Stories
103-Year-Old WWII Veteran Still Runs the Same Maryland Bar He Opened in 1963
M
Moneycontrol•08-10-2026, 16:53
103-Year-Old WWII Veteran Still Runs the Same Maryland Bar He Opened in 1963
- •Irvin E Koch, a 103-year-old World War II veteran, still operates Club Sunset Knoll, a basement bar in Pasadena, Maryland, which he opened in 1963.
- •The cash-only establishment features no website, no fixed hours, and retains its 1960s charm with a jukebox, pool table, and old Smith Corona cash register.
- •Koch bought the waterfront property in 1963 when the house came with an already functioning bar, deciding to run it rather than close it down.
- •The interior is decorated with police patches, old memorabilia, and messages written by visitors covering the walls, ceiling, and doorframes.
- •Despite his age and the loss of his wife and brother, Koch continues to welcome customers and has no immediate plans to retire before his 104th birthday.
Key Questions Answered
Koch purchased the Pasadena waterfront property in 1963 to use as a home, and the working bar happened to come with the house. Rather than close it down, he decided to run the establishment and has kept it operating ever since.
The cash-only bar has no fixed opening hours, no website, no public phone number, and no credit card machines. It opens when the first customer arrives and closes when the last one leaves or Koch decides to wrap up for the day.
His step-grandson, Jason Cook, lives in the house along with his wife and four children to help care for Koch. Despite his age and the loss of his wife and brother, Koch continues to run the bar with little inclination to retire.
