Church Street Tavern Credit: Chris Farnsworth ©️ Seven Days

Burlington’s Church Street Tavern, a staple of the Church Street Marketplace since 1995, is for sale. It will remain open as usual for now, owner Stephen Parent said.

Parent started at the Tavern as a part-time bartender in 1997 and worked his way up the ladder to full-time bartender, then dining room manager, bar manager and general manager before purchasing the business in 2014. The South Burlington resident plans to take time off to relax and enjoy his kids’ basketball games this winter, he said.

“I’ve been blessed to be a member of the Tavern team for almost 30 years, and it’s been a great ride,” Parent told Seven Days. “But owning a restaurant is more than a full-time job. I’m getting very burnt out, and I need a change. I think this might be the right time.”

Known for its affordable pub fare — including burgers, cheesesteaks and chicken wings — the sports bar is a popular meeting spot, Parent said. In fact, he met his wife there.

The fully equipped restaurant, with capacity for 80 indoors plus patio seating on the Marketplace, is listed for sale for $85,000. Parent hasn’t decided on a firm closing date but encouraged folks to shop downtown and stop in during the holiday season.

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Jordan Barry is a food writer at Seven Days. Her stories about tipping culture, cooperatively-owned natural wineries, bar pizza and gay chicken have earned recognition from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia's AAN Awards and the New England Newspaper...