'Iconic' Dock Bar Sold To 2 Employees, New Owners Have Big Plans For MD Move

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“We are actually moving the inside bar from the Annapolis location that was custom-built in Wales in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” Townsend said. The mirrors from behind the bar will also make the trip to Charm City.

Boating will remain a pillar of the Pusser’s identity. About a third of the marina’s slips are for transient, visiting mariners. At the floating bar, there will be another 10 to 15 slips reserved for Pusser’s patrons.

“We’ll actually have way more opportunities for boats to come dock and dine and things like that than we had in Annapolis,” Townsend said. “We’re really just a boat ride away from the location that we had in Annapolis.”

The new lease is for 10 years plus three separate five-year options.

“I have every confidence that they [will] do a phenomenal job,” Clyde Culp III, retiring Pusser’s Annapolis co-owner, told Patch in October.

Construction is slated to begin in January. Canton-based JP2 Architects is leading the design. JP2 is known for its work on the Merriweather District in Columbia and Foundry Row in Owings Mills.

Pusser’s will fill the vacancy left by Drift Bar at Lighthouse Point Marina. Townsend applauded the marina’s team, saying Pusser’s aligned with “their vision.”

“They want Pusser’s. Pusser’s has such an iconic image in the Chesapeake that they really want that brand,” Culp said. “You have a 350-slip marina, why wouldn’t you want to have a brand that takes the stress away every day and has fun.”

Priced Out Of Annapolis

This October, Pusser’s announced its forthcoming move to Baltimore by shining a spotlight message on the side of its building. Pusser’s chose to share the news during its Annapolis Sailboat Show party, when many regulars were at the bar and employees were contemplating their next moves.

Townsend hopes his Annapolis regulars will make the trip to Baltimore. Workers were invited to transfer to the new location, so Townsend expects the family atmosphere at Pusser’s to live on.

“We knew a lot of our customers on a first-name basis,” Townsend said. “The restaurant, it is a little bit farther away, but when you create relationships like we created in Annapolis, those people are still going to come see you.”

With an expiring lease, Pusser’s announced in October 2023 that it was outbid for the space at 80 Compromise St. on the ground floor of the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel.

The hotel didn’t renew the Pusser’s lease, instead bringing in Atlas Restaurant Group. Pusser’s Annapolis shuttered this Halloween. Marriott International, which operates the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel, did not respond to Patch’s request for comment.

Atlas, based in Baltimore, said its close proximity to Annapolis makes the state capital “a natural fit.”

“There is a significant crossover of clientele between the two cities, allowing us to bring our signature dining experiences to a community that appreciates exceptional food and beverage,” Atlas spokesperson Joe Sweeney told Patch in an email. “Annapolis is a stunning waterfront city steeped in history, known for its vibrant dining scene and strong reputation for quality establishments. It is a privilege to contribute to that legacy and be a part of its continued growth.”

Atlas Founder and President Alex Smith also played professional lacrosse in Annapolis for the since-folded Chesapeake Bayhawks. Playing their home games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Smith helped the Bayhawks to championships in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Sweeney said he does “not have any information on the hotel’s lease negotiations with Pusser’s.”

Townsend didn’t take the negotiations personally. He understood that the hotel had to make a business decision and sign the highest bidder.

“I don’t have a problem with Atlas. They’ve got a lot of money,” Culp said. “Whether the restaurant fits what should go in here for the market, I don’t know, but they sure as hell are going to make nice restaurants.”

Known for its high-end dining, Atlas will replace Pusser’s Annapolis with an upscale Italian chophouse named Marmo and a Mexican cantina called Armada in summer 2025. Atlas will additionally renovate and expand the site’s banquet room to welcome 350 guests. Construction is underway.

Atlas envisions an upscale atmosphere, while Pusser’s preferred an affordable hangout where Townsend said he’d find the “who’s who” of Annapolis.

“We didn’t need to come up with a lot of money. This is our brand,” Culp said. “We’re not going to shine this place up and make it very expensive. We’re going to keep it for what Annapolis wants us to be, which is a restaurant for the people on the harbor, an iconic brand.”

Atlas also owns The Choptank, a waterfront seafood restaurant a few doors down from the old Pusser’s. Atlas recently took over the historic Stevens Hardware building, which housed Mission BBQ until it closed this January. Plans for that property haven’t been announced.

“These establishments reflect our commitment to elevating Annapolis’ dining scene by offering approachable, high-quality experiences for the local community,” Sweeney said. “We remain dedicated to creating memorable dining experiences that reflect the charm and history of this beautiful city.”

Remembering ‘Landmark’ Pusser’s Annapolis

Hundreds packed into Pusser’s Annapolis on Oct. 27. It was a closing party, but you couldn’t tell by the dance contests or the free shots. Regulars braved the autumn chill, enjoying the sunset for a final time from the bar overlooking Ego Alley.

“It’s like a friend died. It really is. I know they’re moving, but still, it seems like it’s not going to be the same,” Glen Burnie resident Richie Thiess said, calling Pusser’s an “institution.” The closing party was Thiess’ 11th straight day at the bar, which he normally visited two or three times per week.

The walls, once filled with 19th-century photos of Annapolis, were mostly blank. The walkways, previously lined with antique ship figureheads, were largely empty. The business had sold off its memorabilia the month prior, with customers paying up to $15,000 for a slice of Pusser’s history.

Culp fought back tears during his final toast to a crowd of supporters.

“I’m going to cry,” Culp said. “We are grateful for the privilege of being able to serve so many people.”

About 6,000 employees have worked at Pusser’s over the years. Townsend said 40% of his staff of roughly 200 had worked there for over a decade, and 20% had two decades under their belts. Roughly 10% of workers had been there since the bar opened. One busboy even rose through the ranks to become a general manager.

Over 300,000 customers were served annually at Pusser’s, which hosted up to 50 weddings and 100 events each year.

“That’s a lot of business that comes out of this little place,” Culp said.

Townsend said Pusser’s sparked his career’s “formative years” after he was hired in 2009.

“I came here 15 years ago to the City of Annapolis, and I didn’t know one person. And here I am now, 15 years later, and I have all this: friends and family,” Townsend said during his toast at the closing party.”It’s been a hell of a ride.”

Townsend raised his glass to “30 years of food, fun, rum and most importantly family.”

“I love you guys too,” Townsend told the cheering crowd. “I can’t express it enough.”

The loss of Pusser’s weighed heavy on locals.

Brice Nguelifack moved from Auburn, Alabama to Annapolis nine years ago. The Eastport resident visited Pusser’s each weekend, helping him find a sense of community.

“Are you kidding me? The view by the water, unbelievable. Every summer, every weekend at noon, I’m here,” Nguelifack said, gesturing toward City Dock.

Nguelifack’s drink of choice was the Painkiller. The iced cocktail is a mixture of Pusser’s Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and cream of coconut topped with freshly grated nutmeg. Nguelifack noticed a Pusser’s mug the last time he visited Auburn, so he ordered a Painkiller and brought the mug home as a souvenir.

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“The first time I moved to Annapolis, 2015, I came to Pusser’s. They served me a Painkiller. I’ve never changed. Every time I come here, it’s been a Painkiller,” Nguelifack said.

The Painkiller originated on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands at the Soggy Dollar Bar, which didn’t have a dock. Customers had to swim to shore, leaving their cash wet and inspiring the waterfront bar’s name.

Pusser’s was the name of the British Navy’s rum distributed from 1655 until 1970. Entrepreneur and global sailor Charles Tobias resurrected Pusser’s rum as a commercial brand in 1979, launching distilling in the British Virgin Islands.

The original Pusser’s on Tortola then adopted the Soggy Dollar’s Painkiller recipe and used Pusser’s-branded rum. A symbol of the Caribbean, the Painkiller became a celebrated summery drink for sailors worldwide.

Re-Re Barber tried her “first and last” Painkiller at the closing party, though she frequently visited Pusser’s by boat.

“It’s very tropical,” the Annapolis-area resident said, appreciating the cocktail. “It’s got a little bit of coconut kick to it, just [the] perfect amount of rum.”

Barber also fondly remembers visiting the Pusser’s in Munich, Germany years ago during Oktoberfest. Along with the two restaurants on Tortola, Pusser’s has a third British Virgin Islands outpost on Virgin Gorda that sells merchandise. A final Pusser’s pub is located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

“It’s a landmark,” Barber said of the Annapolis bar. “Thank you for the establishment for 30 years and all of the people that worked here to make it such a special place.”

Matt Flaherty, who goes by DJ Mattie Fresh, has performed at Pusser’s since 2009. He closed out his last set with “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day.

Flaherty’s DJ business has taken off since he debuted at Pusser’s.

“It has helped exponentially. I’ve been able to book weddings, which is my bread and butter,” Flaherty said.

Flaherty has played for countless locals and out-of-town bachelorette parties alike at Pusser’s. He wonders if he’ll ever again find such a tight-knit community.

“I’m afraid I’ll never see another group like the Annapolis group, very supportive, loving people,” Flaherty said. “It’s the reason why I continue to work here over and over and over.”

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