Oh Cecelia's

by Mary F. Patel

A bastion of political power in Old City is closing in order to expand to bigger digs. Cecelia’s Vine Street Pub at 226 Vine St., owned in part by powerful union honcho John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, closed in June and will not reopen.

Cecelia's is named after Dougherty's wife and was used for numerous political fundraisers, the biggest for U.S. Rep. Bob Brady. Brady is also the chairman of the Democratic City Committee, for which Dougherty serves as the treasurer.

Dougherty owned Cecelia's along with the Keenan family, which owns Keenan's Irish Pub in North Wildwood, N.J.

"We had outgrown the space," said Dougherty, when asked why Cecelia's was closing. "We are considering our options and may open a Cecelia's II; it could be in Old City or down the shore," he said.

Cecelia's was popular and its clientele was considered enthusiastic.

Old City real estate mogul Dick Tucker, who owns 226 Vine as well as 54 Old City apartments, said that he had secured a lease with a widely acclaimed restaurant called Authentic Turkish Cuisine from Voorhees, N.J.

Tucker said that renovations are under way for the new restaurant, which he describes as being entirely different from Cecelia's.

"There will be a Middle Eastern motif and belly dancing," said Tucker.

He added that he was very happy about it.

"The food is wonderful," he said.

Workers at Authentic Turkish Cuisine confirmed the new location but the restaurant's owner, Ayse Apay, did not return calls by press time.

Both Tucker and Dougherty said the parting of ways was mutual.

Old City Civic Association (OCCA), a conservative and highly diligent community organization that appears regularly at the Zoning Board of Adjustment hearings, prefers Old City establishments to be restaurants rather than bars.

"OCCA is supportive of the new restaurant and the orderly transfer of the liquor license," said OCCA Development Committee Chair Rich Thom.

OCCA has been concerned about the saturation of bars in Old City and is waiting for Mayor John Street to sign the overlay bill that was introduced by First District Councilman Frank DiCicco and passed in City Council last June. The new bill would not allow any more liquor establishments to open without approval from the Zoning Board.

In the case of Cecelia's, the liquor license goes with the building and the new owner only has to apply for a transfer.

According to the Liquor Control Board (LCB), Cecelia's liquor license is under the name Doc-Keenans, Inc. Authentic Cuisine II, Inc. has applied for the Doc-Keenans license.

LCB officials reported that the transfer is still in the completion stages and that Authentic Cuisine had requested a Sunday sales license as well as the transfer of Doc-Keenans amusement and entertainment license. LCB officials also noted that one neighbor -- Ed Fischer -- filed a protest against Authentic Cuisine's transfer request, citing unspecified problems with Cecelia's, according to an LCB official who would not give her name.

Fischer would not comment.

Dougherty denied Cecelia's was a problem bar.

"[Cecelia's] had a very good relationship with the neighborhood," said Dougherty.

The political dynamic here is that Dougherty -- business manager of one of the most powerful unions in the city, Local 98, one of the mayor's best friends and a guy who has the governor's ear -- set up a bar in archenemy DiCicco's bailiwick.

DiCicco is a close ally of State Sen. Vincent Fumo. Fumo is not only a force in Harrisburg with renowned fundraising skills, but has long sparred with Dougherty ally Street. Dougherty and Fumo are not particularly friendly and Dougherty and DiCicco are even less so.

It is no secret that DiCicco and Dougherty have had a long-standing feud. When asked why he thinks they don't get along, Dougherty said he doesn't know.

Last spring, Dougherty and Local 98 supported Vernon Anastasio to run against DiCicco. DiCicco had accused Local 98 of following him around with video cameras.

Anastasio was removed from the ballot due to a challenge on his petition from a voter in the First District. Anastasio had been considering running in this November's general election as an independent candidate but has since opted out and now says he intends to run for DiCicco's seat in 2007.

What does DiCicco have to say about Cecelia's closing?

DiCicco's office said that DiCicco was on vacation and not taking any calls.

Tucker said he does not believe politics were involved in the decision for Cecelia's to leave Vine Street. "I don't believe there was any real political nonsense," said Tucker.