Family, then football: Philadelphia bar known as ‘Arrowhead East’ to close during Super Bowl
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (KCTV) — On Sunday, The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59. For one South Philly bar, they are closed to the public as the walls sport red and gold.
Big Charlie’s Saloon has been around since the 70s.
Owner, Paul Staico took over the bar after his father ed away and decided to turn it into Arrowhead East.
It’s filled with everything Kansas City Chiefs: memorabilia, decor, jerseys, signed pictures, you name it.
Anthony Mazzone is Staico’s best friend and the two have rooted for the Chiefs together at Big Charlie’s for years.
When Anthony Mazzone Jr. was born on November 6, 1988, he said he was born a Chiefs fan
“My dad actually left the hospital to go watch the Chiefs play the Broncos on that day,” said Anthony Mazzone Jr. He added, “It is family first then football and when you can bring it all together it makes it really special like it is for us but it is crazy I would have never believed we would play the Eagles in the Super Bowl let alone twice in three years.”
As the Chiefs face the Eagles in another Super Bowl in just three years, Big Charlie’s won’t be open to the public.
“One thing we don’t want to invite any type of hard feelings whatsoever we don’t want to showboat in front of our family and friends who we know are rooting really hard for the Eagles to win the Super Bowl and we don’t want any troubles because it is family first, it is our neighborhood first and if we have to take a proverbial knee and not party as much as we would maybe against another team we are willing to do that,” said Mazzone Jr. He added, “We have enough respect for our neighborhood and for the ion that the Eagles have as well so we have been here a long time it is our home we are closed to the public there will be a small group of us inside watching the game but there is no reason to invite more attention than needed.”
Big Charlie’s was featured in an NFL Film in 2003 that won an Emmy. They were featured again in 2023, Click here to watch that.
Mazzone Jr. said they are looking forward to Mahomes being Mahomes this Sunday as they face the Eagles.
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