Mogie's Irish Pub in Lower Burrell to reopen with late owner's children at helm
Kelsie Magill plans to carry on in her late father’s footsteps.
“My goal is to live up to what he believed in — and then some,” said Magill, 22.
That includes reopening her father’s popular Lower Burrell bar and restaurant.
Magill and her brother, Connor, two of David “Mogie” Magill’s children, will reopen Mogie’s Irish Pub in the upcoming weeks.
An opening date hasn’t been set, but Kelsie Magill says she wants to have the restaurant open by the end of the month or early February.
David Magill, 64, was shot and killed Dec. 21 outside his restaurant. Those in the community recalled Magill from the restaurant and his generosity to the community, specifically supporting local police departments, civic organizations and school booster clubs.
“That truly made him happy, to help other people,” Kelsie Magill said.
The man charged with killing David Magill, Nathan Salem of Lower Burrell, is scheduled for a hearing on the charges Feb. 14.
Kelsie is Magill’s only daughter.
“Growing up, we basically did everything together,” she said. She got involved with rugby and horse riding, and graduated in May from the University of Nevada Reno.
Kelsie and Connor will be the co-owners of Mogie’s. Whenever Connor is ready to own it himself, Kelsie said, she will pursue aspirations of attending law school.
She and her brother are looking forward to the reopening. She said restaurant staff — some of whom have worked at Mogie’s since it opened in 1997 — have been very loyal and are ready to get back to work and continue her father’s mission.
The employees have been a huge help in the transition, she said. Other local small-business owners reached out to express support and offer business advice, she said.
Kelsie Magill is familiar with the restaurant business. She has been around Mogie’s all of her life and worked there as a waitress and bartender.
She thanked the community for its support of her family through a difficult time.
“Our family is so grateful for what (the community has) done for our father. It cannot be repaid,” she said.
Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.