Little Joe's changes hands, becomes City Central

Former owners retire, make way for new direction

By Cindy Hodgson, Herald Times Reporter

TWO RIVERS — Joe and Dolores Sobiech had an eventful few days a couple of weeks ago.

On Feb. 19, they sold their Little Joe's Bar & Grill in downtown Two Rivers to Judy DeBauche and Kari Pries who renamed it City Central Bar & Grill.

The next day, Joe turned 80 years old.

And on Feb. 21, the couple purchased a house.

Now they're getting used to not working behind the bar for the first time in 44-plus years.

After being open seven days per week for nearly all of that time and working 10-hour days as he neared 80 years old, Joe has been enjoying not having anything to do. He has been relaxing, watching TV and having an occasional beer.

"It ain't such a bad living," he said, although he later acknowledged it's starting to get boring.

"We bought a house that needs some work, and by the time we get done and moved, it will be golf season, and we both golf," Dolores said.

They also plan to buy a Nintendo Wii and use it for simulated golf and bowling.

Joe was working for Mirro, and Dolores, now 66, was employed by Paragon when they purchased the bar at 2014 Washington St.

The owner was looking to sell it, and former owner Oscar Brault kept suggesting the Sobieches, who were customers, should buy it.

One day, Joe replied they would if someone came up with a land contract. Three days later they had the contract, Dolores said.

Back then, a glass of beer was 10 cents and fish lunches were 35 cents. Other than prices going up, not much changed through the years. They even had some of the same customers throughout the decades.

There was a corner of the bar where the regulars sat — the "corner crew," Dolores called them. It was like "Cheers," she said, referring to the bar on the television show of the same name.

The Sobieches have witnessed three generations at Little Joe's.

"It's like family, you know," Dolores said, referring to watching people's children grow up and become customers and in turn bring their children to the bar. They've had babies there who were just a couple of days old.

"We enjoyed our customers," Dolores said when asked what they liked about operating Little Joe's. "Your customers are your friends."

"The customers, the atmosphere, I mean it was just in our blood, I guess," Joe said.

"I was born and raised in a bar," said Dolores, whose parents operated a tavern called East Twin between Two Rivers and Mishicot.

Joe ran St. Joe's Club, a men's club that met downstairs at St. Luke's Catholic School.

"We had a bar down there," he said.

He also operated the bar at the Vet's Club for a year and worked at the Labor Hall in Two Rivers for six years, he said.

Even though they won't be behind the bar at the Washington Street establishment anymore, the Sobieches hope to stay in touch with their customers.

"I'll have to come talk to them, see what's going on," Joe said, referring to stopping in at City Central.

They also hope people will visit them at their home.

"I think we had the best customers in town," Dolores said.

DeBauche and Pries opened their City Central Bar & Grill on Feb. 28.

"We're 'people-people' so I think we'll do really well," DeBauche said.

She and Pries were born and raised in Two Rivers and have been friends since the mid-1980s.

They had talked for a few years about wanting to open a business. At first they talked about doing it separately but they decided to pursue their dream together.

Pries lost her job of 21 years due to downsizing and decided "maybe you're better off taking the leap and working for yourself," she said.

The new owners have made some changes at the bar and grill. For instance, they replaced the booths with pub-style tables and chairs and added a fan with a neon light. There is a room in the basement that will be used for special events, and Pries and DeBauche plan to fix it up and use the booths down there.

They also added an awning out front with "City Central" on it and had the name etched on a window and two indoor mirrors.

City Central serves snacks now but will start serving more substantial food on April 1. The women want to cater more to the weekday lunch crowd by offering healthier choices. Their hours are still uncertain, but once they begin serving food they will open at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The business is closed Mondays.
DeBauche and Pries didn't leave Joe and Dolores out of the picture during the transition.

"They've been kind of mentoring us, which is wonderful," DeBauche said prior to the bar reopening.

top of page