The Bull and Finch Pub was founded in 1969 by Thomas Kershaw and a partner. The two owned a building in Beacon Hill, Hampshire House, and wanted to find a use for the basement which at the time was inefficiently used as just storage. They tried to model the Bull & Finch on English
pubs, complete with accoutrements imported from England. One story behind its name is that it is a reference to the architect
Charles Bulfinch, who designed the
Massachusetts State House among other buildings. The upstairs of Hampshire House at the time was a private club called Quaffer's. In 1982
Boston magazine awarded the Bull & Finch the title of Boston's best bar. The episode of
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that aired after the finale took place live at the party outside the bar, with many celebrities including sportscaster
Bob Costas present.
Jay Leno interviewed those in the bar and played games with the
Cheers cast, and at the end of the show the
Cheers theme was played outside. At some point, the bar expanded upward into Hampshire House, with a replica of the California set used for people expecting the version from television. In 2002, the bar was renamed to "Cheers Beacon Hill" as part of a new deal with
CBS Studios, the successors to show producers
Paramount Television, along with increasing the amount of
Cheers merchandise sold. On March 10, 2009, the
Boston Globe reported that longtime Cheers bartender Eddie Doyle, with a 35-year tenure that predated the sitcom
Cheers, had been laid off. Owner Tom Kershaw cited the
recession as the reason for the decision. The block on which Cheers resides has been renamed Eddie Doyle Square in his honor. ==Owner==