QUINCY HALL
QUINCY HALL
“The ghost of CarPool is across the street from this fun, neighborhood hangout. ”
When Mark Handwerger and I opened CarPool in 1994, I never imagined that one day I would build another bar right across the street in the space that used to be the old Tara Thai restaurant. Fast forward three decades: a massive apartment building has replaced CarPool, I’m now collaborating with new partners, and people are still enjoying themselves every night in Ballston, Virginia, this time at Quincy Hall.
Together with my partners, Peter Bayne and Todd Galaida, I navigated the challenges of the global pandemic, which forced us to pause the construction of Quincy Hall indefinitely. We often wondered if we would ever be able to open this new bar. We believed there was a need for a great neighborhood hangout, but construction costs had skyrocketed, and we couldn't predict when, if ever, our customers would feel comfortable packing into a room together like sardines. want to pack sardine-like into a room together.
We understood that having a large patio and a spacious bar would ultimately help us overcome the social paralysis created by COVID. Now, nearly four years later, Quincy Hall has established itself as a beloved spot in Ballston, continuing to gain popularity among the thousands of residents in nearby apartments. With a fabulous staff running the show, we have high hopes for a long and fruitful Quincy Hall run. And I still get a little sentimental when I look across the street to where CarPool once stood.
