Time Tested

Success at Fitzwilly’s Comes from a Carefully Crafted Atmosphere

When Roger Kirwood purchased Mike’s Tavern in 1974, the seedy bar near the railroad tracks was going out of business.
“It was an awful place,” he said. “And there was nothing happening in Northampton at the time. But I always had a burning desire to own a casual restaurant, and the city had caught my eye.”
Today, the eatery he named Fitzwilly’s (after the 1967 movie starring Dick Van Dyke) has not only stood the test of time, but has become a destination in its own right that continues to draw patrons of all ages who appreciate the comfortable, eclectic atmosphere, the good but inexpensive food, and the jovial staff. Many have worked there for more than 30 years and carried on the tone set by Kirwood, who was nicknamed ‘Captain Fun’ by his employees.
The pub-style décor that has charmed patrons for decades was carefully staged. Kirwood visited antique shops and purchased items he believed would become conversation pieces, along with a number of enormous, shining brass planters. He kept the tavern’s original bar, exposed the brick walls, and established a uniform for waitresses that consisted of form-fitting Danskin tops and full-length wraparound skirts.
He also had art pieces made for his restaurant, including a funky submarine emblazoned as the ‘U.S.S. Fitzwilly’ that hangs from the ceiling and was once a gas tank in an old airplane.
“He had a great eye for those sorts of things and a real talent for decorating,” said Fred Gohr, who was hired by Kirwood in 1978 to run the kitchen and today owns Fitzwilly’s with three partners.
But Kirwood takes no credit, and said the funky atmosphere wasn’t an original idea. “T.G.I. Friday’s was just starting up in New York City, and it was an overwhelming success. So I copied everything they did,” he explained. “I put junk and interesting stuff on the walls, created an inexpensive menu, and hired a neat staff. And the place was a raging success from the time it opened. There was nothing like it in town. It was jammed, and everyone in it was laughing all the time.”
Staff members were happy because they were making money, the patrons loved the silly names and odd combinations of foods on the menu, and the fun-filled, friendly ambiance proved to be contagious.
Kirwood said word of mouth spread quickly, and he soon had patrons driving from as far away as New Haven. Many skiers stopped on their way to the northern states, and the college crowd and their parents also loved the establishment. In fact, Fitzwilly’s brought a new crowd of people to Northampton, which encouraged other young entrepreneurs to open clothing stores and boutiques.
“Many people credit Fitzwilly’s and Roger Kirwood with the beginning of the turnaround in downtown Northampton,” Gohr said. “Fitzwilly’s was opened as an exercise in comfort and informality that, coupled with good food and drink, would make a lot of people happy. It worked, and continues to make people happy today.”

Learning Curve
Kirwood may have gotten the idea for the décor from the T.G.I. Friday chain, but his belief system played a major role in the mood of his new restaurant.
“When I bought the place, I had the idea that no one liked to go out and eat formally. It’s expensive, and you’d better know which fork to use, which impinges on the comfort zone,” he said. “I wanted to create a place that had no rules — just quality, good food, and personality. And everyone I hired was very friendly.”
Fitzwilly’s was not his first venture in the restaurant business. In 1967, at age 25, the former insurance salesman bought a building on Memorial Drive in West Springfield and created a restaurant that he named the Red Gertrude. “At the time, the Red Garter was a popular chain across the country, and I had a banjo fascination,” he said.
His budget was very limited, so he created tables from sawhorses and sheets of plywood and promoted the banjo music. The concept worked well for a while, but when Gertrude’s popularity began to wane, he changed the name to Sweet Charity’s and hired a different rock ‘n’ roll band each week. “But eventually that bombed,” he said.
His next venture was Fitzwilly’s, and he did his best to ensure that customers received outstanding service. There were also special trademarks, such as napkins sewn from kettlecloth that became so popular that patrons took them when they left to use as headbands or scarves.
Kirwood also relied on colorful and unusual marketing, such a full page newspaper ad he ran with just one word — “Delicious” — on the entire page, and included nothing else but his logo in small print at the bottom.
The rules for staff were simple — all of the brass railings had to be shined every morning, and anyone who answered the phone had to identify themselves by name. “The real charm came from the people I hired,” he said, adding that bartender Jeff Spooner was among them and still has a very strong following.
As time went on, Kirwood opened other Fitzwilly’s sites in a New Haven firehouse and in Bridgeport and Danbury, Conn. He also purchased the entire building the Northampton eatery was housed in and expanded the establishment, adding two more dining areas, a second bar, and a loft.

Attention to Detail
When Gohr took over, he changed little about Fitzwilly’s, although he continued to scour antique shops for unusual pieces. “Art is important in this town. We are proud to say that Northampton was voted the best small arts town in America a few years back,” he said.
“It’s also like a family here. We have customers we see many, many times each week. We don’t try to pretend to be a fancy, upscale restaurant. But people can be assured that, when they come here, they will get excellent food, quality and service. “
The back bar has been nicknamed ‘Spooner’s Bar,’ due to the beloved barkeep, who has developed a large following on Friday and Saturday nights. “This has really become a local gathering place,” Gohr said, adding that patrons start out as college students, get married, bring their families there, and also use the restaurant for business lunches.
“We are one of the few places in town that serves lunch with table service where people can get waited on,” Gohr said. “But lunch has always been one of our fortes. The majority of our lunch patrons are here on business.”
Gohr has watched Northampton change since he began his career there decades ago. “I remember when Fitzwilly’s was very busy in the late ’70s. At that time, Northampton didn’t have the shops and art scene it has today,” he said. “We relied on the locals and college students and staff, and although they are still a large part of our clientele, folks from out of town have become a big part of our customer base today.”
Although the number of excellent restaurants in Northampton has grown and the scene has changed dramatically, it hasn’t affected Fitzwilly’s.
“We do a lot to make sure we maintain consistent service,” said Gohr. “And I can’t say enough about how the longevity and success of this restaurant has been fueled by the staff.”
People have their favorite nooks, but a focus that has been maintained is the ample space between tables, designed to afford diners a good deal of privacy.
“It’s another reason we are successful,” Gohr said. “We could probably squeeze in at least another 40 seats, but it would take away from the comfort of the dining experience. And we understand and respect the fact that business folks need privacy.”
The most popular spot is the loft, which holds two tables. It’s known as ‘the roost,’ and it’s regarded as the best seat in the house, giving patrons a birds-eye view of the entire restaurant. But no matter where people sit, the experience is the same. “It’s fun here,” Gohr said.

Bottom Line
The atmosphere in the building originally built as a Masonic temple remains informal, and the chairs at Fitzwilly’s still don’t match. But generations of people have found a home there and have formed relationships with its longstanding employees.
“There really is something on the menu for every occasion,” said Gohr. “You can have a beer and share an appetizer or sit at a table and have a great filet mignon or the finest seafood available; we also have burgers and reubens and serve food until midnight. Folks know that, when other restaurants are closed, you can still get a bite at Fitzwilly’s.”
In short, it has never lost its style. “It’s the kind of place that is just a lot of fun,” Kirwood said. “It has stayed consistent since I opened it years ago. And that’s the whole story.”