The original trio of artists to perform every Saturday afternoon at the Doryman were André LeBlanc, Gélase Larade, and Donny LeBlanc. This lineup performed every single Saturday afternoon for a span of 20 years!
-by Rosie Aucoin-Grace
The Surfside Tavern, or as we know it at present, The Doryman Pub & Grill along main street Chéticamp has been a cornerstone of its community for 60 years – evoking history, loyalty, comfort, and deep local roots. Known for their exceptional reputation of consistent entertainment diversity, warm hospitality, and great cuisine. Yes, six decades of poured pints, shared stories, and memories of gatherings and good times.
As we look to the future and continue supporting and celebrating our rich local music scene, it is also important to look back at the memories which helped build The Doryman and its reputation. Originally built in 1966 by Seward Chiasson and Milton Aucoin, The Surfside Tavern had been popular amongst locals and tourists alike since day one. The original building, known as the “tavern side” is located in front of the bar and was a men’s-only watering hole, selling bottled beer, draught beer, and bottled wine only. Although it is very hard to believe that only men were allowed in the bar, that is what was common in that era of time. Women were not permitted in the establishment until 1970, when the new owner Eddie (à Milton) Aucoin, decided to double the building’s size and rebrand as the Doryman Beverage Room. The new side of the building, known as the “lounge side” (which is adjacent to the Cabot Trail Road) is where most of the tables still are today and it is also this side of the building that holds the famous Doryman stage. However, the stage was not always located in the same corner. Believe it or not, pre-1980, the stage was comprised of two pool tables with a sheet of plywood on top, and bands (such as Doryman regulars – The Phantoms) would use this set up as a stage.
In 1977, the Doryman Beverage Room was sold to an accountant from Dartmouth, N.S. named James McCarthy. McCarthy also owned The North End Bar in Halifax. He hired local managers to keep it going. They were: Rhéal Doucet, Arthur LeBlanc, John Joe LeBlanc, and Chester LeLièvre. It was under his ownership that our famous Saturday Afternoon Fiddle Matinée officially began. (It is worth noting however, that previous owner Eddie Aucoin, would hire fiddlers once in a while for a “one-off” gig in the busy summer months in the prior years.) The original trio of artists who performed every Saturday afternoon were Donny LeBlanc, André LeBlanc, and Gélase Larade. This lineup performed every single Saturday afternoon from 1977 until 1997.
By 1986, the year after their former Acadian Lounge burnt down to the ground, local brothers Wilburt and Ron Aucoin bought the Doryman from McCarthy. In the late 1990s, there was more competition in the Chéticamp bar scene than ever before and in order to compete, different lineups of fiddlers were brought in on Saturdays to draw more customers. The original trio, however, still continued to perform on a regular basis, and they still occasionally take the Doryman stage to this day.
1992 was another landmark year for the Doryman as the sale of hard liquor was introduced in June of that year. Patrons could now purchase beer, draught, wine by the bottle or glass, spirits, coolers, and food – because in order to sell hard liquor, the Doryman had to offer a food options. The menu might have been basic, with steaks, wings, scallops, clams, chicken fingers, burgers and fries, but people still talk about it to this day. Another important event that occurred in 1992 was the birth of the famous Thursday Night Talent Night. This event began one week before the introduction of the hard liquor license at the Doryman and featured longtime host Gerry Romard as the showrunner. The premise of the show was that the house band would play some songs, and then they would bring up talent from the crowd to perform. The hosting lineup has changed over the years, but Talent Night still happens every Thursday from May to October and draws crowds and talent from all walks of life.
In November 2006, the Doryman was sold to New Waterford siblings with Chéticamp roots, Gerard, Claude, and Denise LeFort. Under their ownership, this business continued to prosper and attract artists and customers from all over the world. During their tenure, the LeForts expanded the Doryman once again by adding a full kitchen area, relocating the washrooms and adding a basement for storage.
On Christmas Eve 2010, the Doryman was sold to Claude Bourgeois and Christina Roberts. It was during their ownership that the Doryman Beverage Room was rebranded as the Doryman Pub & Grill and underwent some much-needed renovations such as new windows, siding, roof, carpet, entry doors, and kitchen equipment. It was also during their tenure that popular events such as Wing Night and Chase The Ace were introduced and world-renowned performers such as Ron Hynes, Georgette Jones, and Brakin’ Tradition. Many popular Acadian country artists from New Brunswick were also frequent performers during this period.
Claude and Christina carried the Doryman torch until it was purchased by local entrepreneur, Marc Neary, in June 2020. Although purchasing a bar during a pandemic might seem like an unlikely task to some, Neary knew that if he could capitalize on the Doryman’s reputation and find a way to elevate it even more, everything would work out. Since taking over, the current ownership has introduced the very successful Sunday brunch, a Steak and Ale night on Wednesdays, and a brand new live music series with no cover charge on Friday evenings during Wing Night. This business was locked down twice due to Covid-19 restrictions since Neary took over but the downtime provided the chance to do some more major renovations such as two new restrooms, a new sit-down bar, new tables and bar stools, a renovated backbar, and a new walk-in freezer, among others.
Over the years, many fine fiddlers and remarkable bands have graced the stage in this generational establishment. It is great to see some of the changes in the Doryman and how historical information was incorporated in the new décor, including the late Gerry Romard’s guitar and a plaque in his honour, old memorial photos and tidbits of good times at the Doryman, and the once lost mural painting, a scene of the Cabot Trail painted by local artist J.T. Harris. Thanks to Richard Chiasson, it found its way back to its original home. There is even a corner of the bar dedicated to the longest running and most popular local band – Les Phantoms – who played regularly at the Doryman.
Although Neary has breathed new life into the Doryman Pub & Grill, he never loses sight of the deep historical attachment to this tavern. The Doryman established itself early on as the place for local musicians in Cape Breton. Supporting the growth and exposure of local talent was an important role for the pub, which in turn was supported by the community – both the local Cape Breton community and the much larger music community. Its story spans for 60 years and shows no signs of slowing down. One thing remains the same – The Doryman Pub & Grill is a place to gather among friends, to take in some awesome music, have a great meal and to enjoy some good times. It is a special place and its unique history and connection with the community and visitors resonates with many of us – memories to cherish forever!
During this significant year, there were rounds of events to celebrate 60 years of tradition! Since 1966, The Doryman has been home to the best friends a place could ask for. So many have migrated elsewhere but cannot wait until their next visit home which includes The Doryman. From the first notes of a Saturday fiddle set to the last story told at the bar, this place has gathered a community that feels like family – this year was the time to celebrate that legacy together. There were special guest bands, just to name a few, featuring Lennie Gallant, Scott & Gerald Delhunty, Signal Hill, The Barra MacNeils, Richard Wood, Hal Bruce, our friends from the Magdalen Islands, Robert Bouchard, Third Harmony, Jimmy Rankin, countless amazing fiddlers, very talented local bands and the list goes on. It has been a year of reminiscing, digging out old photos, stories and collecting testimonials about fun times spent at the Doryman! Do you have anything to share with us?
Speaking with Marc Neary, owner of the Doryman Pub & Grill, he expressed, “As we continue to celebrate our 60th year in business, we will be hosting our official celebration, the Doryman’s 60th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, October 3rd. This event will be “an evening of celebration, friendship, stories, and unforgettable music” and will be hosted by Louis Arsenault. The gala will feature six musical segments: Robert Bouchard with full band, Tribute to Gerry Romard (ft. Chester Delaney, Nicole Deveau and Michelle Deveau), The Phantoms Celebration (featuring many alumni of The Phantoms band), The Original Trio (the trio that started it all back in 1977: Donny LeBlanc, André LeBlanc and Gélase Larade), Tribute to Marc Boudreau (ft. Howie MacDonald, Shelly Campbell, Andrea Beaton and Hilda Chiasson) and Risin’ Tide will pay tribute to the ‘Songs of the Doryman.’ The event promises to be a great evening of music that will pay tribute to acts that have meant so much to the Doryman’s story over the years all while continuing to showcase some talent that will carry on the legacy for the years to come. We invite everyone to stay tuned to our Facebook page for further information. We cannot thank our customers enough for all their support over the past 60 years. The Doryman belongs to you, and we will continue to work hard at bringing you the best entertainment we can all while preserving the traditions that got us to this special milestone.”
(For more information, you may check out Doryman Pub & Grill Facebook page, their website: www.doryman.ca or call 902-224-9909. We continue to invite people to share their photos and stories.