Henry’s Bar in downtown Callaway has new owners and a new name; but other than a different face or two behind the bar and the name on the window, you wouldn’t even notice. That’s because the former owners, Henry and Brooke Moore, and new owners, Jenny and Clint Robinson, worked to make the transition seamless.

“Henry had approached us in December and told us that he was going to be putting the bar up for sale.

We’ve done a lot of business back and forth with each other, and I think he was just doing that out of courtesy, not really thinking that we were necessarily going to be purchasing it,” Jenny said with a slight chuckle.

“I have been doing the breakfast burritos here for him during Pioneer Picnic and always told him if he ever did sell it that we hoped he would put in a good word for us so that we would be able to continue doing that.”

Jenny explained that the more she and Clint talked about it, the more serious they became about possibly pursuing purchasing the business. “Clint thought this would be a good adventure for us. We have always wanted to expand, we just didn’t know for sure how we were going to do that,” she said.

The Robinsons have recently added a catering license to their other business, Mrs. Robinson’s Cafe, and have been doing several special events such as weddings. However, with only a food license and not a liquor license, they have been somewhat limited in the services they can offer.

“We were already putting the work into the food, and thought it would just be easier to add the liquor license too,” said Jenny. “So we decided this was what we wanted to do.”

Jenny said that with the established clientele she has at the cafe, she felt like adding a liquor license would not be a good business decision. “I felt like it would probably hurt my business more than help my business,” she shared. “So we decided between my husband, my daughter, and me that we could make both of these work.”

Clint has his own fencing and tree clearing business and does some snow removal during the winter months. That is his slow season, and Jenny said during those months he will be available to help at the bar. They also have cows that calve during the winter, so Clint needs a winter job that gives him flexibility to handle all of those things.

“We didn’t let it sit on the market real long,” Jenny shared. The couple approached Henry on Jan. 3, 2025, and let him know they were interested in purchasing the bar. There were several hurdles to clear, including obtaining the liquor license and the financing to make it happen.

The Robinsons could have taken over the bar in late May. However, their temporary liquor license - which they have for 90 days - would not allow them to serve alcohol outside of the building. That would eliminate the possibility of hosting the annual street dance and beer garden during the Pioneer Picnic.

“Henry already had the bands lined up, and we wouldn’t have been able to honor that. So we had to wait until after Pioneer Picnic,” Jenny explained.

Henry’s Bar is now Sand Creek Bar, and Jenny explained how they arrived at that name. “Sand Creek runs through Callaway and it is on our property, behind our house; so that’s how we came up with that. We don’t really have a theme right now, and though we do want to put our own spin on things, we aren’t in a hurry to do that,” she said. “Right now, we just want to get our feet wet and start changing things slowly. We will start looking at any Callaway fun history that we can add in here too.”

For now, the hours will remain the same, opening at 4 p.m. Jenny said they would eventually like to open on Sundays and host pool leagues and tournaments. They will also explore the option of opening earlier and offering lunch in the future.

Regular customers will be happy to know that the pizzas will still be available. In fact, the Robinsons are adding new options to that menu - breakfast pizza and pulled pork pizza. “Clint smokes the meat, so it’s really, really good,” said Jenny with a smile. “We also want to add some sandwich options. Without a full kitchen, it’s hard to do a lot.”

Jenny and Clint’s 17-year-old daughter Bindi will also be helping out. “I work at the cafe from open to close with my mom, then come here and help with the bar,” said Bindi. She will be a senior at Callaway High School this fall. “I’m so excited,” Bindi added with a grin at the mention of entering her senior year.

Jenny said Bindi is trained to do everything at the cafe. “I’m going to miss her when she’s gone.”

The staff that the Moores had in place will be staying with the new owners. “There aren’t going to be a lot of changes,” Jenny added.

Clint moved to Callaway in about 2006, and Jenny joined him here in 2012. She said they love the community and the people here.

That sentiment is shared by former owners Henry and Brooke Moore, who opened the bar in 2021. Their intention was to create a laid-back beachy vibe in this small Nebraska community, and with their signature margaritas and other cocktails, live music, and just all-out fun, they managed to do just that.

“We want to extend a sincere thank you to the entire community, our loyal patrons, and our incredible staff,” said Henry. “None of this would have been possible without their support, hard work, and kindness. They’ve helped us create something truly special, and for that, we are deeply thankful. As for what’s next, we have some exciting plans in the works! We’ll be spending time between here and Nashville as we explore new opportunities, including housing projects and giving back through partnerships with nonprofits that support at-risk children.

“This isn’t goodbye, you’ll still be seeing us around,” Henry concluded. “Callaway will always be home in our hearts.”