On Aug. 20, Maureen & Charles Sullivan celebrated their 50th Anniversary of dining at the Golden Steer Restaurant in Forest Park. Fifty years ago, by sheer accident, Charles & Maureen dined at “The Steer” for the first time, without knowing the full story about this famous restaurant and how this building would have a major impact on both their lives.
Neither at the time knew that in 1933, Charles’ grandfather, Abe Hopkins, had the building built that is now the home of the Golden Steer. In 1934, Abe opened his Irish West Side Restaurant. His family lived above the restaurant and in the late 1930s a young teacher/coach at Austin High School (Charles F. Sullivan) came to work at the restaurant as a part-time bartender. There, Charles met Abe’s daughter Margaret and the two of them got engaged and got married and held their wedding reception right there in the building that is now the Golden Steer.
It was five years after first discovering the Golden Steer back in 1977 that the young married couple learned the “secret” about their now favorite restaurant. In 1977, Chuck & Maureen learned for the first time about the special “bond” this restaurant had and how as Abe’s last grandson, Chuck has continually come every year to celebrate his family’s special connection to Chef Charlie & Gus and the entire Golden Steer staff.
On this the 50th Anniversary of Chuck & Maureen’s first coming to Golden Steer, they invited six of their very close friends and their son to join them for the celebration.
The Golden Steer has always been considered “home” to the Sullivan Family and as Chef Charlie told the Sullivans on this special day, “Welcome back to the Golden Steer, your home.”
In the photo is Chuck & Maureen Sullivan, their son and their six friends who joined them at this celebration along with Chef Charlie, owner of Golden Steer. Chef Charlie and his ownership partner, Gus, as well as Karen, made this special evening “a dream come true” for the Sullivan’s.
Charles Sullivan
