The Red Jack Saloon could easily be a bar you’d find in any neighborhood in South Boston, but it’s on the other side of the country. As the Celtics play the Warriors in their home town, take a look and see where west coast Boston fans are going to watch the game.
Boston sports fans aren't exclusive to New England. The Red Jack Saloon, a bar in San Francisco, is a home away from home for many Boston fans living on the west coast.
The Red Jack Saloon could be a bar that would fit perfectly inside any neighborhood in Charleston, Dorchester, a major reason being that one of the owners has his roots in New England.
"My father coached UMass football from 1961 to 1970," said Mark Fusia, the owner of the Red Jack Saloon since 1994. When Fusia bought the bar, he turned the bay area restaurant into a Boston beacon.
When you walk into the bar, you're immediately welcomed by walls covered in posters and photographs of Boston sports legends, and plenty of people dressed in Boston sports apparel on game nights.
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"New England sports fans are the best," said Fusia. "And they love to get together and watch the game."
The Red Jack Saloon has had many visitors from the north east over the years, including New England Patriot's owner Robert Kraft, who discovered the bar during a trip to the west coast.
"My wife's friend who doesn't know anything about New England sports - she's California bred - heard someone knocking on the door and the guy's like 'I'm the owner, I'm the owner!', and he's pointing up at the flags and she thought he was saying 'I'm the owner of the bar'. And she's like 'You're not the owner, my friend Laurie is!' So Laurie can hear it, comes running out, and Mr. Kraft is like 'What's going on?'" said Fusia when describing his wife's encounter with the iconic Patriot's owner.
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The community of New England sports fans in the bay area are the same ones who kept the small neighborhood bar open after being closed for 455 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Every time we thought we were going to go out of business, a New England team would step up," said Laurie Fusia, co-owner of the bar and wife to husband Mark. "Customers would come in and pay our bills. It's been such a blessing."
