Life of Nick’s English Hut owner celebrated Thursday

“Reserved for Dick Barnes,” read the sign posted on the window seat looking out onto Kirkwood Avenue when customers walked in to Nick’s English Hut on Thursday evening.

Richard “Dick” Barnes, owner of Nick’s, died Nov. 2 in his home at the age of 83, and a celebration of his life was held Thursday in the upper level of Nick’s for family and friends.

“His family is doing exactly what Dick would have wanted: to have a party,” said 30-year friend Art Sater.

The upstairs of Nick’s bar was full of family and friends coming and going, eating pizza and drinking to celebrate Barnes’ life. A film of interviews played featuring people who knew Barnes, Nick’s and the family.

Barnes’s daughter, Julia Perkins, said the accomplishments he had in life were indescribable.

“The success that he has created not only for the city of Bloomington, but everywhere else,” she said. “There are just no words.”

Rex Barnes, son of Dick Barnes, said he and his father used to travel a lot together. Rex Barnes also worked at Nick’s for 17 years.

“We did a lot, a lot of father and son stuff together,” Rex Barnes said. “And he always liked to talk business.”

And business is what Barnes is well known for in Bloomington. He bought Nick’s in 1957 and created what many call a legendary bar.

Norman Terry, family friend, said he worked for Barnes for 28 years, and there are a lot of memories.

“He was at my wedding,” Terry said. “We drank up here in the attic in 1976 when my father died, I helped take care of his kids when his wife died and I’m here because I wouldn’t be anywhere else right now.”

Gregg Rago, business partner at Nick’s, said he’s going to miss just talking to him. Barnes made Rago a business partner about four years ago, Rago said.

“I’ve known him for 34 years, and he was like a father figure to me,” Rago said. “It’s so hard to put into words how you feel when you’ve known someone that long and they meant so much,” he said.

And as for the tradition of Nick’s, best known for its pizza and drinks, Rago said Barnes had his favorites like everyone else did.

“He liked good scotch and good vodka,” Rago said. “His favorite pizza was sausage, pepperoni and onion pizza.”

Nick’s English Hut had a reputation that people recognized everywhere, said Anne Smith-VonDracek, Barnes’s sister-in-law.

“Dick made everybody feel like Nick’s was a place where they would be at home, to feel comfortable,” she said. “And he was always innovative in his ideas and kept up with the times and the IU students.”

IU senior Madeline Greenblatt said she loves Nick’s.

“It’s so cool and so unique and of course everyone loves Sink the Biz,” she said. “It’s a very Indiana unique bar that everyone here knows.”

President-elect Barack Obama visited Nick’s and signed the wall upstairs when he visited Bloomington in May during Little 500.

Fred Gregory, friend of Barnes, said he’s been coming to Nick’s since 1938.

“It’s obviously a college bar, and it is one of the best in the country,” Gregory said. “The food is tremendous, the drinks are for real, and you’re always going to find friends and people you know here.”

Memorial contributions for Barnes may be made to Hoosier Hills Food Bank.