The Lease of Your Worries: What’s Happening to the Shiloh Club?

And now, an entirely unverified rumor concerning Heights watering hole the Shiloh Club, at 1321 Studewood. A tipster writes in:

Stopped in for a cold one yesterday and the word is the lease to Joe (the owner since the late 80’s?) is not being renewed.

Heard- two daytime locals are taking over the lease on September 1. No word what will become of the current bar.

Observed- Friday nights about 10:30 the bar is inundated with young hipsters grabbing cheap drinks on their way out to go clubbing.

Thanks for noticing!

Photo of Shiloh Club, 1321 Studewood St.: Heights Blog

18 Comment

  • Friday-night hipsters notwithstanding, I’d hate to lose Shiloh! Has anyone else heard anything, or know anything, about its future?

  • Seems two guys are taking over. I heard them decribed by a Shiloh bartender as “Rednecky”. She also lamented that it had taken years for The Shiloh to lose its rep as a “racist man bar” and wondered the direction it might now take. As divey as The Shiloh can be, I’d hate to see some of the 6th St bar and grill’s regulars start making it up here.

    The Shiloh is worth a lot because they can sell liquor and stay open til 2. Not much of that action in The Heights.

  • I hope they don’t change this place. I like the mix of people that come and go and they have a great juke box. Glad to hear that it will be rednecks taking over instead of somebody who wants to turn it into a trendy bar like on Washington.

    If a bartender called them a redneck, they must be a rrrrrreeeeedddddddnnnnneeeeeeeck!

  • The bartender worries about racism and then dumps on men and rural Southerners. How long till the Shiloh loses it’s reputation as a “Yankee Feminist” bar?

  • I live in a neighborhood platted in the late 50’s and advertised, then, as Whites Only.
    Imagine that!
    To SuSu and Tiko:
    I think once an area breaks out of these dated restrictions, there’s no going back. We needn’t worry about “racism recoil:” when it’s out of the bag, it’s GONE.

  • I heard from a very close source that the owner of Pearl Bar is opening a new bar in the Heights later this year. Not sure if it is the old Shiloh or not.

  • The deed restrictions in Oak Forest prohibit colored people. The subdivision was developed by Frank Sharp for vets returning from WWII. Obviously that part of the deed restrictions is null and void.

  • If the Pearl Bar people insist on cultivating more insufferable scooter emos and faux roots rebels in the Heights, then the only appropriate response would be for all the Shiloh locals to invade Big Star Bar.

    Is it time muster the regular-folk barflies? To reach out to the surrounding ice houses for force multipliers, and strike a serious blow to the invading hipster hordes?

  • Miz Brooke Smith and her neighbors would be delighted if a Shiloh-type establishment came over to North Main and supplanted either of the problem cantinas El Palenque or Sara’s Place.

  • talk,is cheap that’s why so much is done.If the lease to Joe is not renewed, this will be a shame for the shiloh,customers.We love you JOE

  • People go to the shiloh because of and for JOE.It carries as sence of belonging and community . When you come in Joe knows your name and everybody else that comes after you.. well heres to you JOE,come back soon.

  • The Shiloh is a diamond in the rough with some historic value perhaps it is time for the “owner” to repair/upgrade facility while maintaining the true Texas icehouse ambience. Sensitive people, beware you are in a bar with the drinking public and people of all concerns say or do something stupid while they get their “drink on” (you know what I am saying, man?). Look, observing human interaction can be highly entertaining to the trained eye and the door swings both ways open and closed. The previous leaseholder, Joe did an execellent job at managing the customers and bartenders when necessary.

  • New unverified rumor! The two alleged “rednecks” attempting to take over the Shiloh Club lease can not come to terms with the “owner”. Get well soon Joe the Siloh “owner” and customers need you back asap!

  • “Miz Brooke Smith and her neighbors would be delighted if a Shiloh-type establishment came over to North Main and supplanted either of the problem cantinas El Palenque or Sara’s Place.”

    MBS Posts this on every message board in town. To many drunk mexicans on N Main got you nervous??

  • I would like to clarify what is happening at the Shiloh Club. Joe was not kicked out nor was his lease revoked. He did not have a lease. Joe is very sick and in the hosptal and we wish him and his family well. We are on good terms with Joe, his lovely wife Berna, and his sons. We are in the process of cleaning and repairing damages. Deborah is doing a wonderful job of managing and maintaining the Shiloh in Joe’s absence. We appreciate all the wonderful people who come in and all the customers that have been coming for generations.

  • Found this post as I was sitting on the patio at this bar tonight surrounded by some guys fresh out of jail snorting coke RIGHT in front of me.

    It scares me to be a neighbor of this crack house with a liquor license and the entire zip code would be better off it burned down!
    Can’t even come in for a nightcap with my girlfriends without being solicited for cocaine or sex by one of the sleazy loud yokels that hang out in front of my lawn after this place closes and shoot heroin in front of my son’s bedroom window!!!!!!!

    When is the DEA ever going to come down on this place??? It’s NOT representative of the true heart of this community & it’s time for it to go!!!!!

  • The Shiloh is a great little neighborhood bar that many people frequent! If you don’t like it don’t go! I love the place and most of the interesting folks that go there!!!!