The Old Toad

History

John Roman and Sheffield, England, native Dave Wickett opened The Old Toad on May 8, 1990, V-E Day, at 277 Alexander St. in Rochester’s Medical Arts Building. The point was a British pub staffed by hospitality students from Sheffield Hallam University on year-long internships, with fixtures imported from Britain. It was among the first American pubs to serve cask-conditioned ale. Wickett died in 2012, and Roman’s son Kevin later ran day-to-day operations.