Elks, Elkettes have new lodge home

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John M. Steiner / The Sun Scott Anderson, bar manager and Jamestown Elks member, sits recently in the newly remodeled Elks Club in downtown Jamestown.

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Elks and Elkettes in Jamestown once again have a lodge to call home.

Located in the former Montana-Dakota Utilities building on Second Street Southwest, Elks members now have a new home complete with a full bar and meeting room named “Woody’s Porch” after a late exalted ruler, Craig Woodward.

“It’s not a street bar, it’s the Elks,” said Dwaine Heinrich, Elks member and building owner. “That’s more than a bar or a lounge — it’s a benevolent organization.”

Heinrich purchased the building in August. Since then the back was completely remodeled.

“We had a whole lot of fun taking the carpet off the floor,” he joked. “They used some sort of incredible super glue to put it down — it was amazing.”

Normally the club is only open to members, but with the new opening Heinrich extended an invitation to anyone in the near future who wants to stop down is more than welcome.

Elks member Scott Anderson is the temporary bar manager.

“It’s a nice quiet bar here,” Anderson said.

He called it a “conversation bar,” but it does have a jukebox.

Anderson said there could be wine or scotch tastings in the future and karaoke could become a reality.

“The sky is the limit to create excitement here,” Anderson said.

The Elks is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and noon to close on Saturday.

Heinrich said it wouldn’t have been a reality without the help of a number of people, including Mark Lee, Tex Weatherly, Dave Greenwood, Frank Debolt, Larry Hopland, the Elkettes and many others.

“In particular with Mark Lee, I’ve been kidding him that we’re going to bronze him and put him on a pedestal in front of the building because it would not be open if it wasn’t for Mark,” he said.

The Elks in Jamestown contribute to Elks Camp Grassick at Dawson, N.D., and award scholarships to high school students. It has been a fraternal organization here since 1906 and currently has about 500 members.

“I think a lot of people have missed having the Elks in town, as far as an open facility, and we’re hoping it will be here for many, many years into the future,” Heinrich said. “I think it’s a great location, we have some really good members and I think Scott will do a great job.”

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

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