PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The famous Kansas City Chiefs bar in South Philadelphia has permanently closed, just one month after the death of its longtime owner.
Paul Staico, owner of Big Charlie's Saloon on 11th and McKean streets, died suddenly on Nov. 30. He ran the bar, which had been a haven for Chiefs fans in the middle of Eagles territory, for more than 40 years.
“While this was not how we ever imagined closing our doors, we know Big Charlie’s will never be the same without Paulie, and this is the path we must take,” the company wrote in a statement posted to Facebook on Friday.
Staico’s love for the Chiefs began with a bet when he was just a kid living in Philadelphia.
“The father was placing a bet, and he asked him, ‘Pick a team who's going to win – if they win, I’ll buy you a bike,’” said Laura Sessa, manager at Big Charlie’s. “The next day, he got his red bike and he just went with the Chiefs from then.”
Staico’s dad bought Big Charlie’s in the late 1970s and passed away a few years later, in 1983. That’s when 16-year-old Staico took over and built up the corner bar into what had become known nationally as Arrowhead East.
Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Harrity was a close friend of Staico and memorialized him earlier this month at a council meeting, where he reflected on his generosity and kindness.
“It had nothing to do about the Chiefs. That was just something to watch. I was a Paul Staico fan. I was Big Charlie's fan,” he said.
The company said it will continue to find ways to honor Staico’s legacy and the community he built. “This is not goodbye — it is simply see you later.”