maintained its identity as an inclusive community hub, showing its resilience and importance to Charlotte.

Starks began his career in the service industry at 14 years old. He says he’s “done it all,” from working in the kitchen, as a barback, busboy, and waiter, to coffee shop manager — and now, pub owner.

Starks’ association with Tommy’s began in 2006, when he moved to Charlotte from Milwaukee while pursuing a career as a race-car driver. That’s when Starks met Jim McNally, who owned Tommy’s Pub from 2002 to 2016. McNally helped sponsor Starks’ car; in return, McNally asked Starks to help out at Tommy’s.

“Sure, I’ll help you out,” Starks recalls saying, “but I can’t guarantee it’s a long-term commitment.”

Twenty years later, Starks is still standing at Tommy’s. Starks quickly became McNally’s right-hand man, working mainly as the music booker for the pub and starting with Tuesday night acts. His spiral notebook quickly became a booked-out calendar, and Tommy’s became a staple for live music in the city.

“I don’t take credit; I just happened to be there,” Starks says.

When the original location closed on Central Avenue and Starks signed on to owning full-time in 2016, he spent eight months looking for a new place for Tommy’s.

Familiar faces followed Tommy’s Pub to Eastway Crossing, where the bar reopened on Oct. 14, 2017, proving its community extended well beyond its original walls.

One regular, a known architect in the city, helped show him the ropes to apply for permits and get submissions in order.

“We have a whole network of regulars,” Starks says. “It’s like a family. We’ve gone on trips together, cruises together; we’re a very tight-knit group of customers. It’s a family that keeps on expanding.”

That unified aspect of Tommy’s Pub is a key indicator of the warmth of its owner. That same unity shows up in the way Starks describes the bar’s atmosphere.​

Starks doesn’t take credit for the environment his pub has fostered. Instead, he attributes the inclusivity to McNally’s original institution as well as his current staff, keeping the focus on the people around him.

“I don’t take credit for any of this because it’s my staff, my entertainers and musicians that keep this place alive,” Starks says.

Alongside his relationship with his staff and his customers, Starks cultivates a positive relationship with other local bars in the area.

Starks chats about how he “loves” and supports many other establishments’ owners, mentioning spots such as Petra’s, Hattie’s, Snug Harbor, Common Market Oakwold, and Milestone.

“It’s our job in the service industry to look out for each other,” he explains. “We have a good network of bars that do the same.”

A key facet of Tommy’s that Starks shares proudly is their weekly events. From movie nights to karaoke (better known as Mooreoke, named after their beloved karaoke host) to amateur burlesque shows and goth nights, Tommy’s boasts a packed social calendar with something for everyone.

“We have Terror Tuesday on Wednesdays, where we watch a TV show paired with a horror film,” he states. “Tonight we’ll watch two episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – tonight is season 2, episode 5 and 6, I believe, followed by a B-rate horror movie.

“We try to stay lively and keep a variety of events that will appeal to a broad customer base. We’re just glad that you make an appearance at one of our events when you do.”

Tommy’s Pub has become more than a neighborhood dive bar. For many Charlotte residents, regardless of background, beliefs, or identity, it’s a place where everyone has a seat at the table.

“We’re a dive bar, but we don’t have a dive attitude,” Starks says. “We’re a safe space. We have a very diverse background – customers of all religions, ethnicities, sexual preferences, genders, and it’s awesome. Good people gravitate towards other good people.”

Unpretentious People Say...

Other Articles You Might Enjoy