Once a neighborhood bar, a historic building now stands mostly alone between railroad tracks and the interstate at 31st and A Streets. What was once part of a thriving residential area is now surrounded by industry, with only a handful of old houses remaining nearby, some predating the turn of the century. The county assessor claims the building was constructed in 1925, but that timeline does not quite add up.
Sitting at 3602 S. 31st Street, the building is just south of the Hanscom Park neighborhood and at the northern edge of what was once the city of South Omaha. It appears to have begun its life as a Schlitz Tied House which was a saloon in which breweries could sell only the beer they produced.
The oldest listing I can find for this address dates to 1923. Because of Prohibition, it was described as a soft drink parlor with living quarters in the back. That was when John W. Woodward purchased the building and attempted to operate a speakeasy. As a result, he was fined $100 in 1925.
After Prohibition ended, the establishment became known as Halfway Tavern and was advertised as a place where one could dine and dance the night away. In 1936, Joseph Mostek opened Mostek’s Tavern, which operated until 1945. Neville Whitcomb and her husband, Charles, later returned the business to its earlier name when she opened Whitcomb’s Halfway Tavern.
From that point forward, a series of tragic incidents occurred at or near the bar. Perhaps it was the location, cut off from much of the surrounding neighborhood after the construction of I-80 and compounded by its proximity to the railroad tracks to the south.
One of the most serious incidents involved owner Charles Whitcomb, who shot a customer during an argument inside the bar in 1951. Both Charles and Neville were originally found liable, but after an appeal to the Nebraska Supreme Court, the ruling was reversed and only Charles was deemed responsible.
There were also multiple attempted and successful robberies over the years. In one 1960 incident, an impatient customer demanded a beer during a robbery attempt, causing the stunned would-be robber to simply walk out. In 1968, two bullets were fired into the tavern window while the Whitcomb’s still owned the business. About 35 people were inside at the time, including several children. Fortunately, no one was injured.
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.
Later known as Stooge’s Bar and then JD’s Circle-In under owner Donna Hannum in 1988, the bar was again the scene of violence when customers chased three robbers, one carrying a sawed-off shotgun, from the building by throwing beer bottles, ashtrays, tables, and chairs. The suspects escaped with an unknown amount of money. Another shooting occurred in 1993 when a man was shot in the leg.
The bar finally closed in 2020 after its manager was arrested for operating it as a front for illegal drug trafficking and sports betting.
Fortunately, the old building with its nefarious history found new life later that same year. A new owner purchased the property and completely remodeled it, from the roof to the electrical and plumbing systems. The original Schlitz-style mahogany bar was retained and carefully restored.
The former tied house reopened in 2021 as an event venue called Hall 31. Additional exterior renovations were completed in 2024, including the installation of a custom dance floor made from six bowling lanes donated by Chop’s Bowling Alley. Today, Hall 31 is available for bridal parties, baby showers, graduation parties, family reunions, weddings, and other small events.
Content written by Omaha Exploration. If you enjoy my content, you can follow or subscribe on my Facebook page, sign up to receive emails or make a donation on my website. Thank you and keep exploring!
Omaha Exploration is sponsored by @Rockbrook Mortgage Inc.
Click here to learn about opportunities to sponsor Omaha Exploration!
Bonus pics
Subscribe
Type your email address below to be notified when a new story is posted.
Omaha Exploration 
Leave a comment