Molly Malone’s to replace Molly Malone’s

The closed Irish pub Molly Malone’s in Pleasant Ridge is to be replaced – by Molly Malone’s. The Irish pub that started in Louisville and has a location in Covington is in the process of leasing the spot on Montgomery Road.

Josh Rhodes, one of five partners in the new Molly Malone’s, and general manager of the Covington pub, said “It’s important that people understand it’s our own independent business, even though the name is the same. We’ll be doing things differently, in our own way.”

The two pubs were never connected except by the name. The Pleasant Ridge pub was originally The Dubliner, and changed its name around the same time the Covington pub opened.

The Pleasant Ridge location, which was a mechanic’s garage before it became The Dubliner in 1998, is a large building, with many rooms. The new owners plan to make physical improvements, to both open up the space and make it more cozy and warm.

“We’ll bring in lots of things that have worked well in Covington,” Rhodes said. “We’ll offer a cold Guinness, but also have fun with all the local breweries. We’ll have pub quiz, bluegrass nights, and live music, lots of Irish whisky and bourbon.”

They’ll also emphasize televised soccer, opening early for morning matches with breakfast or brunch.

The group has hired a new executive chef in Louisville who is creating new, somewhat more sophisticated menu items for all three of the pubs.

Rhodes, whose partners are four Irishmen – Paul Shanley, Donal Ryan, Taidgh O’Callahan and Brendan McCartin – has no timeline yet for opening .