Family owned and operated: The historic Oxford Bar

The Oxford Bar is a long-standing establishment in Havre, stretching over many generations and collecting a rich history, and is entering a new part of that history as its ownership is passed to a second generation.

Russell DeVries sold the business to his son Will last year, but the bar itself hasn't changed.

"Everyone can feel comfortable in here and it already has that established kind of feel about it," Will DeVries said. "... Everyone in the Havre community can feel comfortable here and I think that's why it is a community staple because of that."

DeVries said the Oxford Bar has been around for a long time. People talk about how their father or grandfather or relatives used to go there when they were younger or use to live in the area, he said.

"It has been historically passed down, through a lot of families," DeVries said. "Like, 'Oh, my dad use to go down there and play poker' or 'My mom use to bartend down there.'"

Russell DeVries said the Oxford has always been a place for people to come together and converse. This is something that is special about the Oxford, he said.

Railroaders, ranchers, farmers, college kids, bankers, lawyers and politicians all have gone down to the Oxford over the years, DeVries said.

"A mix of all different people, seems like everyone gets along pretty good," he said. "That's what I liked. Nobody was excluded."

Will DeVries added that people, regulars, come down to the Oxford to meet with people, talk with people, have business meetings, Bible groups, birthday parties. People come down here to meet, relax and drink beer, he added.

When he purchased the bar from his father, he wanted to maintain the legacy and the reputation of his father and the bar, he added.

DeVries said that his father is still a part of the bar, even after he retired.

Russell DeVries said the Oxford is a family-friendly place, where people have always come with their dads, grandfathers, other family members for food and drinks.

He added that, even as kids, Will and his brother would ask to come with him to the bar in the morning before going to day care.  

The history of the Oxford

Russell DeVries said he was originally a bartender and got involved as a partner in 1981 with Don Ramage and Tony Preite, after former partner Allen Alex retired, but before his involvement the Oxford already had a rich history.

He added that, since 1933, the Oxford has only had five different owners.

All the mememtos hanging on the walls have stories, he said, from Yankee memorabilia, pictures and news articles to the shoe-shining stand.

DeVries said everything in the Oxford is historical in a way specific to Havre.

The Customs Lottery sign that hangs across the back of the bar, he said, came from Rocky Mountain Meat Packing Co. when the company closed its Havre plant.

The guy who owned the company gave it to him, DeVries said, "and a lot of the things are that way."

Will DeVries said a lot of it is like seeing a brief history of Havre.

He said the Oxford has been around for awhile.

Originally built as part of Star Billiards in 1903, after Star Billiards moved across the street following the end of the prohibition in 1933 the Oxford as it is known today was born, Russell DeVries said.

He added that he was born and raised in a small town in North Dakota, outside of Fargo and Arthur. DeVries said he moved here in 1978 to be with his brother Jim, who owned the Corner Bar, and worked as a bartender at the Corner and the Ox.

After three years as a bartender at the Oxford, its owners offered a partnership to DeVries.

"That's the great part about America," he said.

In the 1980s, he added, the Oxford use to have live poker games, snooker tables and several more pool tables.

"It's different, but a lot of the same, too," DeVries said. "A lot of the things have not changed here. The gaming is the biggest change."

The introduction of video gaming, he said, after it was legalized in 1988, changed many bars across the state.

Will DeVries said video gaming, in his opinion, has changed the industry for the better.

Russell DeVries said another change he has noticed is the growth of craft beers.

"In the old days, you'd have your beer," he said.

Rather than a few different brands to select from, craft beers offer many different kinds of beers, he said.

"Everyone is more loyal to a type of beer, not a brand of beer," Will DeVries said.

The future and why the Oxford is special

DeVries said the Oxford's future will not include a lot of big changes.

The history is what he wants to hold on to, he said. If any big changes occurred, he added, the Oxford wouldn't be the Oxford.

"People know what to expect,"DeVries said.

Growing up in the bar with his dad and brother, he said, he got a better appreciation and respect for the history and reputation of the Oxford.

He said that was one of the reasons he refinished the hardwood floors rather than gutting and replacing them. They are 115-year old maple floors, DeVries said, adding that no other place has any floor like it.

"I want to keep it going for the next 40 years," DeVries said.

The bar has always adapted, never going to far out from it's comfort zone, he said.

"It has always been timeless," DeVries said. "It doesn't have to reach too far to obtain things."

He said making it into the Oxford that he envisioned isn't making any big changes, but improving the things that it does well.

Watching people from different groups interact and talk to each other daily is one of his favorite parts about his job, DeVries said. He added that even if he wasn't the owner, or his family wasn't involved in the past, he would still come to the Oxford.

"In a society where change is always looked as being an advancement and good, change isn't looked upon that way here, we like the old stuff," Russell DeVries said, then laughed.

People, after a while, start to become family, Will DeVries said, a big extended Havre family.

He added he wanted to thank every one in the community for their patronage.

"Big thanks to Havre," DeVries said.

Russell DeVries added that he wanted to thank all of the employees throughout the years as well as the customers.

"I mean customer loyalty, wow," DeVries said. "I guess that would be the big word around here."

People always are welcome just to come in, Will DeVries said.

"If you've got reservations for a table, you're in the wrong spot," he said.