Superior's Old Town Bar comes down

Motorists on East Second Street in Superior got a front-row view Tuesday, July 9, of Old Town Bar and Restaurant's demolition. By noon, the dining room area was nothing but rubble and the last of three lighted outdoor signs was being pulled from the bar’s exterior.

A crew from Stack Bros. Inc. carefully lowered the "7"-shaped Old Town Bar sign that faced the highway into a truck.

Operator and project supervisor Gary Brett said he planned to have most of the demolition job done by Wednesday, July 10.

Not everything is gone. Many fixtures, furniture and materials from the bar at 2215 E. Second St., which closed in 2013, will be repurposed. Brett said salvage work on the structure began July 1. Old Town's lighted exterior signs, as well as its tables and stools, are slated to go to Thirsty Pagan Brewing in Superior.

“That’s the plan — keep some of it around,” Brett said.

Doug Davis and his brother witnessed the demolition as they were driving past and stopped for a closer look.

“It’s like, ‘Oh, no, another building gone,’” Davis said. “Like the East End Drug Store. I hate to see this kind of stuff come down.”

The siblings snapped some pictures before the building was gone. Davis recalled attending wedding receptions and eating dinner at Old Town.

“My brother and I also saw the end of Tony’s Cabaret about 30 years ago,” Davis said. “They tore that down. It was quite a sad sight.”

Brett has his own memories of Old Town. He dined there often with his son, Bubba, and Bubba’s grandparents, Cliff and Betty Tower.

“I remember coming here a lot,” Brett said.

He pointed out where the bar, coolers, pool tables and kitchen equipment used to sit. Everything people would remember, however, was gone.

“I enjoy demo-ing this building because I’ve been here this much,” Brett said. “I enjoy being part of making it go away.”

“We salvaged a lot of stuff. A lot of it’s going back to the community,” Brett said.

The property is owned by Lynda Hofman of Superior.

1/5: A demolition crew from Stack Bros. Inc. pulls the lighted sign off the front of the Old Town Bar and Restaurant at 2215 E. Second St. Tuesday, July 9. Demolition of the building started Tuesday morning and could be done as early as Wednesday. (Maria Lockwood / mlockwood@superiortelegram.com)

2/5: The roof of the Old Town Bar folds in as the building comes down Tuesday afternoon in Superior. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

3/5: The Old Town Bar comes down Tuesday afternoon in Superior. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

4/5: The dining room half of Old Town Bar and Restaurant is nothing but rubble at about noon Tuesday, July 9. Demolition of the building began Tuesday, although salvage work started July 1. The bar has been closed since 2013. (Maria Lockwood / mlockwood@superiortelegram.com)

5/5: A welcome sign can be seen in the rubble of the Old Town Bar's dining room Tuesday, July 9. Demolition on the building at 2215 E. Second St. began Tuesday morning after a week of salvage work. (Maria Lockwood / mlockwood@superiortelegram.com)