“Pageturners” new hotspot in Omaha

An old bookstore by the same name once resided where this hip bar and local hotspot now resides. Owned by Conor Oberst, member of the bands Bright Eyes and Desaparecidos, the bar is called Pageturners Lounge and is located at 5004 Dodge Street. It’s a joint venture with the Omaha musician Phil Schaffart, who fronts the band Con Dios.

Walking into Pageturners you are immediately transported to a different time and place. The terrazzo floors and metal trim on the front door say mid-century, while the woodwork and elegant wallpaper say Victorian.

“The age group is mostly 21-35, the bar is a lounge and the atmosphere we’re trying to create is along those lines,” Paul Schaffart, co-owner, said. “We’d like it to be warm, an inviting place, it’s also our goal for everyone to feel comfortable.” 

The inside of the bar is very immaculate, with ample seating. 

“It has seats for about 75 people including a booth lined room where you can order a drink though a window that goes right to the bar,” Schaffart said. 

And then there's the selection of fine grade alcohol that goes into many of their most popular signature drinks. 

“Tecate and Old Overholt Rye Whiskey,” Schaffart said.

Both have a smooth texture and little zing in the back of your throat,  making it so you feel the burn but in such a good way and at a good price. 

“Tecate is always $2 and a shot of Overholt is always $3. Aside from that, we have a cocktail list that has done well. We have a drink called the 'Backrub' that people really seem to enjoy. It’s a pint glass of Lesse Fitch merlot on ice with a Coke topper.”  

What would a bar or lounge be without a great happy hour special, and Pageturners does not deviate from the norm. 

“[Our] happy hour special is a $1 off of everything,” Schaffart said. “We also offer an Industry night special on Sunday nights that is 20% of tabs for anyone who works in the service industry. We just started our ‘taco tuesday’ special where we have free homemade tacos and salsa from Jacobo's starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. In addition, we offer $3 Ska Mexican Logger and Suaza tequila shots during this special.” 

Pageturners also offers special import alcohols. 

“We do have a solid selection of craft beers, both American and Imports,” Schaffart said. “Nothing overwhelming, but we try to offer a beer for everyone. We’ve been selling a lot of shots of Green Chartruese, which is a French Liqueur. We’re adding to our scotch selection almost weekly and will continue to add other liquors/beers/wine. It’s our goal to have something for everyone but don’t want the selection to be overwhelming or intimidating.”

The whole effect is pleasant enough to make this a bar a place come back to. It needs about five years of weathering and accumulation of stuff to give it the patina of hominess that separates a good bar from a great bar. Still, right now it’s close enough to great that it’s worth visiting today.