Over the years and decades, regardless of what the Pendleton storefront sign said, many people referred to the bar at 118 S.E. Court Ave. as the “Packard.”The newest owners, spouses Dick Jones and Maureen McCormmach, have no intentions of changing that tradition.

Since taking over operations in February, Jones and McCormmach began the process of reclaiming not only the tavern’s original name, but also its classic flavor.

“It’d been kind of neglected,” said Jones. “Our objective is to have it more historically oriented to Pendleton.”

Part of the first order of business was to improve the infrastructure and install a new sign.

Jones said when the Pendleton Facade Restoration Committee first presented the idea of improving storefront designs, the white Pepsi sign over the entrance of the Packard (then known as Chuck’s) was the embarrassing example of an ugly sign.

The name on the sign had been covered over multiple times as the business passed hands.

“All it was was plastic letters put over the next layer with the little lights on it and ‘Pepsi’ all over it,” said Jones. “It served its purpose.”

The finished vertical piece now incorporates the design of the original Packard sign. Green signs to the right and left mention the historical back bar inside and announce the tavern as the official home of the “frosty mug.”

Jones said the Packard Tavern originated from the old Packard Hotel, which during World War II was located at the current site of the downtown Banner Bank. At that time, the current tavern location housed the Crescent Bar and Grill.

Although a fire ravaged the hotel in the late 1950s, the hotel bar’s back bar survived, said Jones. And when the owner of the Crescent Bar and Grill decided to vacate and relocate to the seedier end of town, the back bar made its way over to a new home. Thus, the Packard Tavern was born.

Since that time the tavern was renamed to the Lead Nickel in the 1970s, back to the Packard during the early ’80s, then the Outback, Elvis’ II (aka the deuce) and Chuck’s.

Jones and McCormmach are the fourth and fifth owners of the business who graduated from the Pendleton High School class of 1964. Alumnus Jack Baird and his wife Kerry introduced the “frosty mug” tradition during their tenure, when it was the Outback.

“You can’t believe how attached people get to this. I mean, I guess I was the same way,” Jones said. “You just wait till 4:00 to go there because beer was gonna be a dollar in a frosty mug. And you couldn’t get that anywhere.”

While the new managers welcomed that tradition, there were others that simply had to go. McCormmach had some personal stipulations.

“We had to first improve the quality of air in that place so I could breathe,” she said.

Jones said customers have been complaining about the lack of air conditioning for years. That has been improved with additional fans and a swamp cooler.

McCormmach also demanded to stock wine, and the list apparently is still developing. Jones carries 25 different beers, including 14 microbrews on tap.

“At this time we’re just trying to secure the facility, make sure we’re prepared for Round-Up,” said Jones. “I’m calling it a refuge from the tumult.”

Jones and McCormmach have a particular idea of a tavern. Neither have interest in obtaining a hard liquor license, which they said influences unruly behavior. The Packard, said Jones, has a zero tolerance policy for threats and fights.

“For a dollar a beer, or $2, it’s not worth it for me,” said Jones. “Why ruin my day?”

Instead, Jones and McCormmach envision their business as a welcome place for people to gather. The Packard also has pool, pinball and video poker.

“Our hope is that we have it be a friendly neighborhood place where people can come after work or in the evenings,” said McCormmach.