Early-March is a busy time for the folks at Delaney’s Pub in Downtown Spartanburg.

St. Patrick’s Day looms large over the Irish pub and restaurant. Over the past couple of years, Delaney’s has stepped their game up, starting Shenanigans on the Square, a full-day event featuring live music, drink and food specials and special attractions for kids and families. Shenanigans on the Square tops off Seven Days of Shenanigans, a full week of activities like painting classes and an adult spelling bee.

“Last year was a huge success and we threw that together in three weeks,” said Kevin Moore, co-owner of Delaney’s. “This year, we had a little more time and put some more into it. It should be pretty good times.”

Moore and his business partner, Brian Greene, gained full ownership of the popular Downtown Spartanburg staple in late-2017. Since then, they’ve embraced Delaney’s’ role as a hub of good times and good food. An expanded menu and outdoor seating area have made a big difference in business for Delaney’s, and Moore said that was absolutely by design.

Outdoor seating came in the form of high-top seats and bourbon-barrel tables, inspired by Delaney’s being named one of America’s Best Bourbon Bars a few years ago. The dark-wood barrels add to the authenticity the Irish pub offers drinkers and diners. Not to mention, it looks great and provides a great space to enjoy the outdoors in the middle of Downtown Spartanburg.

“The difference is, when you drive by, whether or not you’re from Spartanburg, you’re coming in town, you’re staying at one of the hotels, it gives a different look. We’re not just your average pub, your average bar. It doesn’t give that look,” Moore said. “It looks like, ‘oh hey, there’s a good place we’d want to go eat.’ Our food sales have gone up like you wouldn’t believe.”

In recent months, Delaney’s opened up a renovated interior, designed to make the space more welcoming and open, trading in a dark, tavern feel for a warmer, more welcoming restaurant-bar vibe.

The changes have led to success at the Irish pub. Moore said Delaney’s is hosting more parties and large group dinners than ever before. It’s not uncommon for groups of 15 or more people to carve out space in the dining area or to take over the restaurant-bar’s conference room space.

We love seeing all this foot traffic. We’re getting neighbors, which is the greatest thing,” Moore said. “More people are investing in downtown, and we know there are a lot more projects coming. The bowling alley, anything entertainment-related is only going to help us. We’ve partnered up with a couple of businesses and throw each other business.”

Moore said he’s excited to see what Downtown Spartanburg has becoming – and what’s on the horizon. Having been open on West Main Street across from Morgan Square since 2003, Delaney’s has seen the bad times and the good in Downtown Spartanburg.

“I love being able to walk around and you’re not walking by closed building after closed building,” Moore said. “Even the smaller merchants are starting to stay open a little longer, and I love that. It can’t be just restaurants. There needs to be places for people to stop in and out, and with all the foot traffic we’ve got now, we’ve got to continue to build on it, and I think we are.”