Doobies Bar reopens after closures caused by COVID-19, renovations

Doobies Bar, the Fitler Square pub famous for its collection of David Bowie memorabilia, is finally back in business.

The dive bar reopened its in-person service Friday, more than three months after its initial attempt to bring back customers lasted only eight days. The pub previously had been closed for in-person service since March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and renovations.

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Customers will be able to enjoy new shot and beer specials, a cocktail menu and expanded whiskey and amaro selections. The bar already offers a wide selection of beers. 

The bar's kitchen will remain closed for the time being, but customers are welcome to bring their own food. Doobies typically has offered a variety of sandwiches, pita pizzas, hot dogs and appetizers.

Doobies will be open Wednesday through Sunday. It will open at 4 p.m. each night and close at 11 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. on Sunday. 

The pub also will sport a number of renovations, including a new floor. The renovations, which were completed in December, forced Doobies to close down for six months last year — much longer than it originally anticipated.

Like other restaurants and bars, Doobies had to shut its doors at 2201 Lombard St. in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patti Brett, whose family has owned Doobies since the pub opened in 1978, started a GoFundMe campaign in October 2020 to help keep the bar in business during the public health crisis.

To stay afloat, Doobies pivoted to serving cocktails-to-go. The drinks made up 70-80% of the bar's revenue amid the pandemic, Brett previously said.

However, the cocktails-to-go option ended last June when Pennsylvania's COVID-19 emergency order expired. That development, along with the impending renovations, pushed Doobies to temporarily close again.

Brett reopened the GoFundMe campaign, which ended up raising more than $40,000 — twice as much as its original fundraising goal.

Doobies briefly reopened for one week in December before shutting down again due to the surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant.