Omaha Exploration

When he first arrived from Pittsburgh, John Horbach outfitted wagon trains headed west. He would eventually become one of the wealthiest citizens in Omaha and even served on the city council. In 1894 he constructed his namesake building at 12th and Harney for a cost of $14,000. The four story building with its cast iron front was designed by Louis Mendelssohn. Originally the home of a tack supply business the building has seen a number of businesses over the years including a manufacturer of syrups, molasses, jellies, preserves, starch and grocery sundries, a millinery, wallpaper company, mannequin company and bookstore. More recently it was the longtime home to Driscoll Leather Company and Peerless Equipment Company. 

When the building was put up for sale in 1978, Paul McGill bought it and had it listed as an Omaha Landmark a year later in addition to having it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He converted the basement which had been used for coal intake and storage into Horbach’s Pub. Described as having an old-time speakeasy setting, the pub offered five brews on tap, free sandwiches and buggy rides for its grand opening. 

In 1982 Paul was convinced to change its name to the one we recognize today, Dubliner Pub. After hearing that customers would often walk five or six blocks to find the pub, he installed a neon sign with a blinking green arrow above the steps leading to its entrance. This resulted in a dispute with the city which stated that due to its landmark status, he could not alter the building without permission from the city. After removing the sign which was said to have been out of character with the building, he attempted to rescind its landmark status only to have the request be denied. Though he favored the preservation of old buildings he said that he was not aware of the restrictions and feared it would prevent planned renovations although he did succeed in adding stairs that led from its location below grade up to the sidewalk. 

Dubliner would go on to become the closest thing that Omaha had to an official Irish Pub. In addition to the blarney stone out front, they would paint a large shamrock in front of the building in early morning hours for St. Patrick’s Day. This was to avoid a similar issue that Marylebone had a few years earlier when someone was hit by a car while painting a shamrock. They removed furniture to make room for the revelers. Those arriving in the morning were treated to Irish coffee, green doughnuts and rolls starting at 6 AM. They served Irish stew in addition to corned beef and cabbage at lunch. They even hosted Irish musicians including the Turfmen. 

Paul operated the Dubliner until 1989 when he sold it to Dick Ward who also operated the Dingle Bay Oyster Bar upstairs. 10 years later it was sold to Frank and Cindy Vance. The couple was surprised to discover how closely Dubliner resembled the pubs that they had visited in Ireland. Along with its exposed brick walls, they preserved the character of the establishment and retained many of the artifacts and historical features including metal hooks on the ceiling joists left over from its early days. To this day, you can drop in, enjoy a pint and listen to live Irish folk music in what is annually named as one of Omaha’s best Irish bars.

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