THE HISTORY
The Story Of This Bar
BJ’s Bar was a neighborhood institution in Old Town Florissant. By the time it closed on June 28, 2026, generations of customers had filled the room with family memories, sports stories, political signs, pizza nights and the kind of ordinary routines that turn a tavern into part of a community.
The building before BJ’s
The building carries a much older set of local stories. Research and oral history shared with SMDB say the structure may have originated at the 1904 World’s Fair and later been moved to Old Town Florissant by narrow-gauge railroad under an early owner associated with the BJ Nessing name. Another long-repeated account says the building served as a local Post Office during Prohibition. Those claims are preserved as part of the research file while the documentary sourcing continues.
The Russell era — 1955
The most visible chapter begins in 1955, when James “Jay” Russell and his cousin Bob bought the business. The BJ’s name became associated with their ownership, and the tavern developed into a family-run institution that continued across four generations. Later operation was associated with Jay’s daughter Jeanne Blanton. Signs and photographs inside the bar physically preserve the 1955 date and the Russell family legacy.
Pizza, politics and a neighborhood room
BJ’s became known for St. Louis-style thin-crust pizza, including a family recipe attributed to Delphie Russell. The walls and ceiling turned into an informal archive of their own: political campaign signs, beer advertising, Cardinals memorabilia, portraits and community artifacts accumulated over decades. Sports teams, union members, parishioners, political figures and neighborhood regulars all had a place in the room.
The final day
SMDB documented BJ’s on its final day. Kegs ran dry, people packed the bar and longtime customers came back to say goodbye. The closure did not make the tavern less important; it made preserving the photographs and stories more urgent.
This page is a historical archive, not a current bar listing. BJ’s is closed, but the record stays.