The Saloon was known as The Mahogany Bar (the Hog) from the End of Prohibition until roughly 1982, when it was purchased by Mabel Russell and the name was changed to May’s Lounge. The area around the Saloon is an industrial area that started out as a wood products area during the Victorian Era, so that may be why it was named Mahogany Bar. According to David Bowman of Home Lumber Co., he remembers going there as a young man in the 30′s and it was the Mahogany Bar at that time.
The Saloon features a Rookwood Tile Bar that reportedly came out of the Old Greyhound Bus Station which was formerly the Interurban Depot. We are unclear as to when this happened but we are thinking sometime in the 60′s since that is about when the Interurbans were bagged.
We have heard several Reports that John Dillinger frequented the Bar surrounding his heist of the State Bank of Massachusetts Ave in September of 1933. This Robbery was the largest take in American History up to that point as Dillinger and his gang netted over $25,000.00. Dillinger was known to “case” his potential victims quite extensively prior to actually robbing them and since this bar is only 2 blocks away this story may have some merit.
Live Music has been a recurring theme throughout the history of the bar. Some of our patrons have been coming to the bar since the 40′s, and have told stories of performances being broadcast across the radio from the Bar.