Originally named the Alamo Draft House, a legal dispute over the name in 1999 led to the rebranding of the popular watering hole.
The Spanish Colonial revival building, located at 447 Main Street, was originally built in 1905 and first used as a general store. Later, it was occupied by the telephone company as well as Utah Power and Light, a liquor store, pool hall and eventually the Alamo bar.
The previous operators of the Alamo lost the lease in 1999. Jesse Shetler, who tended bar there as well as The Club next door, saw an opportunity and with a few friends approached the property owner to assume the lease.
“We reopened as the Alamo briefly, and I immediately was hit with a cease-and-desist order from the previous tenants,” Shetler recalled on the KPCW “Local News Hour” Monday [August 4]. After about 10 months in federal trademark court, we lost the case. They did own the rights to the name, and frankly, I mean, I had to come up with another name. And being this had been such a beloved saloon on Main Street since 1959 to 1999 it's like, what the heck am I going to call this place? There was no winning in it for me, no matter what name I came up with. So hence the No Name Saloon.”
Given that the building was 100 years old, a huge investment was required for expansion and upgrades.
“We've quadrupled the size of this place from what it originally started as, even more than four times, because it was a full basement down there too, for storage,” he said. “So, we've been successful in being able to manage the growth and continue being a big part of this community.”
Marketing Director Matt Sullivan says everyone 21 and older is welcome to attend the anniversary party Thursday from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Free food and drawings for ski passes and gift certificates and other swag will be offered.
“If you know anything about DBR (Diversified Bars and Restaurants) and Jesse and the No Name and Boneyard and Butcher Chop House, they are awesome at doing hospitality and getting stuff together,” Sullivan said. “So don't miss that. We're going to have some drawings that you can participate in; anybody can participate in. No purchase necessary. So, anybody who walks in the door we will give you a ticket, and you can be a part of it.”
The No Name will have some limited-edition anniversary swag, including mugs, pint glasses, T shirts and hats, and specially designed lapel pins.
The restaurant next door, The Annex, also run by DBR, will be closed on Thursday to accommodate what’s expected to be a large crowd.
