OT: Coach's Sports Bar coming to downtown Hartford...

[alexd]

Corner of Pratt & Trumbull. I remember that location as "the Bar with No Name" back in the 90's.
This would be the third location downtown for a Coach's.
But it looks like this one has no ties to Jim Calhoun.

https://www.courant.com/2026/01/07/new-ct-sports-bar-planned-with-familiar-sounding-name-significant-location-is-targeted-for-renewal/

 

[Waquoit]

Good to hear. That's a nice space.

 

[Palatine]

Coaches is the Jason Vorhees of Hartford bars. I do think this is a perfect location for a sports bar. We'll see.

 

[Deepster]

Corner of Pratt & Trumbull. I remember that location as "the Bar with No Name" back in the 90's.
This would be the third location downtown for a Coach's.
But it looks like this one has no ties to Jim Calhoun.

https://www.courant.com/2026/01/07/new-ct-sports-bar-planned-with-familiar-sounding-name-significant-location-is-targeted-for-renewal/

I think that was Challenges (or Challengers) at one time. I remember being impressed they had TVs on every table back then. I also remember a huge brawl between Whalers and Bruins fans that start inside and spilled into the streets.

 

[UCLJ0211]

Great location across from PBA. Let’s hope they do well.

 

[HCCForever]

I think that was Challenges (or Challengers) at one time. I remember being impressed they had TVs on every table back then. I also remember a huge brawl between Whalers and Bruins fans that start inside and spilled into the streets.

Deepster, I think the location of Challengers was on Ann Street and not far from the Russian Lady.

I used to go to the original Coaches which was near the train station

 

[Waquoit]

Deepster, I think the location of Challengers was on Ann Street and not far from the Russian Lady

Next-door in fact. I don’t see why this wouldn’t be a good location for a sports bar, right near Pratt Street. That’s where they’re trying to develop an entertainment area.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I used to love Coaches in Stamford.

 

[Palatine]

Deepster, I think the location of Challengers was on Ann Street and not far from the Russian Lady.

I used to go to the original Coaches which was near the train station

The location next to Russian Lady used to be a pretty decent French restaurant. I was sorry to see that close up.

 

[Lafayette]

I used to like The Federal back in the day but it’s gone and good to see new places open.

 

[alexd]

Deepster, I think the location of Challengers was on Ann Street and not far from the Russian Lady.

I used to go to the original Coaches which was near the train station

Yep... the corner of Allyn and Ann (next to the Russian lady) was Challengers then it became the original Coach's which later moved to Asylum down by the bus/train station.

 

[HCCForever]

I used to like The Federal back in the day but it’s gone and good to see new places open.

I loved The Fed. I spent some quality time day-drinking there working on Y2K project. A mix of office workers and city residents by day. It drew UConn fans after downtown games.

 

[Lafayette]

I loved The Fed. I spent some quality time day-drinking there working on Y2K project. A mix of office worked and city residents by day. It drew UConn fans after downtown games.

When I worked nights at Aetna on Flower st it was a nice break and post HCC games came a bit alive at midnight. This was circa 1989

 

[HCCForever]

When I worked nights at Aetna on Flower st it was a nice break and post HCC games came a bit alive at midnight. This was circa 1989

That was before The Federal went through the “extensive” renovations.

 

[alexd]

I loved The Fed. I spent some quality time day-drinking there working on Y2K project. A mix of office workers and city residents by day. It drew UConn fans after downtown games.

The Fed was unique. It was owned by a high school friend of mine all though the late 80s and 90s. Before that it was his dad's. His grandfather opened the place in 1934. Great place for after game beers as the traffic cleared out of the downtown streets. It closed in 2020.

 

[Ha Who]

I don’t know how much money the taxpayers lost on that candy and soda shop that they’re taking over. I never saw anybody in that place. I guess there was supposedly a speakeasy in the back.

 

[HooperScooper]

Yep... the corner of Allyn and Ann (next to the Russian lady) was Challengers then it became the original Coach's which later moved to Asylum down by the bus/train station.

I believe this is all correct. I don’t question Alex when it comes to anything to do with drinking. 😀

 

[CTBasketball]

I used to like The Federal back in the day but it’s gone and good to see new places open.

Owner got caught selling pounds of marijuana behind the bar, decided it wasn’t worth it anymore, then closed the bar. There are worse ways to go out.

They also didn’t even have a toilet seat in the bathroom for the longest time. Kept the females away.

 

[Blades]

Corner of Pratt & Trumbull. I remember that location as "the Bar with No Name" back in the 90's.

"No Name" was on the corner of Asylum and Trumbull, new Coaches space on Pratt was a coffee bar ( name ???) at that time, FWIW.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Corner of Pratt & Trumbull. I remember that location as "the Bar with No Name" back in the 90's.
This would be the third location downtown for a Coach's.
But it looks like this one has no ties to Jim Calhoun.

https://www.courant.com/2026/01/07/new-ct-sports-bar-planned-with-familiar-sounding-name-significant-location-is-targeted-for-renewal/

I believe the Bar With No Name was a block down - at the corner of Trumbull and Asylum.

 

[mauconnfan]

Corner of Pratt & Trumbull. I remember that location as "the Bar with No Name" back in the 90's.
This would be the third location downtown for a Coach's.
But it looks like this one has no ties to Jim Calhoun.

https://www.courant.com/2026/01/07/new-ct-sports-bar-planned-with-familiar-sounding-name-significant-location-is-targeted-for-renewal/

Wasn’t that originally where the 2 discos (one being Boppers?) were located a block from each other in the 80s/ early 90s?

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Wasn’t that originally where the 2 discos (one being Boppers?) were located a block from each other in the 80s/ early 90s?

Those clubs were around the train station/Union Place area.

 

[mauconnfan]

Those clubs were around the train station/Union Place area.

No that was Tomatoes and another I believe. Oh well I’m too old to try to remember, lol.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

No that was Tomatoes and another I believe. Oh well I’m too old to try to remember, lol.

Hot Tomatoes was in the train station and Boppers was across the street.

 

[Flipside]

"No Name" was on the corner of Asylum and Trumbull, new Coaches space on Pratt was a coffee bar ( name ???) at that time, FWIW.

Coffee bar was Zuzu, before that was a shoe store ... after the coffee bar was The Russell, which is now located in the old Coach's space