Atomic Liquors
{{Infobox venue
| name = Atomic Liquors
| image = Atomic Liquors - Dec 2019 - Sarah Stierch.jpg
| image_caption = Atomic Liquors in 2019
| former_names = Virginia's Café
| location = Downtown Las Vegas
| address = 917 E Fremont Street
| city = Las Vegas, Nevada
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|36.1668|-115.1354|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| owner = Kent Johns, Lance Johns, Derek Stoneberger
| type = Bar & Restaurant
| opened = {{Start date|1954}}
| renovated = {{start date|2012}}
| website = {{URL|https://atomic.vegas/}}
}}
Atomic Liquors is a bar in Las Vegas, Nevada, opened April 17, 1954.{{cite news |author= |date=April 18, 1954 |title=New Liquor Store Opens on Fremont |publisher=Las Vegas Review-Journal |page=11 |url=https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lvccld.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3A1508AFD0E83DBED6%21Las%2BVegas%2BReview-Journal/year%3A1954%211954/mody%3A0418%21April%2B18&year=1954&format=image&docref=image%2Fv2%3A1508AFD0E83DBED6%40EANX-NB-16D2905BB5C14402%402434851-16D288661F10BC52%4010&origin=image%2Fv2%3A1508AFD0E83DBED6%40EANX-NB-16D2905BB5C14402%402434851-16D28855746828A7%400 |access-date=April 17, 2024}} In the popular culture, Atomic Liquors is the "oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas," with its established date erroneously stated as 1952, and is said to be "the first business in Las Vegas to be given a tavern license to sell liquor and operate an onsite bar."{{cite book | last = Papa| first =Paul W. | title =Discovering Vintage Las Vegas: A Guide to the City's Timeless Shops, Restaurants, Casinos, & More | publisher =Rowman & Littlefield | date =2014 | pages =1–5 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Jf6RBQAAQBAJ | isbn =9781493013982 }}
History
Virginia Barrett inherited the property from Las Vegas pioneer Richard Busteed, her former employer.{{cite news |url=https://vintagelasvegas.com/post/178571913359/virginia |title=Virginia's Cafe, Las Vegas, c. 1945 – the future site of Atomic Liquors |author= |date=September 29, 2018 |newspaper=Tumblr |publisher= |access-date=April 17, 2024 |quote=Waleryia Virginia Zasucha (Barrett) inherited a house on Fremont St in the 1930s from Las Vegas pioneer Richard Busteed. She ran it as a rooming house in the 30s, and leased the Fremont & 10th corner to a service station. Together with her husband Jack Barrett, her daughter Stella, and Stella's husband Joe Sobchik, they opened Virginia's Cafe here in 1945. Virginia Barrett was the sole licensee of Virginia's Cafe - liquor and 2 slot machines - until 1954 when it was replaced by Atomic Liquor Store.}} In 1945, Virginia and husband Jack Barrett, along with Virginia's daughter Stella and husband Joe Sobchick, opened Virginia's Café on this property. Virginia Barrett was the sole licensee of Virginia’s Cafe. In 1954, Virginia's Cafe was replaced with newly built{{cite web |url=https://maps.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/AssessorParcelDetail/parceldetail.aspx?hdnParcel=13934601013&hdnInstance=pcl7 |title=PARCEL NO. 139-34-601-013 |author= |date= |website=Clark County Assessor's Office |publisher= |access-date=April 17, 2024 |quote=ORIGINAL CONST. YEAR: 1954 }} and newly licensed Atomic Liquors, originally licensed to the Barretts.{{cite web |url=https://special.library.unlv.edu/node/28813 |title=Minutes, 1952 May 26 to 1954 February 17 |author= |date= |website=UNLV Special Collections & Archives |publisher= |access-date=April 17, 2024 |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://special.library.unlv.edu/node/28814 |title=Minutes, 1954 February 17 to 1955 September 21 |author= |date= |website=UNLV Special Collections & Archives |publisher= |access-date=April 17, 2024 |quote=}}
The Sobchicks operated the bar until they died in 2010. Their son, Ron Sobchick, operated the bar.{{cite web |title=Atomic Liquors |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atomic-liquors |website=Atlas Obscura |access-date=2 January 2020 |language=en}} In 2011, the bar closed. In 2012, it was purchased by brothers Kent Johns, a commercial real estate broker, and Lance Johns, an attorney, and Derek Stoneberger.
In popular media, famous people who are said to have visited the bar include Bugsy Siegel despite the fact that Siegel was killed seven years before the bar opened, along with other such claims.{{cite news |last1=Stapleton |first1=Susan |title=A Look at the Treasures Found Inside Historic Atomic Liquors |url=https://vegas.eater.com/2018/6/22/17494722/atomic-liquors-history-treasures-artifacts |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=Eater Vegas |date=22 June 2018 |language=en}} A bar stool with a star on it sits at the end of the inside bar, the preferred seat of Barbra Streisand when "she visited regularly." Atomic Liquors has appeared in The Hangover, Casino, and The Twilight Zone. Anthony Bourdain filmed a segment of his show Parts Unknown at the bar in 2013.{{cite news |last1=Stapleton |first1=Susan |title=Lance Johns Talks About the First Five Years of Atomic Liquors |url=https://vegas.eater.com/2018/6/22/17494568/lance-johns-atomic-liquors-five-years |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=Eater Vegas |date=22 June 2018 |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|http://atomic.vegas/}}
- [https://savingplaces.org/stories/atomic-liquors-in-las-vegas#.Xg2BxBdKjOQ Atomic Liquors in Las Vegas] from the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Category:Buildings and structures in Las Vegas
Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1945
Category:1945 establishments in Nevada