This is the second post in our blog series called Digging into Durham, in which we highlight restaurants and stores restaurants that are popular among Duke students, and others we think Dukies should know about. This blog post features Devines, and the first featured Local Yogurt.
Devines is the only place in Durham that can claim it was founded as a place for Duke students.
I would describe Devines as a sports bar meets family restaurant all under the umbrella of a local watering hole.
Gene Devine, owner of Devines, played football at Duke, but when his plans to play pro ball did not come to fruition, he found another avenue.
“I got involved with businesses and at this place down the street I knew someone there—they said come on down," Devine said. "They asked me to be a partner, and I bought them out.”
When he saw students going to Chapel Hill, which (unfortunately) was the party locale in the 70s and early 80s, he said to himself, “Let’s see if we can keep the students around Durham,” and so began Devine’s, Devine said.
“We host a lot of parties, and if you want to have a band or karaoke or classical music, just come on down and we’ll host the party and you can enjoy yourselves," Devine said.
That said, there is one huge caveat: when the Duke students come out to play, there are no guarantees. I have personally seen a belligerently drunk person rip the hat off another person’s head, glare at him—instigating a punch to the face. Needless to say there weren’t any infants around in booster seats about to witness this smackdown while their horrified mothers attempt to shield their eyes on this particular Saturday night.
On the plus side, if you ever are in a similar situation, take comfort in the fact that the security guards promptly broke up the altercation and kicked the aggressor out before anything happened. This is not to say that you are guaranteed a fight every Saturday, but it does hint at the not-so-subtle crowd shifts that happen between weekdays and weekends, and early evenings and late nights.
On any given night and at any given time, the culture and atmosphere can vary significantly. The general trend is: many fraternity-hosted parties on Thursdays, Duke students and frequenting locals on Fridays and Saturdays, typical sports bar on Sundays and a family dinner restaurant on all other nights, along with the few “I’m going to get wasted on a random weekday” people go out to enjoy the college life.
As for its future, Devine hinted at possible changes and expansions.
“I have looked at different places," Devine said. "I think what’s difficult is finding the necessary people that will take ownership and want to do a great job.”
He also mentioned that Devines is currently underway changing its menu and will offer more catering and customized orders in the near future.
Regardless of possible changes, Devine’s blood runs Duke blue and is an excellent spot to watch sports, enjoy a meal or have a classic night on the town with your fellow Dukies.
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