09/18/2026
🏴☠️ To Our Pirates Den Family,
This is a letter we never thought we would have to write, and it certainly isn’t an easy one.
After an incredible 10-year run, Dave Reuss has made the very difficult decision to put The Pirates Den Bar & Grill up for sale.
Dave has been dealing with some serious health issues and is now preparing to begin his battle with cancer. At this point, his health and the fight ahead have to come first.
Anyone who knows Dave knows that selling The Den isn’t simply selling a business. For the past decade, this place has been a huge part of his life — and over the last six years, it has become a huge part of mine as well.
When Dave trusted me to take over managing The Pirates Den six years ago, neither of us could have imagined everything we would build together.
We have been through the good times and the hard times. We’ve watched employees become friends, customers become regulars, and regulars become family. We’ve celebrated weddings, birthdays and holidays. We’ve held benefits for people we love, cheered on the Bengals, danced to countless bands, sang way too many karaoke songs, laughed, cried, argued, celebrated and made memories that will stay with us forever.
Somewhere along the way, The Pirates Den became more than a neighborhood bar.
We built a family. And it may just be the biggest bar family on the Westside. ❤️
Dave is incredibly proud of what The Den has become and grateful for every person who has supported him throughout these 10 years.
And personally, I am incredibly grateful to Dave for trusting me with his business for the past six years and allowing me to make The Den such a big part of my life. Managing this bar has become more than a job or a career to me. I have poured my heart into this place, our staff, our events and, most importantly, the people who walk through our doors.
That is why this change is emotional for both of us.
Our greatest hope is to find the right person to take over The Pirates Den — someone who understands that they aren’t just buying a bar. They are stepping into something that has a history, an amazing staff, loyal customers, traditions, friendships and one hell of a family behind it.
And yes, my hope is to remain at The Pirates Den and continue doing what I love — carrying on everything we have worked so hard to build and helping write the next chapter of this place.
For now, The Pirates Den will continue doing what The Pirates Den does best — bringing people together, making memories and taking care of our family.
The bar is officially being offered for sale, and we ask that only serious inquiries regarding the purchase reach out.
More than anything, right now we ask our Den family to keep Dave in your thoughts and prayers as he begins his fight against cancer.
Ten years of ownership.�Six years of building it together.�Countless friendships.�Thousands of memories.�And one incredible Pirates Den family.
Whatever the future holds, nobody can take that away from us.
Thank you for being part of our story. ❤️
Dave Reuss & Erika�The Pirates Den Bar & Grill
