Mini Wander Alert Mini Wander Alert
A delightful bar back and bar in Colfax, Illinois.
Some very dear friends joined us on short mini-wander over to Colfax, Illinois yesterdy. I’d heard the bar there had a nice old back bar. My info suggested that it was a Brunswick but the pictures I saw showed a different feel to the design…more delicate, less monumental and muscular in feel.
In the course of my rabbit holing, I found that it was made by Minwegan & Weiss in Chicago. John Minwegen was born in 1855 in Chicago and began working with R. Rothschild’s Sons, a company producing saloon fixtures in 1872. He then founded Minwegen & Weiss Manufaturing Company at 195 Washington Street, specifically for office furniture and fixtures. Later he became a well respected Alderman.
Why did we not get a picture of the front? I don’t know. Here’s the storefront next door, which also is part of the bar. Look at those beautiful cast iron elements. The bartender was lovely. The kitchen didn’t open until 5 but she offered to fire up the frier and make us some fries. And I gotta say…two glasses of wine, three beers and an order of fries cost a whopping $13. We have to work on our bar rating system, but it would quite high.
Does anyone have any recommendations for places with nice old back bars in the area? After all, we have more Monday afternoons awaiting us.
Onward.
Love,
Cynthia
This diehard BAMA fan loved the BAMA display at the bar. Roll Tide!!
Also, have you been to Doc’s a little further south on RT 66 in Girard? An old pharmacy/soda fountain/bar which is just delightful. It was owned by the family of one of my high school teachers. Love these spots!