Donnelly Group's Damon Holowchak pulls out Patriots jersey as company prepares for Super Bowl parties

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      While many Vancouverites consider themselves to be mild or extreme fans of the Seattle Seahawks, Damon Holowchak will don the rival New England Patriots' uniform for Super Bowl XLIX.

      That's because the director of marketing for the Donnelly Group has been a fan of the Patriots since childhood.

      "My dad wears a [Tom] Brady jersey, I have a [Rob] Gronkowski jersey," Holowchak told the Straight by phone.

      Holowchak also has a Tedy Bruschi jersey—he's a former Patriots linebacker who retired in 2008. 

      "I have different jerseys for each quarter as well," Holowchak quipped. "I'm very superstitious. I have three hats I wear."

      His dad even has a Patriots logo tattooed on his shoulder.

      "He was drafted by the Bruins in the '60s," Holowchak said. "I think that's there the love affair with that part of the world started. For me, that was my team growing up."

      He readily admitted that most of the patrons in Donnelly Group bars will be cheering for the Seahawks on Sunday (February 1).

      He said that Seattle is a very good team and they're going to be difficult to beat in the Super Bowl.

      But he also confessed to being worried when it looked like the Seahawks were going to lose the National Football Conference final to the Green Bay Packers on January 18.

      "I couldn't have been more stressed out because a Green Bay–New England Patriots Super Bowl in Vancouver pales in comparison to the reaction and the excitement over a Seattle Seahawks–New England Patriots football game," he said.

      The Seahawks' stunning fourth-quarter comeback is exceptionally good news for the Donnelly Group's establishments.

      Holowchak said he probably doesn't have to work quite as hard to fill the rooms as he would have had the Packers made it to the NFL championship game.

      "We're not sports bars, but we have a fantastic sports culture at all of our pubs," he said. "We're pretty darn good at throwing Super Bowl parties." 

      He said that each establishment will be doing its own promotions and giving away prizes. (The Donnelly Group has 17 locations around Vancouver.)

      At the Bimini Public House (2010 West 4th Avenue), patrons can expect a do-it-yourself Caesar bar with more than 40 ingredients.

      "You pick up what type of Clamato you want, what type of vodka, your garnish," Holowchak explained, adding that last year customers could put a cool ranch dorito sauce around the rim if they wanted.

      The company's largest bars at the Blackbird Public House & Oyster Bar (905 Dunsmuir Street) and Library Square Public House (300 West Georgia Street), both of which attract large numbers of fans for major sporting events.

      Blackbird has a Monday night football club and, according to Holowchak, Library Square is the "de facto home of the Seahawks" in Vancouver.

      Another popular destination for the game is Cinema Public House (901 Granville Street).

      "It's my favourite sports-watching venue in our company," Holowchak said. 

      He noted that that even though kickoff time is around 3:30, he expects the bars will be hopping much earlier than that.

      "Reservations are highly, highly recommended," he advised. "If you don't have a reservation, then get there early and they'll find a seat for you somewhere."

      Comments

      1 Comments

      Wozijceki

      Jan 31, 2015 at 9:37pm

      What are they going to do to celebrate? Short pour their customers in the honor of the Boston PatriotsTM motto of "If you're not cheating, you're not trying"