Founded in 1969 as the Bull & Finch Pub, the original inspiration for the setting of the TV show Cheers, was a favorite neighbor-hood bar. In fact, the year that the Cheers show premiered on television (1982) Boston Magazine chose the Bull & Finch Pub as the “Best Neighborhood Bar” in Boston.

In the summer of 1981, a couple from Hollywood--Mary Ann and Glenn Charles--happened into the Bull & Finch during their search throughout Boston for a neighborhood bar to copy for their new TV series. They enjoyed the warm, cozy atmosphere that this Beacon Hill neighborhood pub provided and they decided to take pictures of the interior and exterior to take back to Hollywood. Upon their return, they gave the pictures to a set designer who utilized all of the architectural elements of the Bull & Finch and designed the set that was built on Paramount’s lot on Stage 25. They then cast the show, including all of the actors and actresses that we have come to know and love, shot the pilot, sold the pilot to NBC, and the show premiered September 30, 1982.

The show was one of the most successful and most popular to ever be aired on television. During its 11 seasons on prime time, Cheers received over 100 nominations for Emmys and almost all of the participants in the show won an Emmy in their category. The show itself won “Best Comedy” several times. During those 11 years, 275 episodes were filmed and now provide a library of sitcom comedies that have been in syndication for many, many years and will be seen on television channels for many years to come.

When you approach Cheers on Beacon Hill (we have stopped using the name Bull & Finch Pub because it has always been confusing to visitors of Boston), you will notice the exterior of the Hampshire House is a familiar one. You have seen that in the opening shots of the series as well as when the show returns from commercial breaks. This façade was filmed here in Boston. No replica was created in Hollywood, so you are seeing the real thing when you see the exterior of the Hampshire House at 84 Beacon Street.

As you walk inside, your first impressions is, “Oh, this doesn't look like the bar on the set,” and no, it does not. However, there are many similarities. When the producers first came to Boston to shoot the exterior façade, they explained that they copied everything about the bar except they needed to have an island bar instead of a wall bar because the show was going to be shot in front of a live audience and in front of four cameras. They said most of the action would be at either end of the bar. Norm's seat was on the right-hand side of the bar and Frasier and Lilith hung out on the left-hand side.

If you notice our entrance to the pub, you will see the same door, the friendly Indian, and the three steps coming down into the bar area with its original red brick walls.You will also notice the diamond glass windows, the colorful Tiffany lamps, and the same style benches, tables and chairs. So even though your initial impression is that the bar doesn't look like the one on the set, you can now see the architectural elements that were copied to create the set of this very popular sitcom.

As you continue your tour, you will see that there is a hallway that heads back to the restrooms and to a backroom, much like on the TV set. The only difference between the back room of the pub and that of the set is that the pool table in our back room is a miniature that is affixed to our ceiling because we want to provide enough room for our patrons who are always hungry for our wonderful pub food.

One big difference between the bar on the set and the original inspiration is that we have added a couple of souvenir shops. This is because when it first became known that the Bull & Finch Pub was the inspiration for the TV show Cheers, visitors came in looking to take something home with them.They began by taking the ashtrays, the matches, the menus, and anything that wasn't tied down. There is still a barmaid missing. We decided that we had better do something about this. We started very simply by selling T-shirts and posters and now we provide a full array of souvenirs including other apparel items, glassware, and trinkets. These shops are always stocked full so you will have a complete choice of size, color, and variation. If you find that you have forgotten something for a friend, we have a toll-free number (1-800-962-3333) and website (www.cheersboston.com) where you can order your favorite items.