Katy O’Ferrell’s celebrating 10th anniversary, carrying on family legacy

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – “Ten years have gone by fast.” 

Katy O’Ferrell’s opened on March 15, 2014, and is named after owner Christopher Dirnberger’s great grandmother, Florence Kathryn Ferrell. 

“To help carry on that family tradition, it does mean a lot to me,” Dirnberger said.

But Dirnberger said carrying on that family legacy comes with some pressure, but that pressure only pushes him and the others at Katy O’s to “do a good job and try to create a quality product that everyone can be happy with.” 

And one tradition that has not wavered over the last 10 years is that of signing a dollar bill and putting it on the wall…or anywhere else in the pub, which started with Katy O’Ferrell herself.  

“When she first heard of the idea of an Irish pub, she said, I’m going to take this dollar bill, which was actually a silver certificate, and I’m going to put it on the wall. Anyone who wants to invest in the pub can do it with me,” Dirnberger said.

One of those dollar bills belongs to Meechie Willis, who started working at the pub when it opened and returned about a year and a half ago. 

He said “owning” a piece of the pub is a cool feeling for him and the thousands of others whose dollar bills cover the pub from head to toe. 

“Everyone’s like, ‘I got my memorabilia in there,’ and you come back 10 years later, you come back 20 years later, and you’re like, ‘my dollar is right there,’ and they’re like, ‘what,’ and you’re like, ‘right there,’” he said. “That’s what we hope to have. Hopefully we have them all over the ceiling in another 10 years.” 

To celebrate its 10th anniversary and St. Patrick’s Day, the pub will be hosting a block party on Saturday and Sunday beginning at noon each day.