The Barker Tavern, the second oldest operating tavern in the country, has been sold.
Mark Richard of Corbett Restaurant Group sold the three-acre waterfront property in Scituate to California-based company Wedgewood Weddings for $2.5M today.
Built in 1634 from timber remains from shipwrecks, The Barker Tavern is the second oldest operating tavern in the country.
In the mid-1880s, The Barker Tavern served as a safe house for slaves. Underneath the original home was a tunnel to the ocean (about 1/8th of a mile), where slaves were kept and transported to Canada.
When purchased in the 1980s, the owners had to put in a sprinkler system and found four gun turrets used to defend the property during the war in the 1700s.
Filled with decades of special memories from weddings held at the tavern and a rich history, the new owners plan to preserve the tavern’s integrity and take advantage of the stunning oceanfront location.
They plan to expand outdoor wedding opportunities by installing a deck outside the Williams Room to allow guests to host cocktail hours and wedding receptions. The company has 55 other event venues across the country.
The Barker Tavern plans to reopen under new ownership as a wedding and special events venue on April 1st called The Barker House.
Pictured from left to right: George Jordan & Becky Jordan of The Barker Tavern and Mark Richard of Corbett Restaurant Group.
At the closing, the original Barker Tavern bill of sale from 1651 resurfaced, showing it sold for 375£.
The sale is Mark’s third waterfront restaurant sale in the past year on the South Shore. His other transactions include the Clam Box (now Baja Box) in Quincy and Lucky Dawg Tavern (now: Towne Tavern & Treehouse) in Pembroke.
Corbett Restaurant Group, a division of Corbett Brands, Boston’s leading commercial real estate firm, specializes in selling and leasing restaurants and other hospitality venues.
Search all of Corbett Restaurant Group’s restaurants for sale here.
