Last call festivities at Tempe mainstay Rula Bula begin Wednesday

PHOENIX — Last call festivities are set to begin Wednesday at Rula Bula Irish Pub and Restaurant before the Tempe icon closes this weekend.

A series of toasts complete with bagpipers and pints of Guinness will take place Wednesday at 7 p.m., and again on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m.

The pub will close its doors for the final time at its home of more than two decades (401 S. Mill Ave.) at 2 a.m. Monday morning.

“We would love everyone to come down for our final last call and experience the ambiance of Rula Bula and share their favorite memories from the pub one more time,” Rula Bula founder Steve Goumas said in a press release.

Rula Bula and the building’s ownership couldn’t reach a deal to extend its lease after the restaurant tried to sign a lengthy extension of 30-100 years in the tradition of the Guinness’s 9,000-year lease at the St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin.

Originally planned to operate until the end of June, the conclusion of the lease, the restaurant said it had to close early in order to carefully dismantle its historic wooden bar that was built in Ireland as well as the trade dress and artifacts that were collected over decades by the owner.

Florida-based Wexford Developments, which owns multiple Mill Avenue properties, previously told KTAR News 92.3 FM it had discussions with Rula Bula over several months and had tried to work out a shorter lease before deciding to go in another direction.

A local business will be taking over the space but would likely need several months after Rula Bula closes before it’s ready to debut, Wexford Developments said.

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