Buccaneer Bar, Las Vegas, Bella Ladies V-Neck Tee

Description

Nestled within one of downtown Las Vegas’s most storied landmarks, the Buccaneer Bar emerged as a vibrant thematic addition to the El Cortez Hotel & Casino, which originally opened in 1941. Following significant renovations led by founder J. Kell Houssels in the mid-1940s, the property added a suite of new amenities—including a nightclub and swimming pool—setting the stage for the Buccaneer Bar’s nautical flair. In 1952, amidst a grand reopening of the “new” El Cortez, the Rose Room cocktail bar was reimagined as the Buccaneer Bar. The transformation included playful pirate-themed décor—cocktail waitresses dressed in period-appropriate buccaneer costumes, giving guests a whimsical, immersive experience. The pirate motif extended beyond staffing. The adjacent supper club was renamed the Pirate’s Den, adorned with swashbuckling artwork and décor. In 1955, it made its mark by featuring Pat Gallagher as maître d’—notably, the only female maître d’ in Las Vegas at the time, adding both novelty and progressiveness to the venue’s charm. By 1957, the Buccaneer theme faded in favor of a more contemporary, sleek vision. Management phased out the pirate concept, and the supper club was rebranded the Cirque Room, signaling a shift in tone toward modern elegance. Though the pirate era was relatively short-lived—lasting several years in the early 1950s—it left a lasting impression. The Buccaneer Bar stands as a colorful footnote in Las Vegas history, reflecting an era when casino operators embraced thematic flair to create memorable guest experiences. It also showcased early efforts to diversify staffing, with Gallagher’s role marking a significant milestone. As part of the enduring El Cortez—recognized today on the National Register of Historic Places for both its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and neon signage—the Buccaneer Bar remains a testament to the property’s layered past. Today, guests discover its legacy in vintage matchbooks or period memorabilia that celebrate this whimsical chapter in downtown’s evolution.