Anybody know Joplin,MO?Need a suggestion.
 

Good place to watch college basketball this coming Saturday,preferably offering Boulevard beer and decent food.

TIA.

You coming near Greenwood? Want your stuff?

No,but I will be March 10th,think we can make that work?

You might try Quincy Magoos at 614 S. Kentucky

http://www.quincymagoos.com/Photo%27...8Medium%29.pdf

or Pitchers Sports Bar at 3320 S. Range Line.

Much appreciated,the beer tour on the first one looks inviting.

LUV WANTS TO MEET UP

Pitchers, BWW (I beleive they both have boulevard)

This was going to be my suggestion as well. I used to be a regular at the one here in Springfield, but my bartender moved. :)

The food is really good, and if it's anything like the one here, then plenty of TV's. Last time I went there, the food prices had gone up, but the food was still good. They usually have a few Boulevards on tap. Wheat, Pale Ale, and they carried Amber Ale on draft for a while. Not sure if they still do or not.

Is J-Town billiards still around? That used to be a decent place. Other than that, I would highly recommend Woody's smokehouse at Airport Drive. Great BBQ and enough TVs to carry the game.

Is joplin up and running well, now?
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The swathe cut by the tornado is still completely jacked up. Like, insane. There's a lot of construction, though (or was last time I was up there). The downtown looked great, though, and was very busy and lively when I was there for a business lunch.

Pizza by Stout used to be the place to go.. But its no longer there...

Sportsman park on 7th is good, quincy magoos on stones corner is alright, there's a b dub by the mall.

All and all I'd recommend sportsman park for the game.

J town went out of business and even if they hadn't they'd be gone. The building they were in just got converted into a thrift store and got destroyed by the tornado. The other J town on stone's corner is a quincy magoos and it's an alright place.

I don't think the smokehouse serves beer if that's what he's into.

Where will you be staying? If you're staying in a hotel in Joplin, I would suggest Pitcher's. It's near all of the hotels. In fact, it's located in the LaQuinta.
Let me know if you want to meet up for a beer or 10.

Never been to Pitchers because of the whole non smoking theme. How is it?

Not too bad. Typical sports bar menu, but they did recently hire the chef from Twin Hills.

They used to have cold beer in their iced-down coolers.

just had a beer at the smokehouse 2 weeks ago. not draft. cold bottles. best brisket i've had in years. Woody's Smokehouse.

I love Woody's. I don't understand why more people don't eat there. Anytime I'm in town, that's where my boys and I head.

i guess they used to have a buffet there at one time. never got to experience that. i'm sure i would have tried to make them go out of business.

Gusano's has become one of my favorites. On east 7th St, near MSSU. Lots of TVs, bar and really good Chicago deep dish pizza.

That place is pretty cool. I thought about that but the sports atmosphere every time I've been in there leaves something to be desired.

Wait, a non-smoking themed bar? How does that work? Do all the servers wear D.A.R.E. t-shirts? Do the TVs just play anti-smoking PSAs on a loop? Is the head bartender called the surgeon general?

Actually staying in Grove,Oklahoma but we're heading to Joplin for Saturday and I'm always up for meeting cper's for a beer or 10.

Joplin has decent sports bars you can smoke in?

Personally I prefer sportsman park. It is a sports bar. Screens all around the bar.

That's the one on 7th?

You can smoke?Do they have boulevard or anything other than domestic on tap?

I'm sure they do. Boulevard is pretty much standard on tap around here. I couldn't speak to what else they have on tap. Buffalo wild wings is here as well and they have a pretty good selection of imports on tap I believe as well. Pitchers is the only non smoking sports bar I believe in town.

If I can have a cold wheat,a smoke and see the Mizzou game all at the same time I'll be happy.Sent you and ruck a pm,if you guys decide to get out first brew's on me.If not maybe next time,the mrs and sis-in-law have a place at grand lake.

Sportsmans is a good place. Let's plan on going there.

It's a plan,I'll give you guys a call when I get into Joplin.

Sounds good.
It might be closer to 3 before I can make it. The wife has something going on until 2 and I might have to watch the kids.

Diddy is around 3 as well so I guess I'm saving seats if need be.

Uh guys,my mrs was looking this up and found the following reviews I can generally adapt to about anything however she's a bit skeptical.

Thoughts?

I agree with the reviews. I avoid that place like the plague.

You could try Magoos or my recommendation would be the Kitchen Pass (12th and Main). They have several big screen TV's you can smoke and the food is decent.

Knowing you how I do Joe, I would suggest Downstream Casino. :)

Sportsmans is the bar of diminishing returns. Everytime I went there the service got worse and the other patrons were fewer.

I forgot about Kitchen Pass. It is a good place, and like I mentioned earlier, Magoos is good. You can always go to Logan's Roadhouse or Buffalo Wild Wings. More of a restaurant setting, but they have TVs and beer. Never been to Sportsman's Park, so I can't really comment on them.

For the CPer that asked about tornado recovery.... it's still going on, and will be for quite some time. They've started construction of the new hospital on I-44. There is a lot of earth being moved out there. The high school is being demolished right now, to make room for the new one. That bond issue will be on the ballot in April... I believe. On Range Line, places like Walmart, Home Depot, Academy Sports, Wendy's, Chick-Fil-A, Payless Shoes have all rebuilt and are open. Several more along that stretch are being constructed. Main street will be slower to rebuild, as it was mostly locally owned places.

BTW, under normal circumstances, I would try to make it, but my mom's 90th birthday is tomorrow.

I just realized I'll be back in Joplin Tuesday. Helloooooooo Fred and Reds.

You're right, that would probably be the best place.

Personally I've never had a problem there but I also haven't been there a whole lot either. I wouldn't watch a game at KP's. If sportsmans is out then I would say either magoos or wild wings. Magoos would probably be my first choice, just saying.

I saw on Facebook you won some money at Downstream today, but unfortunately you didn't check back and see the wife and I are at Buffalo Run tonight. I was hoping to have a drink, and win a jackpot together, but oh well. Next time. I hope you tripled up on it. If you see this, PM me. It's not too late. :D

Great night tossing back a few with ruckdafaidas and nzoner. Think I'm definitely in for the bash as Joe's a cool mofo.

I had a great time as well. It was nice meeting you and Nzoner.

It's over
 

Thread jack time: Fred and Reds will close in the next few weeks.

What?? Did Larry get tired of trying to find a buyer and just decide to close it?

That's some bullshit right there. Why?

No idea. Saw on Facebook that DiscussDad's friend went there last night and that the workers were notified that day after the last batch of chili runs out that it's over.

Mmmm I met a real sweet blonde from Joplin on spring break many moons ago. Amy Griner

Smoking is bad for you.

Hey, I know her. She's got a kid now and she's looking for you.

:)

I just replied to you on Facebook,I just don't mess with CP and/or FB when I'm out unless it's to upload a quick photo like that $599.50 I won yesterday.Sorry,maybe next time.

It was great to meet you guys as well,had a good time,unfortunately my ass ended up at Grand Lake Casino and I gave about $200 of my winnings back.

Ruk and I about shit when we found out Diddy was a Jayhawk fan but at least he had a something in common with Mrs Nzoner :D

Where did you end up going in Joplin?

Downstream Casino

I ended up winning $130 before leaving Downstream.

I lost $20, then cut and ran.

I was VERY impressed with that casino,in fact something tells me that will become a must stop on future lake trips.Good job on the winnings and I'll try to get your cd's in the mail before I leave for Vegas.

Sounds good, thanks again!

http://www.joplinglobe.com/topstorie...y-for-88-years

Article from today's Globe.

JOPLIN, Mo. — Not many people in Joplin have worked at the same place doing more or less the same thing for 55 years.

At age 69, Larry Wilcoxson has decided to do something different. He’s hanging up his apron and closing the doors on Fred & Red’s Chili, an old-fashioned diner that has existed on Main Street for 88 years.

His daughter, Amber Wilcoxson Tankersley, announced via social media Monday that her father “has decided that it is time to hang up his grease stained chili apron and try his hand at retirement. Fred & Red’s will close its doors as near to April 15 as possible.”



PART OF COMMUNITY

Tankersley said the family has felt “privileged to have been a part of the Joplin community for so long.”

“One of my fondest memories of Fred & Red’s was when I was a kid,” said Melody Dickey, of Joplin. “My mom and I used to go there without my brother or dad, because she couldn’t afford to take us all.

“We would have tamales with chili on top and extra pickles. To this day, I have never eaten tamales at any restaurant other than Fred & Red’s, and the homemade ones made by my mom, of course.”

Kathy Hallacy, a former Joplin resident who lives in Webb City, said: “As a child, my parents, myself and my brother went to Fred & Red’s usually on the weekends. We always enjoyed ourselves with the wonderful food and family feeling of the restaurant. It has been a part of my family for years and a historic part of Joplin.”

Wilcoxson wants to sell the business, the land on which it sits, the fixtures and his secret recipes.

“I want to walk out before they carry me out of here,” he said. “I want to get out of it altogether. All I know is that I’m retiring.”

Wilcoxson started working at Fred and Red’s on Oct. 1, 1956. For the past 18 years, he has run the restaurant pretty much by himself.

The business was started in 1923 by Fred Herring, a miner, in a building at 10th and Main streets. Herring’s chili counter had 10 stools. The restaurant was known for its hamburgers, chili and tamales. Herring decided to experiment one day and ladle his chili over a plate of spaghetti. It would become the signature dish for Fred and Red’s.

The restaurant would expand and relocate in 1941, when Grover Crumbliss won a poker hand from the late Burl Garvin, a Joplin Realtor for many years. Garvin was unable to pay and offered Crumbliss the title to what then was a cornfield at 1719 S. Main St. A poultry house was located next door.

Wilcoxson said Crumbliss approached Herring about the land and enticed him to build a new restaurant there that would more than double the size of his existing restaurant. The new one would have 23 stools.

In an ironic twist, Wilcoxson has listed the property with Bob Garvin, who, like his father, Burl, is a Joplin Realtor.

The recipe for the chili is something that only Wilcoxson knows.

“Nothing about the recipe has changed,” he said. “We do not use any tomato products. Some people are allergic to tomatoes. They come in here, and we tell them we do not use tomato, but they don’t believe us.”

The recipe changed once during the Vietnam War when it was difficult to get two key ingredients, cumin and oregano. The Far East cumin and oregano were more potent than that grown in the United States. To compensate, the restaurant had to use more of the U.S.-grown cumin and oregano than it normally would.

The restaurant traditionally was closed for the month of August because, in the early days, it was not air conditioned, and because Wilcoxson’s father, Red, liked to go fishing.



ENTER RED

William R. “Red” Wilcoxson had supplied meat to the restaurant for many years. In 1956, Herring asked Wilcoxson to be his partner. In 1973, Herring sold his share of the restaurant to the Wilcoxsons. Larry Wilcoxson later purchased his father’s interest in the place.

Wilcoxson credits the chili parlor’s success and appeal to a hands-off approach of leaving things the way they’ve always been.

“That’s what our customers have told us,” he said. “They don’t want us to change.”





Chili by the ton



AT ONE TIME, the restaurant was open seven days a week. In those days, a ton of chili would be cooked weekly, along with 7,000 tamales.