When the current owner, Jo Dee Moine, went to check out this business for sale, her first reaction upon entering the bar was "Wow!" As a fan of historical preservation, she was overwhelmed with the number of unique, functioning antiques. "I was immediately drawn to the aesthetic quality of the interior and the beautiful decor. There is nothing like it in Eugene, and very few old bars like it in Oregon. So much of it was perfectly preserved. I especially love the stained glass Cuban cigar sign above the bar which dates to 1904."
Living up to its Luckey name, the smoking ban wasn't the end of the bar. In fact, the new owner added a professional music stage and sound system (click here for facilities information). A strong lineup (click here for current schedule) of local acts brings cutting-edge, eclectic live music five nights a week. Many bands from all over the country have performed at Luckey's, stopping in Eugene on their travels between San Francisco and Seattle. The crowd is younger and noisier, and no one gets tossed out for whistling! And while you can still buy cigars at Luckey's, you just can't smoke them inside.
Today, Luckey's combines art nouveau decor, saloon sensibilities, serious pool players, cutting edge music, and a chair for everyone in the community. It still has echoes of the sounds, smells, pool games, and conversations from the past 100 years. It's like a time capsule with a hip twist. |
