Meet Gareth Croke and Matt Croke.
Gareth and Matt are one set of the two sets of brothers behind DC’s Boundary Stone, a fun pub known for bringing locals together for good drinks and good times. Colin and Peter McDonough, the other set of owners, weren’t available, but FamousDC had the opportunity to learn about this worthwhile hot spot from the Croke brothers. Read on for more about what the Boundary Stone has to offer patrons.
Written by FamousDC contributor Brittany Horowitz.
1. How did Boundary Stone get started?
Gareth Croke: Opening a pub has been a family conversation for almost 20 years. My brother, my dad and I have always “known” this place would come together at some stage. Colin and I have been friends for 10 years and been planning a venture together for that long. Matt and I bought a house together in Bloomingdale about 8 years ago and fell in love with the neighborhood. I moved away to North Carolina for a little while and Colin was in Lake Tahoe. Matt orchestrated both of us moving back to DC and Colin and I got busy working on the business plan. We knew that Bloomingdale was the neighborhood we wanted to open in, so once we found the location we moved on it. The rest is history…
Matt Croke: It had always been a family dream to open up a pub, it was Gareth and Colin’s ambitions and business sense that made that dream become a reality. That and a bunch of beer!
2. For anyone who has never been, what kind of environment can patrons expect?
GC: Warm, welcoming and fun. Expect great food and a great vibe. We have a large “regular” clientele. There is a lot of pride in the neighborhood in Bloomingdale and folks are happy to come to their local pub and chill. Thankfully, we have a good crowd both during the week and on the weekends.
MC: We are very much a neighborhood bar that welcomes everybody. We have a great group of regulars from the neighborhood with a good flow of newcomers just coming to check out the place. We have a great jukebox so that the crowd can somewhat control the vibe.
3. For newcomers, what are the menu must haves?
GC: Our Honey Hot Wings have won some accolades: Washingtonian Wing Wars winner and runner up in the City Paper’s Best of 2011. The burgers are also amazing – Chef Vince Campaniello’s specials are always delicious. All of our meats are all natural, free range and Vince does everything from scratch. All of the sauces down to the ketchup are made in house, the burgers are ground in house, etc. We feel that really makes a difference. If you ever want to see what we currently have for whiskey, you can check our website. We have our regular whiskey menu and update our “Chalkboard Whiskeys” regularly.
MC: If you are searching for a whiskey to try I would definitely suggest Catoctin Creeks Roundstone Rye. It is made locally in Purcellville Virginia, and they do a great job. It goes perfectly next to any DC Brau that we have.
4. Tell me about your involvement with Movember?
GC: We love getting involved with charities, especially ones that support cancer research. This is our second year working with Movember and we have a lot of fun with it.
MC: We got involved because we feel it is a great cause and a fun way to raise money and awareness for men’s health. We are all growing “Mos” to raise money for the cause, and we also have special Movember Boundary Stone shirts for sale, with all proceeds being donated. We will also be donating 50 cents from every DC Brau Corruption sold during the month. Last year we raised over $15,000, and hopefully can beat that this year.
5. President Obama wants to kick it for the day, what do you guys do?
GC: Depending on the sports season… Ideally, watch a Phillies – White Sox game while drinking some DC Brau and sipping on some Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye. That would be awesome!
MC: Start with some whiskey then move on to the beers, then probably back to the whiskey!