PALMER TWP. — Fat Jacks’ is for sale.
The Easton-area tavern at 2722 Freemansburg Ave. was one of the area’s first sports bars, and has been a popular hangout for decades for softball teams, families and singles.
- Fat Jacks' started in April 1991 in Palmer Township
- It was formerly Mammy Morgan's, and before that, the K Bar
- The property is listed at $699,900
A listing by Coldwell Banker Heritage Real Estate advertises the building, its 38-spot parking lot and restaurant liquor license at $699,900.
For owner Susan Kerbaugh, she said it’s time.
“My mom [Shirley] is 85 and she likes to do things, and I’d like to spend some time with her and do some traveling before it’s too late,” Kerbaugh, 58, said.
“It’s time for a younger person to come in and keep it going. That’s what I pray for.”
Susan Kerbaugh’s late father, Jack, was one of the original partners when the business opened in April 1991. Jack Kerbaugh was an Easton Area School District teacher who taught shop at the high school.
The other partner was Jack Fisher, who pitched 11 years in the major leagues and played for the New York Mets from 1964 through 1967.
“I love my job here but I’m getting tired and it’s time to pass the reins to somebody else."Susan Kerbaugh, owner
Susan Kerbaugh said when she heard Fisher wanted to retire in 1998, she wrote her father a proposal for the Kerbaughs to buy him out and for Susan to take over operations.
That’s what she’s been doing for the past 25 years — through the ups, the downs, the pandemic and thousands of customers.
The place is an institution in Palmer Township and has been a local watering hole for generations, said Jeffrey Young, a township supervisor.
“I’ve been going to Fat Jacks’ since it opened,” Young said. “I still try to stop in every month or two. It’s always a friendly place. You can always count on the food being good.”
Before Fat Jacks’, it was called Mammy Morgan’s. Oldtimers will remember it as the K Bar.
Labor of love
Susan Kerbaugh said the bar business is a rough one, but one she loves.
“Right now I’m the cook, cleaner and all-around whatever,” she said. “But that’s running a business.
“I love my job here but I’m getting tired and it’s time to pass the reins to somebody else. And I’ll pass on my secrets if they want them — for the sauces and different foods.”
Fat Jacks’ went on the market Wednesday and already has drawn significant interest, said Lori Campbell, an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Heritage Real Estate.
The property includes a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, the tavern is open four days a week — Thursdays through Sundays. Kerbaugh said it’s gotten harder to find help but she’s been aided by her sister, Kim DiFelice, and loyal workers.
She said she’d like to have sold the property by the end of June and could stay on as a consultant for a while for the right buyer.
“If a person comes in and needs help, I have no problem doing so,” she said. “Cross your fingers. It’s just my time.”
