February 02, 2026
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Lou Capozzoli, the longtime owner of Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, died Sunday at the age of 86.
Lou Capozzoli, a musician and the longtime owner of Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, died Sunday night at the age of 86.
Capozzoli, whose death was announced on social media, inherited ownership of the bar 28 years ago after the death of his father, Ray, who founded the South Philly dive in 1938.
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“It saddens our hearts to let everyone know that our beloved father, husband, bar owner and everyone’s favorite South Philly musician has passed away tonight,” the post reads. “We want to thank everyone who has been a part of his amazing life for showing him the love and respect he deserved. He took pride in continuing what his father started … the iconic institution of Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar.”
Representatives with the bar could not be reached for comment.
Capozzoli was known for cultivating a welcoming atmosphere, with the bar having an outdoor smoking section and allowing people to bring their own food since it has a limited menu.
Ray Capozzoli opened the business, initially called “Ray’s,” the year after Lou was born, and he raised his family in the apartment above the establishment.
“I remember waking up on the third floor [when] I was maybe 3 years old,” Lou Capozzoli told WHYY in 2023. “I was scared because I was by myself and I ran down the steps and I sat on the bar right here and my mother gave me cornflakes and milk on the bar. For some reason that always stuck in my mind.”
After Ray’s death in 1997, Capozzoli changed the name to Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in honor of his father’s tradition of greeting every customer by wishing them a happy birthday.
While many aspects of the place didn't change, Lou Capozzoli infused his love of humor and music into the bar with the addition of comedy shows, open-mic nights and karaoke.
On the first Saturday of every month from October through April, Capozzoli would play saxophone and sing covers as the charismatic frontman of the Rage Band.
In honor of the bar’s 85th anniversary, the Rage Band recorded and released a three-song EP in 2023 that was co-produced with Adam Weiner, the frontman of the Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie.
“One of the greatest men I’ve ever known,” Weiner commented on the bar’s announcement of Capozzoli’s death.
