Apparently this building, built in 1884, housed a millinery shop for the first 5 or 6 years of its life, after which a bar opened in its place, reputedly the "Milwaukee Beer Hall". Following the Milwaukee Beer Hall there have been a number of bars which came and went, the most recent being "Club 13". Apparently closed now, with the building on the market, Club 13 may prove to have been the final watering hole to occupy the building.
Though the town seems unable to support one more bar at present, back in 2006 an eager buyer for Club 13 was found when the then owner put it on the market. The following Montana Standard article supplies some of the details.
Anaconda native returns to buy Club 13
in Uptown Butte
By Erin Nicholes, of The Montana Standard | Nov 4, 2006
Dan Koesterman’s search for a reason to move to Butte ended in an Uptown bar.
Koesterman, an Anaconda native, and his wife Annie are the new owners of Club 13 Bar, a longstanding watering hole at 13 W. Broadway St.
“We took over Nov. 1,” said Koesterman, who is moving to Butte from Gig Harbor, Wash.
“I was born in Anaconda, and I left when I was eight. I wanted to get back here at some point in my life.” Running Club 13, which he bought from Dan and Sally Hollis, will be a switch from his previous career; in Washington he owned a roof maintenance company.
But, “I spent 15 years in the restaurant and lounge business,” he said.
Although he hasn’t lived in the Butte area since childhood, he and Annie — who is British — have visited often, he said.
“I fell in love with the Club 13 the minute I saw it,” he said. “History is ready to be made.” And Butte’s current business climate gave him the confidence to take on a new endeavor, he said.
“I believe that Butte’s got a lot of growth ahead of it,” he said. “It’s got too much going on for it to be as stagnant as it appears at first glance.” Aside from a few cosmetic improvements and expanded hours, Club 13 patrons can expect few changes to the hangout.
“We’re not changing the name, at least not in the near future,” he said.
From the Montana Standard