McNally’s to reopen with new owners

McNally’s Irish Pub is coming back with new owners.

Owner Nicki Ellerbroek opened the bar and restaurant at 6211 S. Old Village Place in 2006. It closed late last year, and she had been hoping to find a buyer ever since.

She had almost given up on the idea when a dash of Irish luck appeared in the form of her neighbors Zach and Angie Porter.

“I had like 10 different buyers look at it, and (after nothing came together) I was like, ‘This is so going to be done,’ and then last minute right across the street from me comes in and saves the day,” she said.

The Porters had been regulars at McNally’s and friends with the Ellerbroeks since moving to the area more than 15 years ago.

“She just turned and looked and me and goes ‘Can you do me a favor? Can you just buy McNally’s?” said Zach Porter, who also is co-owner of NuAge Builders.

“I (told her) I would be interested.” And after reviewing financial statements, “we kind of were just blown away,” he said, adding that the deal made sense and they saw opportunities to build on what Ellerbroek had created there.

He then formed a small investment group of local owners and was able to give Ellerbroek the good news on an especially meaningful day.

“I knew that she was going to have a hard day being the first St. Paddy’s Day in 18 years she wasn’t open … so I pushed our group to say let’s do this, and I was able to give her the LOI (letter of intent) on St. Patrick’s Day,” he said.

Shortly after getting serious about the deal, they approached friends from the Brant Lake area, John and Melissa Dougan, who owned The Shipwreck Bar & Grill on the lake near Chester for several years before selling it in 2023. The Dougans came on as partners, and Melissa will serve as the managing partner for the operation, while the other investors keep their full-time roles elsewhere.

“We live out in Chester, but my husband, John, loved to go (to McNally’s), and I think it’s a great networking spot,” she said. “A lot of guys loved going for happy hour to visit and catch up … and the patio was amazing. John and I went there the day they closed or the day after, and we were pretty sad about it, so when Zach brought it up, we were pretty excited. I looked at John and said: ‘I want in on this. This sounds really awesome.’”

When they sold The Shipwreck, she knew her decades-long career in restaurants wasn’t over, she said.

“And this was the thing, these are great business people in Sioux Falls, and it just felt right,” she said. “Everybody wants to see the place open back up.”

When Ellerbroek opened the pub almost 20 years ago, “we were excited about the new development on the south side of town and mainly excited about bringing an authentic Irish pub to Sioux Falls,” she said.

“We got very involved in the Irish community … and really wanted to create a high-end bar with good food, and I think we accomplished that. We put a lot of thought, a lot of research and a lot of money into the space.”

The space is “turnkey,” Ellerbroek added, and said the new buyers are in a good position to succeed with it.

“I know they want to keep it McNally’s, which I was flattered by,” she said.

While there won’t be many aesthetic changes other than sprucing up the interior, the kitchen will be revamped to add a fryer and allow for a revised menu.

McNally’s will keep some customer favorites but expand the menu and include a kids menu. The plan is to be open daily, offer Sunday brunch and continue to bring in live music.

Dougan has started hiring, and “we’ve got great experience coming back, but we’re also bringing in new faces with a lot of experience,” she said. Those looking to apply can email her at ssllc500@gmail.com.

Ellerbroek now will be looking toward a new career, she said.

“I’m excited to see what’s ahead. I’ve worked a lot of nights and weekends and am excited to get to spend time with my family, but I will definitely be looking for a new career,” she said.

“I’d just like to thank the community for their support and the friendships we’ve made.”

The new owners hope to be operational in the restaurant later this spring.

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