Blackback Pub changes hands, keeps the spirit
October 21, 2023 | By Sandy Yusen | Correspondent Dave Juenker and Lynn Mason owned Blackback Pub for nine of its 14 years as an anchor business at the corner of Stowe and Main Streets. File photo by Gordon Miller
A collective gasp could be heard among beer lovers around Waterbury and beyond when the news broke that the Blackback Pub had been sold.
On Oct. 10, Lynn Mason and Dave Juenker posted on social media that they were transferring ownership of the Blackback to its general manager Ehren Hill and chef Cory Swafford. The sale, the terms of which were not disclosed, includes the Blackback’s assets and operations. Mason and Juenker have retained ownership of the 1 Stowe Street building, where the Blackback operates on the lower two floors.
Both Hill and Swafford have extensive restaurant experience—Hill as bar manager at Montpelier’s Three Penny Taproom and Positive Pie, and Swafford as executive chef at Prohibition Pig in Waterbury and chef at Lost Nation Brewing in Morrisville. They also both live in Waterbury and have been working at Blackback for two and a half and one and a half years respectively.
When asked why they sold, Mason laughs, “We’re getting old!” She and Juenker had discussed retiring while they were still young, liked the idea of “getting out of dodge” for the winter, and had fallen in love with Arizona. Then Mason’s father, who they had taken care of for over a decade, passed away. “That’s when we decided…let’s put a general manager in place and see if we could make this work.”
The couple worked for more than a year to ensure a seamless transition for the bar, its employees, and its customers. “People have grown to love it and we wanted to keep that feeling the same,” Mason said. “The bar got busier and busier, the guys were doing a great job, and we were getting good reviews. We had everything lined up with the brewers, a talented chef, a full kitchen staff, and front of house. They were a great team…this was a great way to go out on top.”
The new owners recognize they have big shoes to fill and do not take their responsibilities lightly. “We’ve been incredibly lucky to have such local support,” Hill said. “It’s our goal to deliver on what’s made that an anchor for us in the past, and to continue that legacy that Lynn and Dave have built and are leaving behind.”
Hill and Swafford now oversee the pub’s 28 employees, most of whom are older and work at the Blackback as a complement to other work commitments and hobbies. This is intentional, Hill says. “It’s not uncommon for people to buy a restaurant and have an idealistic view to be a positive force in everyone’s life that works for them, but Lynn and Dave have delivered on that.” Hill aims to sustain a working environment where employees are treated fairly and able to support their interests as adults.
For their part Juenker and Mason have already made their next move to Arizona that Juenker, in his social media post to followers, suggests will be for wintertime for now. “Obviously we will miss you this winter. Please know though we will be back for spring and summer and most of fall. Our old and arthritic bones will benefit from the Arizona winter,” he said. “We know the Blackback Pub is in great hands and that business will continue to grow and flourish.”
Carrying on a tradition
The 1 Stowe Street property has a long history as a local watering hole. In 2014, Mason and Juenker purchased what was then the Blackback Pub and Flyshop from Rick Binet. Binet had opened the one-room bar in 2009, in the space that was previously a barbershop, and later expanded to the former Waterbury Pub space next door. Binet’s bar had just one set of taps, a limited menu, neon green walls, and a decor of fly rods and fishing paraphernalia. “You could stop in, borrow a hand-tied fly and schedule a fishing tour,” Hill described.
The rods and fish are still on display, and some of the current staff are avid fly fishers, but recent upgrades have expanded the pub’s appeal to a wider crowd. The chalkboard on the wall features an extensive list of beers, mostly from regional breweries. A cocktail lounge on the second floor expands capacity to 100 seats. And the menu extends beyond pub food to asian-inspired dishes with vegan and vegetarian options.
Since the sale of the popular downtown business was announced, Hill said he has fielded many questions from customers about additional changes he and Swafford might make.
Celebrating their transition are Blackback Pub's new owners, General Manager Ehren Hill (left) and Chef Cory Swafford (right) with former owners (center) Dave Juenker and Lynn Mason. Courtesy photo
He said they are encouraged by the community’s interest, which reminds them that the word “pub” is short for “public houses,” which are byproducts not only of the owners, but also the customers that come in.
“There is a sense of concern and sense of participation and sense of ownership among the customer base,” Hill said. “Whatever our road ahead looks like, the Blackback will still have the same core values. This is why we felt so strongly that this was the right place. We are as invested as our customers and everyone around us in enjoying what we do.”
So for now, there are no specific new moves to announce but looking to the future, Hill offers a philosophy they hope to embrace: “We want to find new ways to integrate with Waterbury as a place that we love.”
Sandy Yusen is a freelance writer and Waterbury resident