Brett Bourgeois works full-time as the owner of Delaney’s Irish Pub & Scratch Kitchen and as a reserve police officer for the Double Oak Police Department in Denton County—two professions he said he is passionate about.
Bourgeois had worked in the sports bar industry for 12 years, but he was passionate about law enforcement and decided to make a career change. In 2010 he became a police officer for the Frisco Police Department. In 2015 an opportunity arose for Bourgeois to purchase Delaney’s, which was first established in McKinney in 2008.
Bourgeois said he wanted to get back into the service industry but did not want to leave law enforcement altogether, so he decided to continue as a reserve officer with the DOPD.
“Since I was a little kid, I always loved being a part of my community and helping people,” he said. “And I get to do that as a business owner and as a police officer.”
When Bourgeois became the owner of Delaney’s, he asked the regular clientele what they wanted to see in their local pub, and he adapted the menu and bar accordingly.
Bourgeois said he decided to incorporate a sports bar feel to Delaney’s, something it did not have before. There are 28 flat-screen TVs, three large projectors and two fully stocked bars with 52 beers on tap. There is also a game room with pool tables and arcade games.
Bourgeois said sales for the pub are split down the middle between the bar and restaurant.
“We’re not one or the other, which is great because it has a great diversity for our clientele who are looking for a scratch-made meal or something from the bar,” he said.
The menu at Delaney’s consists of Irish dishes, such as shepherd’s pie and corned beef and cabbage, along with a variety of other dishes, including chicken carbonara and country fried steak.
“We’re not your traditional Irish pub,” Bourgeois said. “We don’t want to single anybody out, so we created a diverse menu that’s not just all Irish flair. We open our menu to fit the entire family.”
Bourgeois said listening to the McKinney community is what has contributed to the restaurant’s success.
“What makes Delaney’s successful is the residents of McKinney,” he said. “[By] lending that ear out and listening to what they want, we made the place they want to come to with their friends and family.”
Delaney’s Irish Pub & Scratch Kitchen
6150 W. Eldorado Parkway, Ste. 120, McKinney
972-547-2222 • www.delaneystx.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 9 a.m.-1 a.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-midnight
