The PR was also a well-known hang out for the Everett Case-era Wolfpack basketball teams. It is truly a landmark.

I own the Players Retreat and appreciate your comments. The News & Observer did some research a few years ago and published an article stating that the PR is the oldest continous operating tavern between Washington DC and Atanta. The Players Retreat opened on February 27, 1951. It was located on Hillsbourough Street until 1961 when it moved to 105 Oberlin Road. It has never closed or changed its name since 1951. I have no idea when the Office Tavern opened at its original location.

I grew up in Cameron Park, the first time I went to the PR was as a child with my mother after Raleigh Little Theatre rehearsals. My father had the house next to it (used to be a grey 2 story – is it still there?) and had his office there, and then lived there for a short while when my parents split. He used to take us to the Mourning Room, a separate establishment where the pool room is now (or was the last time I was there 15 years ago). The Mourning Room also featured an incredible blues/jazz musician, but I’ve forgotten his name. I remember during a big snow when we were around 13/14, and Bernie let us come in that night and have cokes, but not into the back room. When I first started going with my friends to hang there we were slightly short of the legal drinking age of 18. Bernie would not let us into the back room if it were just the girls. We had to be with the boys, or swear we were meeting them there – no single women allowed! I also remember him standing at the doorway to the back room and not allowing anyone to go in unless they had a seat. I worked there briefly in 1983 and am kind of sad to read about the changes, but I guess I’ll have to see for myself. Also was a denizen of Free Advice and Edward’s Grocery – both as a bar and as a grocery store!

I think I do. The Square was a bar/entertainment complex where, among other things, there were telephones at the bar and on the tables, and if you spotted somebody you wanted to hook up with you would ‘call’ them on the phone. If “The Square” is the place I’m thinking of, I seem to recall it occupied two storefront buildings next door to the original Darryl’s on Hillsboro St. I think the “Edwards Grocery” club was downstairs at some point. That was a separate business and outlasted The Square by many years. (Spent a lot of time at Edwards back then, btw.) The Square was a rabbit warren of connecting barrooms and game rooms. I heard the developer would just add something on that struck his fancy without getting official city approval. I remember one of the second floor ‘rooms’ had large sliding glass doors that opened up to the parking lot 20′ below — no stairs, deck or anything. Fortunately, they were kept locked. I believe the city finally shut him down for numerous building and fire code violations (and as well as for the reasons cited by Chris). This was back in the mid-1970s or so. NC State ultimately bought the buildings and tore them down for the parking lot that is there now. Anybody else remember these details?

Chris — I’m not positive, but for some reason the name David Smoot sticks in my head as the owner of The Square. Or he was at least the $$$ behind the project. Does that ring a bell with anybody else?

haha Chris.. too funny re: the Game***** I myself,though, prefer ACC basketball. Come to think of it –and I haven’t thought about any of this stuff in years — The bar was called ‘Hillsborough Square.’

hey, does anyone remember a nightclub (dance club) during the mid to late 1960’s at the very end of hillsborough street, called “the scene
” or the “experience”? i cannot remember the name, but i used to go there as a student at nc state?

i like pr, too, by the way. and the jolly knave, that club you had to climb stairs to.

thanks for any information.

Gary,

Do you remember why the Square was closed? I heard that it was closed because the owner did not pay his beer vendor bills, did not pay his rent, the property owner got tired of the disturbing the peace calls and there were rumors of under age beer sales. Does any of this ring true to you or any of your friends that worked there?

Thanks

Chris,
Got a laugh out of that Gamecock fan story. I was at that game with my parents and grandmother. Bunch of obnoxious Gamecock fans behind us, yelling profanities and insults the whole time. When we won, I jumped up and turned to them with middle fingers extended, shouting F*** U !! Right in front of my dear sweet grandmother. She was laughing derisively at them at the same time. Don’t understand why they’re so obnoxious. Never been squat in anything. A couple that used to live next door are Gamecock fans. Had a conversation about that same obnoxious behavior and said “You actually need to win a National Championship in SOMETHING if you’re gonna be that way”. I thought the wife was gonna have a coronary. Went ballistic.

Bill Eby and his Dad owned the “Square”. Most famous and notorious bartender there was Ron Banther. The most popular beer there was whatever he wanted you to drink! Lots of great stories.

I would like for anyone that worked at The Square to tell me more about it and what happened to it. Not many people seem to remember it contrary to what my inlaws say. they make it sound as if it was the number one bar in Raleigh. You can respond comment n this site or just email me directly at planner50@hotmail.com. Thanks

When I moved to Raleigh in 1962, it was a small town with few places to eat, but I do remember driving down Oberlin Road from Cameron Village to get home. The PR was a fascinating storefront to see for an 11 year old. Once I saw Bernie cutting boards out front to remodel his place. My dad, who was with NCIS, told me that college kids would often give Bernie as a reference for their Navy security clearance.
When I got into high school, Harry Gay used to play piano in the Mourning Room…this was actually rum by Gabby, Bernie;s wife, and was adjacent (where the pool room is now). Harry would let me play the blues when he went on break, and we were buds. He once paid me a huge compliment…compared my to Ray Charles on the keys. Wow.
Later, I lived in Cameron Park, and went there at least once a week. My first date with my ex was there…and we went there many times. To this day, the cheeseburger with chili is the best I have ever had.
Yes, the oldest and the best bar in Raleigh…

As I recall Gabby was not the name of Bernie’s wife but was the name of the French woman who worked at the PR. I remember Bernie referring to his wife as “Squirrel.” Harry Gay also played the piano a lot at Swain’s Steakhouse.

You are right her name was Mickie. I think “Squirrel” was a personal nickname Bernie had for her. I had some great times at the PR in the 1960s and 1970s. In the early 1970s I had appendicitis and a friend had all the patrons one night sign a menu and brought it to me at Rex Hospital. Bernie wrote on the menu “good for one free pizza.” Still have the signed menu. A great artifact from one of Raleigh’s most memorable places.

I remember the Square. The owners were a little more proud of it than they should have been. I know the owner of the property was to some extent at fault but the bar was a dump. The owners were horrible and I think something fishy was going on. It was a father and son. The son was a body builder, I think, that flunked out of Carolina and the Dad was always doing things to bail the son out. I was told by one of the employees that they made a lot of money but were taking the money out and blowing it elsewhere to the point that they were not making their lease payments to Smoot which was one of the causes he lost the property. The owners of the Square made it out to be better than Ed’s Grocery, Darryls and even the PR. Sounds like they had a reputation for not paying their bills. I ran into another former employee a while later and he said they had done the same thing in Chapel Hill with some place they owned there. Thanks to the PR there is one really good ole fashioned bar left.

I wanted say thanks to Brenda for her comment from 5/5/14. You corroborated what I had heard about The Square. If you have other stories about it let me know. Thanks again.

Was there a “garbage pizza ” at the PR in early 80!s? Anyone remember?

I was bartender at Room at the Top/My Apartment Lounge early 1970s. Lived on Groveland Ave, a block from PR. Was banned by Bernie for long hair and bell on my boot. Snuck in anyway. Use to sneak in Boones Farm in beer can stuffed in pants. The good old days.

Brenda doesn’t have a clue about what she is talking about.David Smoot built a bar directly behind the Square. He spent a ton of money and never had any business. As a result of investing all that $ on a loser he ended up in foreclosure. People ought to get their facts straight before slamming someone. I had 20 years left on my lease. And when you purchase beer it is a state ABC law you have to pay for your beer at time of purchase

I don’t recall making the claim that Mitch’s is the oldest bar in Raleigh. I’ll happily defer to the PR if that makes you feel good. In any case, I don’t think that it would make any difference in our business even if it were true. The PR has thrived because it has continued to reinvent itself. If
it fails to keep doing this, it won’t matter whether
it’s the oldest bar or not. It will simply fade away like so
many other “oldest” places around the U.S.

Also keep in mind that Raleigh is not especially kind to it traditions. The PR is an exception.

MJH