History of The Barret Bar
The Barret Bar is one of Louisville’s oldest bars, with a rich history of underground notoriety and general mischief. In its earlier years, it hosted its fair share of gambling: housing one of the city’s largest bookie joints and a well-known poker table in a back room. The Barret Bar has always been a pool bar, but it was also once home to a stag piano bar, and even held a burlesque theater. From 2001 to 2004, it boasted its own music club in its basement, Barret Tones, which welcomed the likes of The National, Drive-By Truckers, My Morning Jacket, and NRBQ.
The Barret Bar was built in 1947 and was originally owned by John Ising. In 1949, Leroy Wessling took over the business, when he supposedly won it from John in a card game. The Barret Bar has been in the Wessling family ever since, a rarity in a city where bars tend to change hands many times over the years. In 1957, Leroy’s brother Jim bought it out from him. Jim’s son, Rick, partnered with his father in 1977, before buying it outright in 1986. Now run by Rick and his son, Gordon, the bar is truly a family tradition.
In 1994, the business expanded from a 1000 sq. ft. shotgun style bar with two 8-foot pool tables to its current size: a 4000 sq. ft. pool hall with 4 additional 7-foot pool tables, and a first-rate kitchen that serves up some of the best bar food in the city. Later, they added a large outdoor garden-style patio complete with its own bar. The Barret Bar still has its original bar and a vintage Brunswick pool table, both from 1947, that have been in the same spot since they opened.
Reasons to Visit
Walking into the Barret Bar today, you cannot help but be whisked away into the past; a place where you might stumble upon “Fast Eddie” Felson challenging “Minnesota Fats”, as in the 1961 pool classic “The Hustler”. The Barret Bar has been a mecca for pool players since the 40’s and currently offers weekly league nights, as well as plenty of opportunity to hustle or be hustled. The Barret Bar is truly a pool shooters paradise, having won the Best Pool Bar in Louisville more times than you can count. It has an elegant and classy feel, but with extremely affordable prices.
The Barret Bar doesn’t feel like the typical neighborhood bar or pool hall. There’s an ambience you feel upon entering. It’s cool, welcoming. Your time there is what you choose it to be. You can have a relaxed night with friends or easily make some new ones–there’s no shortage of people looking for someone to shoot some stick with.
Ultimately, the Barret Bar is a neighborhood bar & grill with a neighborhood that encompasses all of Louisville and Southern Indiana. Their kitchen offers gourmet menu items, with mouth-watering specials you would not expect to find at any other pool bar. It is a favorite retreat for Louisville’s restaurant and bar industry professionals, a regular stop for casual drinkers, as well as serious pool players, dedicated motorcyclists, and a rotating cast of regulars from the large neighborhood that all consider The Barret Bar a second home.
Come down to Barret Bar & Grill, and enjoy great pool, even better food, and some truly unforgettable nights!
