Kelly’s 2.0 is a beloved Clarksburg hangout. Located at 134 S. Third St. in downtown Clarksburg, Kelly’s 2.0 has become more than just a bar and grill — it’s a staple of the community, offering great food and the comfort of familiar faces.

Whether it’s a quick lunch, live music night, or a weekend gathering, the spot delivers a warm, welcoming atmosphere rooted in local pride and hard-earned resilience.

Owned and operated by Matt Policano, who officially opened Kelly’s 2.0 in 2022, has been invested in Clarksburg’s business scene for over a decade.

“I bought it in 2013. It was the original P.J. Kelly’s and it was at 221 South 3rd Street. Which is now the current annex building for the courthouse. When that happened, we had to find a new building. So, me and Dan Cava came and bought the building together. We purchased PDQ and Home Industry Bakery also, then tore those down for a parking lot. That was in 2019,” Policano said.

Policano had originally launched Policano’s, an upstairs restaurant concept, in early 2020 — but the pandemic brought an abrupt halt just two months later.

“I originally opened Policano’s upstairs and got it open in January of 2020, then COVID hit in March and we had to close down for about three or four months and then our elevator permanently went down. It’s five floors, really six floors counting the mezzanine. We tried to stay open, but using just the six flights of stairs was tough. They were delivering us like 50 cases of beer, hundred pounds of chicken, liquor, wine — and we had to carry all of it up six flights of stairs. So we came down here and opened Kelly’s 2.0.

In 2022, we saved up enough money to get a new elevator, and now we’re about two to three days away from it being completed,” he said.

With the elevator nearly finished, Policano has ambitious plans for both Kelly’s 2.0 and Policano’s, envisioning distinct vibes for each floor.

“My plan is to eventually open Policano’s like Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights — kind of a date night, dinner night, wine or TV bar steakhouse. A lounge feel. And then down here at Kelly’s 2.0, we’ll be open every day, seven days a week,” he said.

He also hopes to activate the parking lot for outdoor events.
“Next year, I’d like to use the parking lot more — maybe concerts on the first Saturday of the month. Stage, tents, grill, live music all day. Also looking to collaborate with the city more on First Fridays — maybe outdoor dining. I’m just excited to run both places. It’s going to be challenging, but after 12 years, I need a little change to keep going.”

For Policano, the drive to keep investing in Clarksburg is deeply personal. His family’s legacy in the city spans generations.

“My grandfather started his first businesses in Clarksburg in the 1940s. My parents own the Clarksburg Beauty Academy next door. My mom still runs it today — they opened that in 1968,” he said.
“I’ve been in downtown Clarksburg for a long time. I opened Bella tan out in Rosebud Plaza in 2010 — it was a tanning salon. So Clarksburg means a lot to me and my family. Everyone says it’s easier to go to Bridgeport hill, but Clarksburg means a lot to us. I’m just super-excited to be in downtown Clarksburg. We’ve got a great city council, an awesome city manager — I think everything is going in the right direction. So, it is an exciting time, we got through COVID and now the elevator. I’m looking forward to getting through the road construction and finally making some money again.”

Policano said he was inspired to open a hospitality business after years of helping at his parents’ beauty school, eventually taking a leap into the unknown.

“I was helping my parents run the beauty academy, but I wanted to do something on my own. I purchased the tanning salon in 2010. Then the opportunity to lease P.J. Kelly’s — a well-known and loved Irish bar — came up in 2013. I didn’t know anything about the restaurant business, but I love hospitality, I love making people feel good, serving drinks, and making food. I went in with two other partners. Eventually, I bought them out. In 2019, the county bought the building, so I had to relocate… But growing up in an Italian family, it’s all my grandma’s recipes, which is good food, good ingredients and I’ve been cooking for people my whole life — I just decided to charge people now for it,” he said jokingly.

What keeps Policano motivated day after day isn’t just the business itself — it’s the people who walk through the door.

“Our regulars are my best friends… The lunch crowd, which is the business crowd in town — they know what they want and know they only have 30 minutes, so we’ll have their food ready. Happy hour crowd — same people come in and see us. It’s just got like a ‘Cheers’ vibe. Our bartenders know the regulars’ orders just by the sound of their car pulling in. Those relationships mean a lot. I’m always here. I think it’s important for people to talk to the owner. I bring out samples of new dishes — just to get feedback and connect with people. You can’t get that from a chain. That’s why people come back,” he said.

That community support, he said, is what makes the hard days’ worth it.
“It means everything. The city’s been great. The city manager is here a couple times a week. The Deputy Chief, Public Works people — they all support us. We probably couldn’t do this downtown without our regulars. Like I said everyone says to go to Bridgeport hill but that isn’t what we are about. We have been here for Clarksburg since the 1940s and the 2010s for me and if you don’t have that local support in that core group from your downtown community then it is just too hard to do. It’s one of the hardest businesses to run — food, beverage, hospitality. Everything’s going up… it’s a constant battle,” he said.

“But I have a great front-of-house staff, great kitchen crew. My wife helps too — and she’s really the face of it.”
Among his proudest memories are the moments that brought his vision to life — and the community out in full force.

“Definitely opening Policano’s — because it’s got my last name on it. The ribbon-cutting night. Then our first Italian Festival in the parking lot — that was awesome. 1,500 people dancing in the streets, eating steak sandwiches, drinking beers. That made everything worth it,” he said.

“I have a cool picture from last year — I was wearing a bright yellow WVU jersey during a festival. Hundreds of people, and I’m standing out with my hands in the air. It’s one of my favorite memories.”

If you’re interested in checking out Kelly’s 2.0, their hours of operation are Monday-Friday 11am-Midnight, Saturday 3pm-Midnight and Sunday 3pm-9pm.