Atomic Liquors is a bar in Las Vegas, Nevada, opened April 17, 1954.[1] In the popular culture, Atomic Liquors is the "oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas," with its established date erroneously stated as 1952, and is said to be "the first business in Las Vegas to be given a tavern license to sell liquor and operate an onsite bar."[2]
 Atomic Liquors in 2019 | |
 | |
| Former names | Virginia's Café |
|---|---|
| Address | 917 E Fremont Street Las Vegas, Nevada United States |
| Location | Downtown Las Vegas |
| Coordinates | 36°10′00″N 115°08′07″W / 36.1668°N 115.1354°W |
| Owner | Kent Johns, Lance Johns, Derek Stoneberger |
| Type | Bar & Restaurant |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1954 |
| Renovated | 2012 |
| Website | |
| atomic | |
History
editVirginia Barrett inherited the property from Las Vegas pioneer Richard Busteed, her former employer.[3] In 1945, Virginia and husband Jack Barrett, along with Virginia's daughter Stella and husband Joe Sobchick, opened Virginia's Café on this property.[3] Virginia Barrett was the sole licensee of Virginia’s Cafe.[3] In 1954, Virginia's Cafe was replaced with newly built[4] and newly licensed Atomic Liquors, originally licensed to the Barretts.[1][5][6]
The Sobchicks operated the bar until they died in 2010. Their son, Ron Sobchick, operated the bar.[7] In 2011, the bar closed. In 2012, it was purchased by brothers Kent Johns, a commercial real estate broker, and Lance Johns, an attorney, and Derek Stoneberger.[8] [2]
In popular media, famous people who are said to have visited the bar include Bugsy Siegel despite the fact that Siegel was killed seven years before the bar opened, along with other such claims.[7][8] A bar stool with a star on it sits at the end of the inside bar, the preferred seat of Barbra Streisand when "she visited regularly."[8] Atomic Liquors has appeared in The Hangover, Casino, and The Twilight Zone.[7] Anthony Bourdain filmed a segment of his show Parts Unknown at the bar in 2013.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b "New Liquor Store Opens on Fremont". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 18, 1954. p. 11. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Papa, Paul W. (2014). Discovering Vintage Las Vegas: A Guide to the City's Timeless Shops, Restaurants, Casinos, & More. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 1–5. ISBN 9781493013982.
- ^ a b c "Virginia's Cafe, Las Vegas, c. 1945 – the future site of Atomic Liquors". Tumblr. September 29, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
Waleryia Virginia Zasucha (Barrett) inherited a house on Fremont St in the 1930s from Las Vegas pioneer Richard Busteed. She ran it as a rooming house in the 30s, and leased the Fremont & 10th corner to a service station. Together with her husband Jack Barrett, her daughter Stella, and Stella's husband Joe Sobchik, they opened Virginia's Cafe here in 1945. Virginia Barrett was the sole licensee of Virginia's Cafe - liquor and 2 slot machines - until 1954 when it was replaced by Atomic Liquor Store.
- ^ "PARCEL NO. 139-34-601-013". Clark County Assessor's Office. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
ORIGINAL CONST. YEAR: 1954
- ^ "Minutes, 1952 May 26 to 1954 February 17". UNLV Special Collections & Archives. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ "Minutes, 1954 February 17 to 1955 September 21". UNLV Special Collections & Archives. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Atomic Liquors". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ a b c Stapleton, Susan (22 June 2018). "A Look at the Treasures Found Inside Historic Atomic Liquors". Eater Vegas. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ Stapleton, Susan (22 June 2018). "Lance Johns Talks About the First Five Years of Atomic Liquors". Eater Vegas. Retrieved 9 September 2023.