The Stoneleigh P Bar in Uptown Dallas held its 50th-anniversary party on Saturday, drawing thousands of longtime patrons to an all-day celebration.
Though it was a celebratory occasion, the event was bittersweet — it was recently revealed that the bar will be leaving its longtime location, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Stoneleigh P’s closure and possible relocation stunned Dallasites of all generations, many of whom have treasured the bar since it opened in April of 1973.
The bar hosted legendary Texas figures like Lonesome Dove author Larry McMurtry and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It even hosted Jimmy Carter as a presidential candidate in 1977.
The celebration Saturday featured two live bands and a photo booth.
Partygoers of multiple generations at The P told The Dallas Express that the bar had been a Dallas staple.
“I missed the opening by about seven years, got here in 1979,” said local photographer Jay Brousseau.
“It hadn’t been burnt and rebuilt yet, I was here for a photoshoot while still in college at East Texas State. Soon as I got to town this became my bar. I still come here every couple of weeks,” Brousseau added.
Emily Larken moved to Texas from Pennsylvania in 2017 and visited The P for the first time in 2018. She said Uptown’s growth has been positive for the city, but the loss of Dallas’ historical buildings makes for growing pains.
“It makes me really sad. I’m a landscape architect, so it makes me really sad to see some of these old historic buildings go,” Larken said, speaking with The Dallas Express.
Larken gestured toward a new construction high-rise casting a shadow over The P’s porch.
“Everything is just brand new, which is great and is lively, but at the same time, taking down and destroying some of that old history is just really sad.”
Mixed in among the crowd were young postgraduates who had only recently started coming to The P. Brianna Tidwell, one of The P’s youngest denizens, said the bar is a place where every generation can gather and spend time together.
“I came because my best friend’s boyfriend has been coming for a long time, and every time I’ve been here, I’ve had a very fun time. There’s a familiar vibe to the place. I love seeing people from all walks of life and all ages and having the opportunity to talk to people of all ages,” Tidwell said.
The Stoneleigh P is actively seeking a new location, but no announcement of a decision had been as of press time.
