About
Tune up that old piano, deal the cards, and raise a glass to Johnnie.
Johnnie’s Jazz Bar & Grille is dedicated to Johnnie Genevieve (Miller) Bills, a piano player for the silent movies at the very first B&B Theatres in 1924. Johnnie’s original piano has been restored and is sitting on our stage.
Johnnie (so named, by the way, since her father had selected Johnny as a boy’s name, expecting his third child might break the tradition of daughters) was playing at The Lyric theater in Salisbury, Missouri when Elmer Bills bought the location in 1924. Smitten by her natural charm, love of life, and youthful exuberance, Elmer fell in love and the two married a few years later. Their son Elmer Bills, Jr. would join forces with Sterling Bagby to formally create B&B Theatres. Johnnie would work at the theater her whole life, selling tickets and making friends with all who came to enjoy the magic of the movies. She was the life of every party and was beloved by everyone she encountered. A prodigious bridge player who loved a good bourbon, Johnnie lived the life she wanted and enjoyed every second. Our diverse selection of signature bourbons is a tribute to Johnnie, and we invite you to try one (or three) as you enjoy some live music, great food, and time with good friends.
So tune up that old piano, deal the cards, and raise a glass to Johnnie.
