At Locust Bar, how a jet mechanic decided to wing it in the bar business

But for two major life events, Tom Koenig would still be rebuilding jet engines and, at 58, looking forward to retirement.

As it stands, Koenig owns the Locust Bar in Center City. And he is still very much looking forward to retirement.

Locust Bar - the name reflects the shot-and-beer's simplicity - dates at least to the 1950s, when it opened at the corner of 10th and Locust Streets on the site of an apothecary owned by a Dr. Bond.

James Bond.

Koenig's brother-in-law, Nick Dinoulis, took over in the 1970s. When Dinoulis got sick in the early 1990s, Koenig's sister Linda asked him to help out. 

At the time, he worked at the Naval Air Warfare Center Trenton. As the family health drama was unfolding, Koenig and other civilian workers at the facility learned that the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission had recommended NAWC's shutdown. Dinoulis died three months after that news.


So you were working two jobs for a while?

I would come down here to close, so my sister didn't have to come down. I was also helping her by working here from 10 [a.m.] to 2 [p.m.], leave for my job from 3 to midnight, and come back down to close. I did that for four years, plus I was in reserves.

Then we heard about the base closure. I went back to my sister to buy the place. I talked to my wife, and she goes, "If that's what you want to do, let's do it. Go for it."


What has changed here in 23 years?

Basically, the bar, I changed the back side of it, just some of the furniture, but as far as everything else, everything is basically the same as it's been, except different food. We have more food than he had, because I remember he didn't have a fryer back then. When I left the government, I used my buyout money to fix the kitchen up.


Why change things at all?

If you have good food to keep people here, they don't have to leave and go somewhere else, because chances are they're not going to come back. 


You have a chef?

Maurice "Mo" Cofer. I put him totally in charge of the kitchen. I come up with some basic stuff, but all these other things that he does - he makes the pizzas now, everything's homemade, even the sauces. We've got regular bar food, and then he does the specials. Like right now, he'll do chicken, or rib, or fish platters, with macaroni and cheese that he makes, carvings that he makes himself. He makes everything from fresh. . . . It's hard because it's a small kitchen.


But the Cajun wings . . .?

I came up with the Cajun wings. My Cajun wings are the top seller from everything. I don't have too much that's mine anymore, but this is my thing.


Do your kids work with you here?

One daughter [Ana] works on Friday nights, bartending for me. She works a full-time job. My other daughter [Angie] is a flight attendant. When she's back and somebody needs time off or something like that, she fills in for whoever so that they get days off. My son [Tom] isn't working for me now. My brother Paul has a good following because he's big on jokes and stuff like that.


How has the business changed now from when you started?

It's always been like a corner-type bar. It's a really big mixture - not just college students. It's workers from Jefferson. A lot of them come after work, so they'll take food to go. We like to create an atmosphere where people they feel like they're home - like a Cheers-type thing right now. I'm lucky about the staff.


It's also one of the rare bars that allow smoking.

It's very hard to get [approval]. It's actually my luck that I got it. I mean, I don't smoke, so it's not for me. I prefer not to have it myself, but I just feel that people should have a choice whether they want to go in that situation or not.

Any fun stories over the years?

I'm very fortunate. You know, like any place, you're going to have somebody comes in, and he's a little bit off the rocker. For the most part, most of the people come in, and they're very nice.

Your prices are really reasonable. What kind of pressure do you have?

I'm actually increasing them, but only like about a quarter or 50 cents. For instance, I went to Burger King yesterday. We got late home from somewhere, and I just got some for myself. I got a Double Whopper, a fry, and a Coke, and it was like over $11. My philosophy on it is, I have a kind of place where I'm making money, but I'm [offering food] to lure people in so I can keep them here for the drinking part. It does two things: It keeps them from getting drunk, and, plus, it keeps them here because they like the food. I don't want to knock people over the head just to get them in. I'm doing it where I'm still making [money], but I'm probably not making as much as I could make. I try to keep it where it's affordable, and I'm not trying to be greedy about it.

Have you ever thought of retiring?

Yes.

You said that really fast.

Yes. I have a five-year goal.

And then what?

Just retire, because I've been, since I got out of the Navy, I've been working part-time jobs besides. I worked for the government for 15 years before I did this, and I'm tired. It's just because I come back every night to close, not that I have to, but I do it. I just feel like I want to. I have to be present, do you know what I mean?