Located at 31st and A Streets, a one-time neighborhood bar now sits between the railroad tracks and interstate in a largely industrial area. While the neighborhood has been decimated over the years, there are still a few houses surrounding the bar that dates back before the turn of the century. For the record, the county assessor says it was built in 1925 but I have my doubts.
Sitting at 3602 S 31st Street, it is located just south of the Hanscom Park neighborhood and at the northern edge of what used to be the city of South Omaha. The building seems to have started its life as a Schlitz Tied House. If that term is new to you, it’s basically a saloon from which breweries in the early days could sell the beer that they brewed.
The oldest listing I can find with this address is from 1923. Due to prohibition, it was listed as a soft drink parlor with living quarters in the back. That’s when John W. Woodward bought it and attempted to operate a speakeasy. As a result, he was fined $100 in 1925.
After prohibition ended, it was referred to as Halfway Tavern. At that time it was advertised as a place where one could dine and dance the night away. By 1936 Joseph Mostek opened his Mostek’s Tavern which operated until 1945. Neville Whitcomb and her husband Charles returned the establishment to its earlier name when she opened Whitcomb’s Halfway Tavern.
From this point forward, there were a number of tragic incidents that occurred at or near the bar. Perhaps it was the bars location, cutoff from nearly everything else after the neighborhood was carved up by the construction of I-80 not to mention the proximity to the train tracks to the south.
One of these incidents included one of the owners, Charles, shooting a customer during an argument inside the bar in 1951. Originally both Charles and Neville were found liable but after objecting to the Nebraska Supreme Court, the decision was reversed and only Charles was deemed liable.
There were also multiple attempted and successful robberies. An impatient customer demanded a beer during one of these attempts in 1960 causing the stunned would-be robber to simply walk out. Two bullets were fired into the window of the tavern in 1968 while the Whitcomb’s still owned it. There were around 35 people inside and several children. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Most notably there was a 16 hour standoff in 1976 that left one person dead and its new owner, Rosemarie Aikens, severely wounded after having her throat slashed.
After it became Stooge’s Bar and then JD’s Circle-In when Donna Hannum owned it in 1988, her customers chased three robbers, one with a sawed-off shotgun, from the bar by throwing beer bottles, ashtrays, tables and chairs. They made off with an undetermined amount of money. Another incident occurred in 1993 when a man was shot in the leg. It closed as a bar in 2020 after its then owner was busted for operating it as a front for illegal drug trafficking and sports betting.
It closed as a bar in 2020 after its then owner was busted for operating it as a front for illegal drug trafficking and sports betting.
Fortunately, the old building with a nefarious history found new life after being purchased in 2020. Its new owner completely remodeled the building from the roof to the electrical and plumbing. They retained the original Schlitz-style mahogany bar which has been restored.
It reopened in 2021 as an event venue called Hall 31. Further renovations to its outside were made in 2024 including a custom dance floor made from six bowling lanes donated by Chop’s Bowling Alley. Today it is available for bridal party’s, baby showers, graduation parties, family reunions, weddings and other small events.
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