Supposing that you were allowed to pay a visit to another time in your life, which would you choose? There is scarcely a month in the year when I pass by 57th and Military Avenue and don’t dream a bit about Louis’ Bar–for this was a very special place in my childhood that I was allowed to share with my father and his friends. To say I felt privileged to take part in this small council was an understatement…and truth be told, I probably didn’t know what privilege was but I did know I was a young girl in a room of men only. It was the same with our visits to the old Arms & Ammo store featured in Mysteries of Omaha: Arms & Ammo (Photo courtesy of the Bostwick-Frohardt/KM3TV Photography Collection at The Durham Museum Photo Archive).
This is how I remember Louis’ Bar except for those bar stools. Now why wouldn’t I remember such a fabulous thing as those? I also don’t recall that cowboy mural on the east wall. Those wagon wheel lights are forever anchored in my thoughts though. Notice that selection of hard liquor on tap–25 cents a shot. One of the many great things about growing up in the 1970s was that there were still pristine environments everywhere you looked– Untouched interiors found in grocery stores, department stores and libraries from the 1950s and 1960s. An interior view of Louis’ Bar, located at 5702 Military Avenue. August 16, 1962. (Photo courtesy of the Bostwick-Frohardt/KM3TV Photography Collection at The Durham Museum Photo Archive).
As I look back on, we only attended this secret meeting place in the afternoon. I recall the sun shining in on our shoulders. Father of Miss Cassette and one of his friends would meet to have lunch and a drink (s), sitting up at the bar of some casual weekend day. This is where I was first introduced to the Louis’ chili footlong, the ultimate sneak food shared between us, as Mother would never have allowed for something like that at home. In fact I wasn’t getting anything near a chili footlong served at home and knew this was a Big Deal. I protestingly believed my family to be the only inhabitants of planet Earth who ate Healthy Food in the 1970s. On the rare Louis’ Bar summit, I was also allowed a soda = A Rare Heaven on Earth Experience. The three of us and assorted other older, solo males faced east on our bar stools with the windows behind us on the west. The Louis’ Market parking lot was out there, as was our family Volkswagon Bug. I can still smell the staleness and cigarettes of the bar mixed with the wafting odors of the grill, even though the doors would be propped open at times. No music. No television. Faint talking and the clinking of glasses and forks on their plates. A well-worn 1940s linoleum floor. 70s man stuff. It was divine.
The eastern half of Louis Bar was their popular, always chockablock package store. It was a treat to be summoned on a package run with my father to restock our family bar in anticipation of a house party. That old, solid bar was built into our 1950s basement and featured a Formica top. My father kept his light up tube stereo down there, which I would die a thousand deaths to own now. The Parents Cassette did a lot of socializing back then, I suppose, and I fondly remember their warm, candlelit, shag carpeted parties–listening from atop my stairs to the adult gales of a laughter and complicated story lines, of which I could make almost no sense. But back to Louis’ Package: I remember some creamy liqueur featured near the front counter in a pink frosted glass, almost like milk bottle with a cow logo on it. I recall it came in chocolate and strawberry and seemed to enchant me. It really drew me in, in a possessing way. Imaginably, I was not the only child or childlike adult to fall prey to this creamy delight. I wanted to taste this drink so bad! It was like those frozen tv dinners from the 70s, featuring illustrated characters on their packaging—a marketing magnet for kids. Despite my begging, my parents would never let me get those gimmicky products. And this strawberry, creamy, cow liqueur, of course, was off limits to a child.
Back in the early 70s I figured that Military and the Northwest Radial wraparound must have been The Thoroughfare to the epicenter of Omaha. After all, it transported us to our home, Louis’ Bar, the Benson Library, and the very modern Safeway Supermarket right on the corner of 60th. I was also keenly aware of St. James Orphanage just north on 60th, which held a certain air of baffling mystery to me as a child. Dark and magical secrets, piquing my inquisitive nature. But more on that adventure later.
New Design
You may have picked up the clues already: My Omaha Obsession has a new web design as of today. Thank you to Appsky Labs and specifically, web developer, Melissa Buffalohead. appskylabs.com. They were a true dream to work with. As you may have guessed, Miss Cassette is no techie and regrettably, quite opinionated and particular. Not a good combination. Appsky Labs did all of the gruesome work and just let me sit about and obsess in matters of taste. So poke around here with your flashlight. Investigate. Hide in the shrubbery. Look under these rocks and down those alleyways. I am more than pleased to have you tiptoe about. By the time you head for home, I hope you have been fully Sherlocked and Satiated.
RIP Louis’ Bar. 1930s-2013.
I welcome your feedback and comments on Louis’ Bar and Benson. If you would like to correspond with me privately, please find that option in Contact. But I assure you, everyone would love to read what you have to say and it makes the conversation more fun. You can keep up with my latest investigations by “following” myomahaobsession. You will get sent email updates every time I have written a new article. Also join My Omaha Obsession on Facebook. Thank you Omaha friends.
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Great piece, again, Miss Cassette. Do you know what happened to that fabulous sign? When I heard Louis was sold, I made sure to photograph the sign, lit up in all its Googie goodness. Sad to know it’s gone. Would have loved to see the Jolly Giant part, too. https://flic.kr/p/9rvzgx
Hello! Thanks for including your pic. I understand that the Louis’ items were sold at auction but I am not sure who got the sign…I don’t think it was sold with all of the other things. I hope someone in the know responds.
I’m working for Signworks now…I will ask my bosses they might know.
I just happened to come across this post in Nov 2021 after looking around the Internet on a whim for “whatever happened to Louis Bar”. I’ve actually not lived in Omaha since the late 1970… but was curious tonight for some reason.
Anyway, I’m sure most of you know this, but according to an archived article I found in the Omaha World Herald in 2017, the sign was restored and installed on an new apartment building complex somewhere in Benson. That article is most likely available from the newspaper.
I’m flush with nostalgia right now after reading your latest installment! Being from the neighborhood myself and also indulging upon a chilli dog and soda on rare occasions. This hit home in such a good way.
Thank you for the memory. I love the new design!
– Timmy
What a fitting tribute to a place my family cherished ever since my Zayde Louis first opened the doors. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time at this family institution as a child, riding in boxes on the conveyor belts in the basement and eating mounds of pickles provided by Cecil, the head cook who had been there seemingly forever. I miss those times a whole lot. Thanks for the great memories, Louis!
Grandson Doug Wolfson. Thanks for a great article! The sigh was bought with the the property by Bucky’s. They put in storage and promised to use again someday. I do not know when and if that will happen. My father Alan Wolfson is the one pouring a beer in the bar around 1962.
Hi! I just stumbled across your blog and you have brought back many memories. My family also hung out in Benson all the time, although we lived in the neighborhood my Dad built, 78th St to 75th St, from… oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I can’t remember the cross streets! It was just south of the road that goes past Northwest High School, where I graduated from….maybe it’s Crown Point. After my Dad built the neighborhood, KETV put up a TV tower, just to the west of there…between our neighborhood and 72nd St. Across 72nd St, of course, was Sky View Drive Inn. I have memories of Bishop’s (both downtown and Westroads), Rose Lodge and Louis’. I worked for the Wolfson’s, who owned Louis’ bar at the end. Mrs. Wolfson also created & owned Dippy Donuts and one of her son’s owned Louis’ at the end. Her Father was Louis Wolfson and she had 3 sisters. Louis called them “his 4 queens” and he brought all of his son-in-laws into the business so his daughters would always be cared for. Funny thing, Mrs. Wolfson’s maiden name was Wolfson and she married a Wolfson. They were very nice to me. I helped them around the apartment when she was having some medical issues, to make it easier for them to stay in their home. I have lots of memories of Benson. My “adopted Grandmother” was Edie Pancoast of Pancoast Dept. Store. My grandmother was mean, so I adopted Edie as my Grandma. I remember so many of the stores, like Ben Franklins and the hardware store, etc., and of course, Steve’s Grill. I moved away in 2010 and it was owned by a nice young man, calling it Brown’s Family Diner (if I remember correctly) and he was doing a real good job of it…good food. thanks for the memories!
You’re close. Her MOTHER’S maiden was Wolfson. Her maiden name was Paperny. That was Louis’ last name.
8/15/19: Have you ever covered the old Saddle Creek bar & Gill? I remember the drive-thru liquor store where we would buy kegs for parties! But the bar had the best chili foot longs anywhere!! I don’t even know if that structure is still standing; my dad would take me there on Saturdays sometimes. It was our ‘guy’s afternoon out’!
No, I have not investigated that one. I have some fine memories of that place as well but as an adult. Good idea.
I remember as a young boy (6 -12) in the 70’s going in that bar every Saturday afternoon after my dad and I grocery shopped at Louis grocery store. He would have an Hamms and I would get a cherry coke and chili dog. I remember those saddle bar stools and I also remember the mural on the wall. Also the cowboy with his gun. It was amazing that in 2013 I was able to walk in there before it closed to see it one last time.
I have two thirds of the mural that was in louis bar. I am a grandson of Louis Paperny. Love to find a good home for it.
Doug Wolfson
I used to love the chili that was served at the Saddlecreek Bar around 1960 to 1965. Does anyone remember it.
It seems like it did not have beans in it. But I loved the spices in their chili. Does anyone have their old recipe?
I would love to make it with the same flavors!