O’Shucks Restaurant Group, which has run a bar next to No Name Saloon on Park City’s Main Street for decades, has a new location.
At the intersection of Park Avenue and Heber Avenue, The White House is a short walk from the Town Lift and features a large patio with views of the nearby mountainside.
O’Shucks owner Bruce Corrigan said his team has been eyeing the property for years.
“We were just excited when we saw that outdoor space. Everyone wants to be outdoors in a ski town, and that’s the biggest patio around from what I can see,” Corrigan said. “Park City Mountain used to have a place called ‘Steeps,’ and when you got off the mountain there was always music. Well, our location isn’t on the mountain but it’s pretty darn close. And we’re planning on having après ski out on the patio all winter right after we get off the slopes.”
Along with an après experience, Corrigan said the 7 a.m. opening time for breakfast is designed for those eager to get on the lift.
“If you’re going to the mountain, if you aren’t up there by eight o’clock, you’re certainly not getting first chair,” he said. “We’ve always said O’Shucks was built by skiers for skiers. And we tend to be on that mountain pretty early.”
What is now The White House started as a boarding house during Park City’s mining era. It was converted into a ski shop in 1964, shortly after Treasure Mountain ski resort opened.
In this century, the building has been used during the Sundance Film Festival, and has been home to several restaurants like the Church Public House.
Corrigan said the interior of the bar pays tribute to Park City’s sports legacy.
“The atmosphere inside is sort of a tribute to the ski history of this town,” Corrigan said. “We’ve got some wonderful racing stack skis that I’ve collected over the years. A lot of athlete bios, we’ve got a Jeremy Nobis corner with a pair of skis and a little bit about him. Upstairs you’re going to find a wonderful ballroom… big stage, it’s going to be a wonderful area for music and also for weddings and special events.”
The upstairs will also feature a 12-seat sushi bar. With a full liquor license and a closing time of 1 a.m., Corrigan said he hopes to add to the nightlife scene in Old Town.
“Over the years, we’ve watched the decline of the bars and nightclubs on Main Street,” Corrigan said. “There just aren’t near as many as there once were. I definitely see a need, especially during the peak seasons - winter and summer - every club in town is full. And you better get there early if you want a barstool. So we saw the need.”
He added that The White House prices are on the “low end” compared to other businesses in Old Town.
The owner said he’s confident about staffing. Some workers at O’Shucks locations in Pinebrook and downtown Salt Lake City are being transferred to work at the new Old Town location.
Designated legally as a bar, The White House is only for people 21 and older.
