Lincoln landmark P.O. Pears is closing its doors after March 23. P.O. Pears is the first place I ever ate a bleu cheese burger; the first place I ever had Rocky Mountain oysters; and the first (and only) place I've ever been beckoned by the phrase "Spanky, your burger is ready".
I've been to P.O. Pears just once in the past few years, so I can't honestly say I'll miss it as a destination. But as a Lincolnite, I will droop a little every time I drive by. P.O. Pears is the sort of place every city needs to have around, whether it knows it or not.
On the other hand, with P.O. Pears out of the way, my not-completely-unserious proposal to put a new convention center and arena in southwest Downtown just got ever-so-slightly more possible...
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I blame the new statewide smoking ban.
(Somebody had to be the first! I can’t believe it’s not yet been a topic here.)
Honestly, I was surprised how long it took before people brought that up in the comments. 😉
In reality, though, the fact is that Lincoln’s dining landscape has changed a LOT since Pears first opened, with much of that change coming in the past 10 years. No matter where you live in town, there’s a place nearby that’s “close enough”. Chances are it’s a bit cleaner, has a few more TVs, and it even has wacky crap up on the walls.
I haven’t been to P.O. pears in years but I agree it will be a missed place. It sound like it had nothing to do with money just that the owner wanted out and couldn’t get anyone to buy it.
Apparently this is all my fault. I have never been there.
Heh heh.
The Beer or Kid is getting together a group to try it out I believe, if you want to go for the first and last time.
From what I understand…
They lose a little bit on every sale, but they make up for it in volume.
No way. I’d probably just end up liking the place, then I’d be all torqued about it. Or “P.O.‘d” in this particular case.
The Capitol Jazz Society has “Monday Night Big Band” there every week 7:30-10pm. They’ve had a steady Monday & Thursday (Jazz) night “gig” there for many years now, & I’m sure the income helps keep them afloat. PLUS, a lot of middle & high school kids are involved in it. I wonder how this will affect them??
I’m a big P.O. Pears fan, & I recommend the peanut-butter burger or the Peep if you’re trying it for the first time! One thing I hope WILL change if it goes under new ownership: The bathrooms! They smell like a truck stop and are in desparate need of a remodel.
I used to go to Monday Night Big Band all the time, all the way back to when they were at the Ramada. Hopefully they can find a good new home for it. Off the top of my head, the Haymarket Brewsky’s location seems like a possible fit. The acoustics are probably terrible, but it’s not like P.O. Pears had great sound qualities.
Burger nights or afternoons or weekends or whatever they were, were fantastic.
It was really in a poor location though. Not much parking/off the downtown beaten path thus no foot traffic.
I only went there a handful of times when I was in college and then rarely after I got out of college.
It is sad though to see a Lincoln icon close.
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