Jerry Aumand opened Albany’s Lionheart Pub in 1992 to bring more craft beer to New York’s capital city. “The early years were not easy,” Jerry said. “They were fun at times, but brutally painful at others. There’s such a high frequency of failure in this business, but we got a rhythm going, we made adjustments, and here we are 30 years later.”

What was once a “small local dive” located where Bombers Burrito Beer is today on Lark Street, is now a pillar of Albany nightlife on the corner of Lark and Madison Avenue. In 2019, the Lionheart expanded to include a second floor and this spring they will open a brand-new location in Albany’s blossoming warehouse district. Keep reading for more details and be sure to check them out the next time you have a chance!

What can you tell us about the upstairs expansion?

We expanded onto the second floor in 2019. It has its own bar with draft beer and the space is frequently utilized for events. Half of the upstairs is a brand-new addition and building that addition provided enough room to build an on-site brewery, where we brew three beers at a time that are only available in-house. After the expansion, there are 48 draft lines between the two floors.

What can guests expect when they visit?

My goal was to create an environment where everyone feels safe and where everyone is respected, in a fun environment. Through our pool and dart leagues, relationships have been forged that have lasted decades. People have found their wives, husbands, and best friends here! I wanted the Lionheart to be everything a neighborhood tavern should be, and I think we accomplished that.

What’s next for the Lionheart?

We hope to open our new location in the Warehouse District by St. Patrick’s Day. It’s the type of space I’ve always wanted, attached to a half-acre lawn area where we’ll be able to host volleyball, wiffle ball, KanJam and more. We redid the property inside and out. We’ll have a small kitchen serving comfort food and our hope is to bring something truly unique to Albany’s urban environment.

To learn more about the Lionheart, its new location and upcoming events, please click here.