After enlisting in the Army in 1944, John Skradis returned home two years later and found himself at the helm of the Outpost Bar at 6311 S 36th St. The son of Russian immigrants, John took over the bar after its previous owner died after accidentally discharging his gun while cleaning it. John presumably ran the bar well enough that he was able to construct a new building just four years later in 1950. Once built he moved Johnny’s Outpost next door at the intersection of 36th and Jefferson.
At the same time, Warren Gates opened Gunner’s Bar at 4654 Leavenworth St. Five years after that John relocated and took that bar over in 1955. Perhaps he desired a bar along a busier stretch of road as Leavenworth was one of the main arteries from West Omaha to downtown.
Just as he did with the Outpost, John constructed a new building next door at 4556 Leavenworth. By 1960 he changed its name to the one we recognize today, Leavenworth Bar. The bar near the intersection of Saddle Creek certainly had much more visibility. It probably didn’t hurt that it was next door neighbors with Billy Barnes second Bronco’s Hamburgers location. John unexpectedly passed away in 1977 at the age of 58. Tragedy struck the Skradis family again two years later when son Johnny passed at just 29.
The son of a physician, Maurice “Mo” Howard would take over Leavenworth Bar after that. Mo had a number of run-ins with attempted robbers over the years. During one attempt in 1981 he chased the would-be robber out of the bar after being struck in the face. After the man fled, Mo pulled out a gun and the two exchanged shots. Neither person was hit.
A bullet whizzed by his head in 1992 after someone entered through the back door. Fortunately the stray shot only broke a bottle of whiskey behind him. As he did a decade earlier, Mo ran outside and the two exchanged shots. He attempted to shoot out the windows of the escape car but missed. In 1994 a robber escaped the confrontation unharmed and with cash in hand. Something about this particular bar made it a hot spot for those looking for trouble.
Mo retired from the bar business shortly thereafter and unsuccessfully ran for the register of deeds in 1996. Like John before him, Mo also passed away relatively young at 60 years old. It’s current owner, Kirk Anderson, bought the Dundee Dell with a partner in 1989. He also owned O’Connor’s Irish Pub downtown with a partner from 2001. While he sold the Dell in 2016 and closed O’Connor’s two years later, he still owns The LB.
While it may not be the most recognizable or even the oldest bar along Leavenworth, it has staying power as witnessed by the fact that it will turn 70 years old next year. It’s an impressive run especially considering the ever encroaching Med Center which sits just northeast. The working class dive bar with a 70’s feel is a dying breed as other bars in the area such as Marylebone (present day True American Bar) and Bud Olson (Secret Park) give way to more modern bars with new concepts. Perhaps the most distinctive thing about the bar is the colorful Sedusa mural on its eastern wall.
The small but cozy bar attracts an eclectic crowd from old-timers to college students and professionals. In addition to being a stop on the Leavenworth Bar Crawl, if that’s still a thing, it had an avid crowd of regulars that would gather to watch Jeopardy while blurting out the questions. The LB also gives back to the community by hosting an annual stocking and toy drive. While it may fly under the radar, it was mentioned as being among the best neighborhood taverns as recently as 2023 by The Reader.
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