What The Prescott was, and what it could be, now that it’s up for sale

Trina Constantini-Powell's grandfather was one of the original owners of the Prescott, back when it was the Preston Hotel in 1934. Photo by Jean Levac /POSTMEDIA

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After a few beers, Peggy Rody’s confidence would kick in.

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“Peggy, don’t even bother,” her friends told her.

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She’d ignore them and waltz through the packed bar, past the lady who was always selling flowers, past patrons chewing on square pizza slices, over to the men’s-only section of The Prescott.

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“But those men were serious about their space; it was well-respected and a big deal for the Prescott that it was the men’s side. All they did was give me looks that scared the hell out of me!”

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This was the early 1970s, when Rody was a student at Algonquin College.

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“The whole city gravitated to The Prescott because it had great food and a great vibe. It was just a great place. That’s where my college buddies and I went to a lot,” she said.

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There is no longer a men’s-only section at the legendary Little Italy establishment, but plenty of other things about The Prescott have changed since Rody’s time as a bar regular.

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Giuseppe Constantini and Antonio Disipio first opened the bar, then the Preston Hotel, in 1934.

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Eventually, right before COVID-19, Disipio’s grandson sold it to The MRG Group — a Vancouver-based network of hospitality companies — according to Constantini’s granddaughter, Trina Constantini-Powell.

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Now that the place is up for sale, Constantini-Powell wouldn’t be upset if it were left in the past, because of how her grandfather lost the business back in 1941.

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But for Rody and other Ottawans, the possible loss of an institution that holds so many warm memories is sadder.

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“It was a great place; it was a hub. Those were the good years in Ottawa. There weren’t a lot of places like that, compared to now, but everybody knew about the Prescott; it was generationally known,” Rody said.

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Trina Constantini-Powell’s grandfather was one of the original owners of the Prescott, back when it was the Preston Hotel in 1934. Photo by Jean Levac /POSTMEDIA

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For Sale: 379 Preston St.

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The Prescott has been up for sale on Realtor since May of 2026, when it was listed for $699,000.

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On Aug. 17, the price was dropped to $499,000, but that’s not all it costs to be the new owner of the establishment.

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“It’s $499,000 to be the new owner of the business in a leased premise,” said the bar’s Royal LePage broker, Ryan Earl.

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On top of that, a buyer would pay a lease of $34,100 in gross rent, including taxes, maintenance and insurance, to the property’s landlord, “with lots of term remaining,” according to the listing.

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The broker suspected the reason for the sale is that it’s The MRG Group’s only restaurant in Ottawa, which they can’t run hands-on.

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The Prescott’s general manager, Trever Proulx, did not respond to an interview request.

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Earl said that although dozens of potential buyers have reached out since he put up the listing, he hasn’t received any offers yet.

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“Most of the inquiries are for keeping it the same, but there’s no guarantee of that. The majority are from Ottawa and the Ottawa area,” said Earl.

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‘The Last Chance’

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Back in 1934, it wasn’t always easy to find a place to have a beer in Ottawa.