Farmingdale Faces: John Court

Although John Court has only lived in Farmingdale for the past three years, he is so involved it seems like he has lived here for a lifetime. He is the owner of the popular Main Street bar and is a board member.

“The better all of the businesses do, the better the individual businesses do,” said Court, a North Babylon native who excelled in football and basketball as a kid. He was studying to be a social studies teacher at Stony Brook University when he first began bartending.

“I started working in a bar when I was in college as a way to make some money,” said Court. “It didn’t interfere with my school too much and I really enjoyed the work there.”

Court ultimately decided to stay in business rather than go into education. Court opened The Nutty Irishman in Farmingdale seven years ago and is also the owner of Lark Pub and Grub in East Northport.

“The bar thing just kind of stuck,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing to be the owner of such a popular bar. We take pride in that, the fact that so many people want to enjoy their time here. It’s the only job I can imagine doing, so much so that it doesn’t feel like a job."

Court and his staff do all promotion work for the bar themselves and he's become known for his innovative marketing on social media platforms and different theme nights each season. The bar also recently released a mobile app.

"John is doing an excellent job bringing people out to The Nutty Irishman," said fellow Main Street business owner . "He's is constantly offering different themes and activities in an effort to appeal to and attract customers from all walks of life. Whether it's beach bum night, country night, football specials or live bands, the Nutty Irishman certainly has something for everybody."

In 2009, the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce named Court Outstanding Business Person of the Year.

“It was nice to be acknowledged, but that’s not why I do this,” said Court. “I do it because I really enjoy it. I like seeing people’s reactions when they’re having a good time. I actually had to ask what the criteria was when I received the award because I didn’t know why they would pick me,” he laughed.

Court was unanimously elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce last year.

"He allows the Farmingdale Chamber and all of its members to use his establishment for 'meet and greets' and networking events that allow the integration of the Farmingdale Chamber and its community members," Trudden said. "Free appetizers are always provided and John never looks for any notoriety or recognition for his service. He is simply doing what he feels is right for Farmingdale and that's exactly why he was unanimously elected."

Court is humble about his contributions. In addition to offering his venue for meet and greets, he also frequently donates the space for

“I volunteer because I think you’re supposed to give back to your community if you can,” said Court. “A lot of times people are quick to bust out a check book instead of being a little bit more involved, and to me, that’s not really volunteering.”

Court's goal this year is to start a new tradition in Farmingdale: A St. Patrick’s Day parade. He said that that the does well and thinks a St. Patrick's Day community event would be well-received.

Although he didn't grow up in Farmingdale, Court's pride in the town is unquestionable.

"Farmingdale is my whole life," he said. "My home, my business, and my friends, everything is here for me. I have come to love living and working in Farmingdale. With so many wonderful businesses and people, it’s hard not to."