Blarney Stone Irish Pub customers of West Fargo love its three glass bifold designer doors

If you want to stop in for a great meal, enjoy authentic Irish atmosphere, and choose from a selection of 36 draft Irish and English beer selections you don't have to go all the way to Ireland to do so. You'll find this all at the Blarney Stone Irish Pub in West Fargo, N.D.

This isn't one of those places that puts up a couple Irish flags and call themselves an Irish pub. As one customer mentioned: "This is about as Irish Pub as you're going to get here in Fargo-Moorhead; and it fits the bill pretty well. Their atmosphere is much more Irish than other "pubs" in the area. Brick walls, high back booths, and actual Irish music playing."

Friendly staff will greet you in numerous spacious rooms of your choosing. Each room is laid out differently, though evoking the same dark wood Irish style, each showcasing a different type of dining purpose: large parties, bar style, casual lunch.

Creators of the Blarney Stone Irish Pub expanded the success of their Bismarck location last year with a parcel of land and new building at 1910 9th St. East in West Fargo. The front of the brick pub building has a 'Turn of the Century' look.

It features a Stone Courtyard Bar area that seats 70 people with three 19'4" x 7'11" bifold glass doors that can be opened in nice weather, rain or shine. Connected to the Courtyard is a patio area that seats another 60 people. The Mezzanine Level on the main side of the building, just a short step up, has seating for 20 people and offers a grand view of the entire main bar. The Grandroom features a quieter and cozy athmosphere including a fireplace to take the chill away. For private events, the Blarney Stone also offers a Boardroom that can be reserved in advance. Total seating is just under 300.

Customers can breathe in the fresh West Fargo air when any or all of the three Schweiss bifold designer doors are opened. The bifold doors with black liftstraps are equipped with electric photo eye sensors and top drive electric motors.

Their very large menu includes pub specialties such as Guinness Irish Stew, Bangers & Mash, Shepherds Pie, Corned Beef & Creamed Cabbage, Fibber Flanagan's Fish & Chips, Black & Tan Sirloin and much more. You can start your meal with a selection of 16 varied appetizers, sides, soups and salads and end it with Irish sweets like Chocolate Irish Cream Cake or their acclaimed Jameson Irish Bread Pudding.

"We're not the only Irish Pub around, but we're the best one, I'd say we are the most authentic because our food is authentic Irish food. The bangers that we use are authentic Irish sausages where others use a brat or kielbasa sausage instead," noted part owner and Director of Operations, Russ Wanner.

"Business is on the rise. West Fargo is growing like crazy. Everyone's anticipating a new hospital opening, there are so many apartment places going up in the area, it's crazy," said Wanner.

Speaking of community, the Blarney Stone does what it can to help out.

"We do some benefits for charitable organizations for the entire day where we will donate 10 percent of our food sales to that organization. In addition to St. Paddy's Day, which is our big day of the year we decorate for Halloween, Christmas and other holidays as well," explained Wanner.

How do the Schweiss bifold liftstrap doors fit into the equation?

"The bifold doors are absolutely fantastic," expressed Wanner. "They are easy to put up and down. They are big enough so you have a nice view. Even when they are down, the glass panes are big enough so you have a nice feeling within the room; you're not feeling claustrophobic at all. They are very, very sturdy doors. The customers love them. In the summertime it's absolutely magnetic. Everyone wants to sit out there. It's the first area that fills up and the last area
that empties for sure."

Wanner said they open the doors nearly every day in the Spring, Summer and Fall. "Another nice benefit, as opposed to a garage style door is the way they open outward providing an awning. When it rains outside, it doesn't rain in the building. There's no better smell than when it's raining outside. The rain hitting the ground creates a nice atmosphere."

When discussion was made on what type of doors to put on the building Wanner said they wanted to go a step above their Bismarck Irish Pub - they wanted their customers to feel like they were sitting outside. Wanner said they first considered sliding or accordion style doors. When he made the comment "What about a hangar style door?" - They pursued that question with Ryan Fleming at Gast Construction in Fargo, whose company was general contractor of building the new Blarney Stone Pub. Fleming contacted Schweiss Doors to put in an order. Schweiss Doors installed the three doors and glazing was done by Red River Glazing, Inc. of Fargo. The building architect was RHR Architects of Fargo.

"We were researching doors that would work for that location," said Fleming. "We looked at the Schweiss Doors website and came up with the idea of a bifold door after noticing there were some similar glass door projects posted there."

Here's a bit of history lesson for you. The actual "Blarney Stone," named after Lord Blarney, is thought to originate from the "Stone of Scone" which belonged to Scotland. In Scotland, the ceremony of crowning a king was held over the stone due to the fact that it was thought to have magical powers. The Stone was installed at Blarney Castle in Ireland around 1314 where it became known as the Blarney Stone. The Blarney Castle stands in an Irish town called Blarney, just five miles northwest of Cork City.

In each one of us lies the "Gift of Blarney" and it only needs to be awakened. So sit back, enjoy a few pints, and speak a little "Blarney" amongst friends and when the weather is nice, enjoy the West Fargo breeze when the Schweiss bifold doors are open wide, rain or shine.

The Blarney Stone Pub

The Blarney Stone Pub is located at 1910 9th Street East in West Fargo, ND, (701)532-1500. Their Bismarck location is at 408 E. Main Avenue, (701)751-7512. Their West Fargo and Bismarck extensive menu and pub photos are featured on their website at: www.blarneyirishpub.com. Open hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Gast Construction

In 1942, Herb Gast laid the foundation for a general contracting and crane service company. Gast Construction was founded in Wahpeton, ND with a focus on residential homes. Over the past 70 years, Gast has grown to a full spectrum design - build contractor with a broad range of specialties. Gast's Crane Service was added to the business in 1977.

In nearly every community in Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota commercial and industrial sites, office buildings, and residences have been constructed through the efforts of Gast Construction Company employees. With offices in Wahpeton and Fargo, North Dakota, Gast is committed to customer service based on trust, service, and successful project completion in the Red River Valley and Minnesota's Lake Region.

Now as a fourth generation family business Gast has perfected the disciplines of design, engineering, project management and construction. Much of Gast's success is founded upon its longtime employees and repeat customers. Commercial and Industrial Buildings and Pre-Engineered Metal Building Systems are their specialties. The work they typically self-perform includes: selective demolition, structural steel, miscellaneous metal, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, and the installation of specialty items. Gast Construction is a "green building" contractor and has completed several LEED certified projects.

Gast Construction can be contacted at 3410 39th Street South in Fargo, ND or at their Wahpeton, ND office by calling 701-642-6317. For more information, visit their website at: www.gast-construction.com

The Blarney Stone Pub

RHR Architects is a full-service architectural firm located in Fargo and Valley City, North Dakota.

They have gained a solid reputation through serving the Upper Midwest for over 30 years. Accomplished this through listening attentively to their clients and building steady relationships based on trust.

Their field of expertise includes predesign, design, construction administration, post construction and other services of consulting engineers, graphics and signage, presentation material, building renderings and models and cost estimating.

One of RHRA's core strengths is its project diversity, both in type and scale. Throughout the firm's history they have developed a broad portfolio ranging from small remodel and repair work to large-scale new construction.

By collaborating closely with those they serve, they've earned a reputation of developing practical, creative projects that respect budgets and schedules as well as the environment. This client-focused approach has resulted in a majority of their clients rewarding them with the highest compliment: repeat business.

Throughout our years of operation and growth, RHRA has successfully upheld its commitment to providing the service and responsiveness of a small company while offering the resources of a larger firm.