Shoe Column: Stevens Point’s longest-running tavern is…?
By Tim “Shoe” Sullivan
This one is gonna be fun. I was sitting in a local pub sharing some brews with some buddies when a great question came up: What is the longest-running tavern in Stevens Point? In other words, what is the oldest tavern in our fine city that still has the same name?
Looked like a pretty easy question to me. My choice was Joe’s Bar on the square. Saw an ad announcing Joe’s grand opening in 1959. Joe Stroik owned it. Then came Roger Stroik, and now Sean Stroik is the owner. Three generations of Stroik’s.
The guys I was with all picked Joe’s, too.
Just for the hell of it, I brought up that question on Facebook. I figured maybe 10 people would weigh in and they’d all say Joe’s.
Nope.
Dianne Lorbecke guessed Fill’s Bar on Patch St. So did Arlene Sims. Terry Witkowski’s choice was also Fill’s, but he inadvertently took Fill’s out of the running when he said Fill’s used to be the “Northernaire” way back in the day. Terry kinda shot down his own answer.
A disclaimer: up front, let me say that I do not know the true answer. If you think that I’m gonna run around trying to find out when all the bars in Point started, forget it. I’m far too lazy for such a project. If you wanna do it, be my guest.
Fill’s was certainly up and going in the ’60s because I was there a thousand times after high school. But Joe’s still sounded good to me.
Then came another great choice. Geri Meronek picked Hilltop. So did Mary Swenson. The Hilltop was also Doug Bemowski’s guess. Apparently, the Hilltop was around in 1955. So Hilltop knocked out Joe’s.
Then someone said Club 10. I remember going there a few times as a high school junior. Club 10 wasn’t a bad choice.
Ed Engebretson brought up the Dewey Bar on the Southside. Another good choice. The Dewey was around way back in the day, but it changed the name several times. A couple of years ago, it was Big Hunchies. So strike the Dewey.
Just when you thought you had a handle on this, someone would come up with another one. Jae Czech, Gary Simonson, and Mary Ceplina Plummer suggested Morey’s Bar. Marge Newby said she was going to Morey’s for 55 years. Fine. Had to add Morey’s into the mix.
Then out of the blue, Jennifer Mayek Stemple came up with Airport Bar. Yikes! My parents would take me to Airport when I was just a kid. Can’t rule that place out.
Stacey Strupp from the Top Hat suggested Little White Inn by SPASH. Deb Slusarski Zinda thought the Little White Inn was around in the early ’40s.
I’m not so sure we should rule Top Hat out, either.
Isn’t this fun? Jake Bhoner suggested Buffy’s Lampoon. We went thumbs down on Buffy’s because it used to be Big Daddy’s and Jurgella’s Grocery earlier.
The answer couldn’t be Graffiti’s since it was formerly Rudnick’s Grocery.
Final Score was dropped from contention because it formerly was Romie’s Rendezvous.
Betsy Heimlich is positive the oldest bar in Point is the Elbow Room on the square. John Kurkowski backed her up.
Ray Hoffman chose Stash & Rosie’s. Renee’s Red Rooster got a few votes. So did Rusty’s Backwater. Other folks selected Kim’s Barrel Inn, Archie’s, and Frank & Ernie’s. The Maple Leaf didn’t carry the day because it changed to BackStreet Pub and other names.
Papa Joe’s was mentioned. Not a bad pick.
Donny Schmalzer brought up Doug’s Sports Pub. Wrong on two counts. Doug’s used to be Moore Barn and it’s in Buena Vista.
Bob Piotrowski’s choice is Skipp’s. Who knows? From Skip Opiola to Billy Opiola to Kenny and Bobby Opiola. Could be a winner there.
Staying with the Southside, Mike “George” Glodosky suggested Congress Club. Niki Moon said that Congress was a Stevens Point tavern in 1933 when Prohibition ended. That’s gonna be pretty hard to beat.
But let’s get back to Joe’s Bar. Joe’s was my first answer. It was also Jeff Ledger’s first choice. Nicole Stroik (Sean’s wife) came up with a grand opening ad saying Joe’s opened in 1959.
But there seems to be one small problem. Marge Koller claimed that her dad Joe Wiater owned Joe’s Bar on the square in 1937! So, in other words, are you telling me Joe’s Bar became Joe’s Bar?
Bottom line is that I don’t know the answer, and I don’t think anyone else does, either. But what a fun trip down Point’s memory lane. Fill’s. Congress. Little White Inn. Morey’s. Club 10. Romie’s. Papa Joe’s. Airport Bar. Hilltop. Buffy’s. Elbow Room. Maple Leaf. Skipp’s. KBI. Rusty’s. Renee’s. The Dewey. Top Hat.
Funny thing is that I was in every one of them.
