Some of our customers call Nickels a museum because of our historic back-bar, the commemorative rifles on display, the antique slot machines, the signed guitar used by the rock group FLEETWOOD MAC, the collection of Lionstone and Jim Beam bottles and other bar related Memorabilia and we won't disagree.

Bob Gilbert, the managing member has been collecting Lionstone bottles for over thirty years and always had an interest in old antique slot machines.  Bob worked with several legislators to make the public display of slot-machines legal in Montana.  Today, you can see several antique slot machines from his personal collection.  Some were in operation from 1947 to 1952 in Miles City, Butte and Anaconda.  During that time, Montana saloons had slot machines and the state actually licensed those machines as evidenced by the permits on Gilbert's slot machines on display.  In 1952, Arnold Olsen was elected Attorney General that disliked gambling and put an end to legal slots in Montana.

On stage, are life sized replicas of the Blues Brothers, Elwood and Jake, and they are joined by Marilyn Monroe.  Be sure to check out the pictures of the Blues Brothers behind their spot on the band stand. We have a Vegas show girl twirling on her stage to add the flavor of beautiful show girls. 

Gilbert's Lionstone bottles are a collectors dream.  Plus, on display are the full sets of the Alpha Industry/ Lewis and Clark bottles depicting the Custer series, Homesteaders, Camp Cook, and Lewis and Clark. The display cases are filled with other collectibles such as Hamms beer advertising, mini-beer bottles, miniature size bottles of the larger Lionstone and Lewis and Clark series.  One of the more rare bottles by Lionstone is of Secretariat, the horse who won the Triple Crown.

See an old mirror advertising HAPS BAR on railroad street. Also see a picture shot inside the 600 Bar at 600 Main Street in Miles City with owner Chris Grenz standing behind the plank.  Look at the variety of punchboards on the bar.  Punchboards were never legal in Montana but they were still available in places such as Miles City, Butte, Anaconda in the days of real fun.  Don't miss the Hamms beer signs located at the main entrance.  The moving Hamms sign came from the 600 Lounge.  So does the Hamms sign that switches from Hamms to mugs of ice cold Hamms and the two lights on the side of the door.

Take a look down the mine shaft on display.  The shaft goes on and on, "why you'd think we had dug to the other side of town looking for gold"! This mine display, at one time, was in the Gold Bar downtown. Later, tavern owner Benny Holmes sold it to Gilbert for display purchases.

The back bar is something unique.  The back bar came up a steam boat in the spring of the year to Fort Benton, then on wagons hauled to a bar in Belt, Montana.  Charlie Russell who was known to like a beer now and again surely sat in front of this glass.  The bar spent considerable time in storage during prohibition and then was moved to two bars in Great Falls. The last place in Great Falls was the Town Tavern, owned by Gene Mortensen now of Helena.  Gene wanted to ensure that the bar didn't go to some rich persons mansion and Gilbert promised to display it for the public to enjoy.   Louie LaFloe our day bartender did all the refurbishing and it is a great piece of craftsmanship.