New Bar Rumours Makes its Debut in Merion Village

As of Friday, January 28, Merion Village has a new watering hole.

Rumours opens its doors tonight at 1071 Parsons Ave., taking over the former home of Daddy’s.

“We are looking to just make a comfortable neighborhood bar,” says Owner Jackie Sansavera. “It really is open to anyone who wants to walk in.”

Sansavera is an industry vet with 20 years of experience, sometimes bartending full-time, sometimes as a side gig, but always coming back around to spending time behind the bar. As she got older, Sansavera realized that if she was going to stay in the industry for the long-haul, it had to be at her own place.

“I wanted something that I wanted to hang out in,” Sansavera says.

Bar-goers will find a little bit of something for everyone at Rumours: acoustic sets, trivia, drag bingo, open mic nights, DJs and sports – there’s plans to make it a Browns backers bar. Holidays and special events like St. Patrick’s Day, Pride and the Olympics will see their own themed fun.

Drinks will come in the form of beer, wine and liquor, with an emphasis on the beer. There will be six drafts along with cans and bottles for a wide-ranging selection that Sansavera hopes to refine with a little bit of help from her patrons.

Rumours will also offer a rotating cocktail menu with seven to eight drinks, but nothing overly crafty. The opening cocktail menu will be Fleetwood Mac themed because, well, Rumours. (Decor will also swing a little ’70s, paying further homage to the name.)

There’s no kitchen, so food will be handled through a rotating schedule of food trucks, mostly on the weekends. Sansavera is also open to the idea of bar-goers bringing in their own food, and is looking to partner with neighboring businesses to possibly bring in some pizza or other eats on gamedays.

Sansavera is excited for Rumours to be a part of the continued renaissance she’s seen in Merion Village and on Parsons Avenue over the last several years. She views the bar as an opportunity to get in at the right time and watch the South Side corridor continue to grow.

Rumours will be open from 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. – 2 a.m. Friday, 2 p.m. – 2 a.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. – 12 a.m. Sunday.

For more information, visit rumours614.com.