The "Club Cigar," as it was called in the late 1800's, did not allow women patrons. It was a place for men to do men things. Tad Luckey, Sr., whose parents emigrated to Eugene from Londonderry, Ireland, purchased the business in 1911 and renamed it "Luckey's Club Cigar Store." A man could go to Luckey's to shop for a cigar, shoot some pool, get a shoeshine haircut and shave, and order a sandwich at the cafe in the back. Over the years, it evolved into a place for older men. No whistling or loud talking were tolerated. It was quiet, smoky, and still. Aside from the murmur of smoke-cured voices, the only sound was the rifle crack of pool balls colliding. Anyone making loud noises was asked to leave.

Because Eugene was a dry town, Luckey's was able to survive Prohibition fairly easily compared to the drinking establishments in neighboring Springfield. After Prohibition ended in 1933, Luckey's became the first establishment in Lane County licensed by the newly formed Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

Luckey's was once the home of the longest running rummy game in town, even after public card playing was outlawed. At the peak of card playing, the back room held two tables of poker and rummy players which were full from open to close. One card shark, Marion Mooney, played for 42 years straight and watched four people pass away right at the table in the middle of the game. "When a guy starts coughing, he's asked to get out of the way if he's going to die. And we kept the game going," Mooney quipped.