The Nickel Joint must be one of St. Paul’s oldest surviving taverns.  Located at 501 Blair Ave., in the Frogtown neighborhood, its website says that it has been open since 1905 – no explanation of the Prohibition years.

The St. Paul Musicians’ Union newsletter going back to the early 1940s mentioned the Nickel Joint early and often.

It is said to have been a Jacob Schmidt “tied house,” meaning it was owned by the brewery and the family running it lived in the building.  Thomas Keim, on the Old St. Paul Facebook page, explained that

There were usually five tap handles, with four belonging to the owner/brewery and one guest tap where the family could choose any beer they wanted.

1957 Photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society

NICKEL SPORTS BAR

Now to find out that by 1992 it was the Nickel Sports Bar, thanks to Rob Schabert posting the image below on Facebook!

1992 Keychain image courtesy Rob Schabert

The Bar, 2016

Dance Floor, 2016