It was the post-hippie era, early- to mid-Seventies, but the hippie influence had permeated into the lives of regular citizens and lingered for awhile.
The full name was Houlihan’s Old Place, squarely identifying itself, as a theme restaurant. Along with TGI Friday and Bennigan’s, Houlihan’s marked the beginning of the theme restaurant era.
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Gilbert Robinson was the Kansas City firm behind Houlihan’s Old Place and apparently named it because it “Old Place” because it was in an old clothing store.