20 under 40: Séan Regan fosters community and good times

John F. Russell/Steamboat Pilot & Today
Old Town Pub owner Séan Regan knows how to bring people together for food, music and a general good time.
Regan, 38, moved to Steamboat in 2005 and began working at the pub in 2007. He washed dishes and manned the door at first. He later waited tables, was a bartender and eventually took on management responsibilities.
He’s owned OTP since 2016 and has enjoyed spicing up weekends with live music and good company throughout his time at the pub.
“The word ‘pub’ comes from the words public house,” Regan said. “Just being a part of Steamboat, sharing the space with anybody that needs it is always really special.”
Regan explained that the job was the perfect atmosphere for working throughout his twenties and thirties, and that he has met incredible people throughout his time at the bar. He strives to make it a space where folks in the community are able to come together.
“We’ve had events happen there from weddings, to funerals, to search parties, to a lot of live music, and a lot of jovial, happy times and sad times,” he said. “It’s a place that’s able to accommodate really whatever situation is happening.”
Regan, in his 15 years at the pub, has seen almost everything, and is now regarded as the go-to guy for many in the community. This summer, he’s pushed to get earlier and more frequent shows at the pub to keep the culture and vibrancy of Steamboat “very much alive.”
“We really try to just go family style and make sure we keep everybody in a good mental headspace and try our best to have a strong and positive work environment,” he added. “You can’t really be in the restaurant business if you don’t like the people, all the way around. So, people can be challenging and people can be awesome.”
What: 2022 20 Under 40 Celebration
When: 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1
Where: Snow Bowl Steamboat, 2090 Snow Bowl Plaza
Tickets: steamboatpilot.com/20under40
Outside of running the pub and managing behind-the-scenes maintenance, Regan spends time with his son, Mason, and wife, Sarah Morang.
“My son plays hockey, and through the downtime of COVID, I was able to go to all of his hockey games in one season. When we weren’t allowed to have live music at the pub, the weekends were not quite as busy as they were in previous years,” Regan explained.
“I got to be on the ice for about 100 days last year with kids, and travel for all the weekends and get to be a part of their lives and their upbringing,” he said. “I wonder if they teach me more than I could possibly teach them.”
Regan said he looks forward to the years to come and OTP continuing to be a cornerstone of Steamboat.
“I just want to see Steamboat as a whole hold on to its community feel and still stick around and embrace the vibe as to why so many of us have come here,” Regan said. “And just enjoy each other.”
To reach Katy Pickens, call 970-871-4208 or email her at kpickens@SteamboatPilot.com

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