JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four sisters have been running Culhane’s Irish Pub for the past 20 years, but what many people don’t know is that their entrepreneurial dream began 32 years ago, over 4,000 miles away in Ireland.
The dream began in 1993 when the United States was giving out the Marsden visa that would allow Irish people to come to America.
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“I was so young. I was so green. I had 10 dollars in my pocket so I just came here with a big dream. I worked a couple of jobs. I worked at a mortgage business first and waited tables at night time. It was always a dream to own our own business,” said Michelle Culhane.
Lynda, Mary Jane and Aine also came to the States.
“We just knew there was something exciting and more opportunities obviously,” said Lynda Culhane.
The four sisters are now the co-owners of Culhane’s Irish Pub on the Southside. But getting to this point wasn’t easy.
Their humble beginnings started in Ireland where their parents Catherine and Patrick, owned and operated a farm. The four sisters and their two other siblings worked alongside their parents day and night.
The sisters opened their first Culhane’s restaurant at Jacksonville Beach in 2005.
They pulled equity from their homes, life savings, and sold a family farm cow in Ireland to invest in their dream.
“We did not take a paycheck in the first year. Our mother actually sold a cow to send Aine money,” Mary Jane Culhane said.
They have survived recessions, natural disasters and COVID — still thriving 20 years later.
At first, some locals didn’t like the authentic Irish cuisine, but now, they have won several awards and even honors from famous chef Guy Fieri.
They have also gotten worldwide exposure through the Food Network.
“When you grow up with very little, there’s that ambition and it just never goes away no matter how successful you are and on top of that you have your name on the door,” Lynda Culhane.
Their sons, Patrick and Jacob are now the next generations of Culhane’s working in the family business. And they still remember to honor their mother with a special vodka bottle.
“There is a picture of her on the label,” added Lynda.
These women are juggling life, as wives, moms and business owners; trailblazing a way for anyone with a dream showing that you can start from nothing and become successful all while growing a family business.
The Culhane sisters said they also had the support of the Small Business Development Center, local mentors and family and that also contributed to their success.
The sisters will be hosting an indoor-outdoor St. Patrick’s three-day party from Saturday, March 15 through Monday, March 17.