Does Champagnes Cafe need to be ‘rescued’?

“Rescue it from what?”

That was a common question after news swept across the local bar scene and social media that Champagnes Cafe signed a contract with Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue.”

The decades-old, spit-shined establishment at 3557 S. Maryland Parkway is known for its deep-red velvety wallpaper, “Rat Pack” name recognition, dimly lit booths and drink specials unlike anything you could find on the Las Vegas Strip.

You might consider it an institution.

Normally, contestants on shows such as “Bar Rescue” aren’t made public until filming has wrapped, but in this case word was leaked early — and it touched off a maelstrom of local feedback.

“Enjoy it while you can,” was one sentiment expressed by former and current bartenders, showrunners and imbibers.

“Give me red velvet, gold glitter, dark wood grain and mirrors any day,” said Kyle Kettner, who posted a widely spread Instagram photo that criticized the show. “I just hate how every bar nowadays needs big-screen TVs in your face and (expletive) loud music.”

Champagnes has been a central Las Vegas staple since the mid-1960s. It’s been preserved by owners over the years, and the thought of a major remodel sounds like a death sentence to some fans of the bar.

The brick-walled bar stuck between a wholesale shoe store and a laundromat-anchored strip mall has an interesting past filled with interesting characters.

Most every reference of Champagnes’ beginning is rooted in the ’60s. The story goes that all of the original documents burned in a small fire a few years after its opening.

Let’s call it 1966, as former owner Kenny Bressers referred to that year in “Discovering Vintage Las Vegas,” by Paul W. Papa, when mentioning the original wallpaper as a draw to the bar.

In ’66, the population of the Las Vegas Valley was about 222,000. The mob was very much still a thing and the top act in town was led by some guys named Frank and Dean.

That strip of Maryland Parkway was one of the first major neighborhoods in the valley, developing after downtown started to spread its roots to the south. Apartments (some still standing) and homes (mostly torn down) between Las Vegas Boulevard and Maryland Parkway behind Champagnes Cafe housed the who’s who of the valley.

Speaking of that Frank guy, he did drink there occasionally with the rest of the Rat Pack — as the bar welcomed everyone “even back then,” according to Bressers. At the time, black performers — including Sammy Davis Jr. — were not welcome to hang out in the casinos they performed in, so, among only a couple of other locales, they went to Champagnes.

What Champagnes means to regulars and drifters of the past and present alike isn’t something you’re likely to find on social media (until recently) or a website. But the bar does need some TLC, and most everyone who visits or works there can tell.

During the day, the front door chimes open and shines light on the dusted, crushed and stained rug, most likely not changed out in decades — if ever.

Chips, cracks and splits line the bar as often as filled seats on a busy night, and the “fine food” noted on the sign outside is old enough that “fine food” hasn’t been served in Champagnes for a very long time — more than two decades, according to former bartender Jessie Medeiros.

The bar came under the ownership of Greg Sims about a year ago, according to Medeiros, known by most as Messy Jessie.

It’s not known what a “Bar Rescue” contract would entail, but most mentions from passersby in the street and private messages on social media say, “Please don’t change the wallpaper.” It’s whispered on Maryland Parkway that before signing a contract, Sims specifically demanded that the wallpaper couldn’t change during the rescue.

The show is hosted by Jon Taffer, whose company is based in Las Vegas. Taffer was not available for an interview, per Marion PR. Shana Tepper, a representative for Spike TV, said she could not confirm whether the show and Champagnes had signed a contract, but she said the show is in a “casting” stage.

The bar’s staff has had multiple meetings on the subject since Sims first informed them of the decision, according to Medeiros. Two bartenders, who asked not to be named because there has been no official announcement, confirmed Medeiros’ account.

Sims declined to comment for this piece, but multiple regulars at the bar said he mentioned the show to them. Other local bartenders were aware of the possibility of Champagnes being featured on the show months ago.

There’s no guarantee that Champagnes will ever be touched. Regardless of what happens with the bar, its fans won’t be shy about giving their opinion.

As one Facebook user said: “In a town where our history is destroyed on a yearly basis, Champagnes Cafe was the final spot to walk back in time.”

Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva