Guelph’s Great Meeting Place

Perhaps the Wooly concept is best represented by renowned Canadian artist Charlie Pachter’s “Queen on a Moose” paintings. These pictures conveyed what would happen if a British pub was transferred to Canada. That pub would feature local foods, beverages and decor. It would be an “All-Canadian” pub featuring the best of the British pub culture. A “local” or home-base pub for its guests.

The Wooly was inspired by the Ontario micro-brewery “explosion” that occurred in the late 1980’s. The brewery industry was dominated by 3 large companies for over 40 years until the start of the craft brewery phenomenon. Teaching a course on beers at the University of Guelph Bob Desautels was keenly aware of this development. When an opportunity to open a pub in downtown Guelph emerged he decided to feature only small micro-brews on tap.

The rest is history!