Woodstock’s Public House restaurant closes abruptly in Old Courthouse: ‘Significant loss’

The Public House of Woodstock, located inside the historic Old Courthouse Center, closed unexpectedly last weekend.

“It was a surprise to us,” Woodstock Mayor Mike Turner said.

Turner had enjoyed Public House’s shrimp pizza March 9, according to his Facebook page.

A sign on the door of the restaurant, handwritten on a yellowish piece of paper, simply read “closed” and was placed on the doors.

Public House had been located inside the Old Courthouse since 2014, but it closed from October 2022 to September 2023 during the renovations of the city-owned former courthouse, the centerpiece of the Square that the city has invested millions of dollars in.

Public House co-owner Kathryn Loprino, who didn’t respond to messages seeking comment for this story, said last year that Public House was celebrating its 20th anniversary.

In a previous Northwest Herald interview, she said the restaurant had a “pretty established clientele.”

An automatic message saying Public House is “permanently closed” greets those who dial the number for the restaurant.

Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Brad Ball said the Public House closure is a “significant loss to the community.” Ball said Public House was a supporter of the chamber and the local community.

The restaurant also hosted this year’s Groundhog Day “Drink to World Peace,” which occurred right after Woodstock Willie called an early spring. Attendees gathered on the restaurant’s patio to toast in tribute to the film and also were able to get a “Drink to World Peace” souvenir shot glass, according to the Woodstock Groundhog Days website.

The Woodstock City Council approved a lease with Katlo Inc., the Public House company, in 2022. As part of that lease agreement, the city approved a revolving loan to compensate for the loss of business because of the construction-related closure.

According to previous Northwest Herald reporting, $39,200 of outstanding rent payments from the COVID-19 pandemic and $350,000 of compensation for the closure would have been forgiven. However, it was contingent on the business being open for another five years.

Turner confirmed the city’s assistance to Public House during the courthouse closure and said the city “will absolutely protect our interests” in the Old Courthouse.

The mayor said the city is in the early stages of talking with interested businesses in taking over the space.

“I’m optimistic that we will find a replacement restaurant for that space,” Turner said, noting that the city is doing what it “can to move quickly” in doing so.

What about people with unused Public House gift cards?

Those with Public House gift cards are not out of luck. Kim Keefe, a Woodstock real estate agent, came up with the idea of a gift card exchange to Duke’s Inferno, which opened in Woodstock in the fall, in return for Public House gift cards.

Keefe said that she went to lunch at Public House last Friday and had a gift card she didn’t use. After news of the closure spread, others shared online that they had Public House gift cards they couldn’t use.

“Dang it, I have a Public House gift card, too,” Keefe said.

Keefe bought some gift cards from Duke’s Inferno and said she “really wanted to see them succeed.”

She said she’s expecting 20 to 25 people to take her up on her offer.

“We have to support our local businesses,” Keefe said, saying of the Public House closure, “It’s a really tough situation.”