It’s no secret that St. Patrick’s Day in East Lansing is one of the most beloved holidays among Spartans.
It’s the one day in spring semester that competes with big football Saturdays as one of the busiest days of the year for local bars and restaurants, and at the epicenter is Dublin Square Irish Pub.
Since its opening in 2006, Dublin Square, which aims for an authentic Irish pub experience, has quickly risen to the top as the primary bar to be at for St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
General manager Rick Sauer estimates they will serve well over 1,200 people today, with people starting to line up during the early hours of the day.
“The state allows us to open and serve alcohol at 7:00 (a.m.) and that’s when we open. We’ll have a line out the door between 200 and 300 people ready to eat and drink and have a good time,” Sauer said. “They usually start lining up at 2 or 3 in the morning.”
With the relentless rush that Dublin Square sees from sunup to sundown on the Irish holiday, the preparation is considerable. Sauer said that the staff’s schedule is packed as the holiday approaches.
“Obviously our staffing levels are considerably higher than your average day,” Sauer said. “We put on a ton of security.”
He specified that they nearly double their security staff. Sauer also said that they have to bring in a lot more product for the holiday as well.
“Guinness flows pretty quickly, as do a number of brands of Irish whiskey,” he said. “We do a ton more food than we do on an average day.”
As an Irish bar, it’s expected that Dublin Square should be a popular spot on a St. Patrick’s Day.
While some students go there for a more authentic St. Patrick’s Day experience, others simply go because it’s evidently the place to be.
“I think it’s the bar that everyone goes to. I mean, I’m only going because all my friends are going,” kinesiology senior Abigail Gaulin said.
Psychology senior Eitan Delrahim said he likes Dublin Square because of the environment.
“They’re really friendly there, and they totally encapsulate the entire idea of St. Patrick’s Day and the whole Irish theme,” Delrahim said.
