Welcome to Carmel’s Sports Bar and Grill, one of Anaconda’s iconic bars since 1936. Carmel’s was established by Carmel Dire. He opened for business on January 15, 1936, as a beer parlor, which became a stop for the streetcar that traveled 3rd Street. The building had previously been Morley’s Grocery Store and was extensively remodeled. The remodel included adding the horseshoe bar (still present today), a stage, a club room, and an apartment in the back where Dire raised his family. The bar for the men and the ladies’ lounge was divided by a wall because women were not allowed into bars. Carmel’s main goal was to have a place to entertain. Bands played Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons.

Later, he built the house next door on Alder Street, where his wine press was located. A tunnel is rumored to have connected the two buildings. He made wine and sold it out of the bar. A wine decanter was found there by another owner. Carmel also would buy grapes by the truckload and sell to the other Italians in town. Rumor has it that others’ wine was better than his.

In 1940, shuffleboard was all the rage so he purchased the board that is still in use today. He joined the leagues and many present-day teams still enjoy playing on the board. At some point, the wall that divided the building was removed; which allowed for more entertainment options. From 1957 to the early 1960s, the JEDTs (Jimmy Edwards, Dan Konan, and Timmy Calhan) were the act to see, and their floor show drew crowds waiting to get inside to see them. They had three floor shows per night. Two other big events were the annual New Year’s Eve party and New Year’s Day party, which the current owners, Shane and Tamara Charles continued starting in 2024.

Carmel’s Son, Vernie, joined the business, and after Carmel’s passing in 1966, he decided to discontinue the music. He was responsible for remodeling the exterior of the brick you can see today. He also sponsored softball, shuffleboard, baseball, bowling, and pool teams. He also hosted a daytime pinochle card game. He offered Italian food and had a store in the back to sell Italian food to customers. The story has it that he was a rich man from all the coins thrown up into the ceiling above the stage for entertainment. He owned it until April 30, 1993.

Mike Lewis became the next owner. He had a steak night and served up to 75 steaks per night. The bar caught fire on January 10, 2001, and damaged a lot of the building. The stage and most of the back of the building was destroyed. Mike sold to Deb Taylor and she turned the horseshoe bar around to be more efficient with the kitchen during her remodel. She opened in 2003 and only operated for a short time before she lost it to the bank.

Sean and Kathy Schulte opened on October 22, 2004. They remodeled the bar and operated it until 2019. Mark Magnusson and his wife Kymm bought and operated the bar for 4 years. They continued steak night and entertainment.

On December 27, 2023, Shane and Tamara Charles purchased the iconic bar and grill, and that brings you to the present day. Shane returned to his hometown with his family to now own Carmel’s. He was born in Deer Lodge and raised in Anaconda. His wife Tamara and four daughters can be seen working side-by-side with him, offering a full menu while retaining the charm, but bringing you great quality local homemade food, fun times, and a gathering place for the community. The owners plan to support and sponsor the shuffleboard, pool, and other local teams and events.

Thank you for choosing to eat, drink and make merry with us at Carmel’s Sports Bar and Grill.