If you’ve ever stepped into Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus and thought, ‘Why does this place feel like it belongs in a movie?’ — you’re not alone. That bar you’re leaning on? It’s more than 130 years old and once sat at the center of one of Columbus’s most iconic lost restaurants: The Clock.
But long before The Clock took over the space at 161 N. High Street, it was the home of Bott Brothers Billiard Parlor & Saloon, a Victorian-era watering hole with a story as dramatic as its bar is beautiful.
Before There Was a Clock, There Was a Fire
The Bott brothers — Joseph and William — opened their saloon in 1883 at 145 N. High Street, just down the block. Their place was everything a Gilded Age billiard hall should be: polished wood, good whiskey, and heavy mustaches.
But in April 1903, a massive fire tore through the Brunson Building, where the Bott Brothers were located. It spread quickly, damaging nearby businesses and tragically claiming the life of Fire Captain Daniel S. Lewis.
The Bott brothers didn’t quit. Instead, they moved their operation up the street to the Larrimer Building at 161 N. High Street, reopening in 1905 with their most prized possession still intact: the stunning 45-foot mahogany bar with mother-of-pearl inlay and Italian onyx columns — an award-winner at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
The saloon ran strong in its new location until 1923, when the Bott Brothers finally called it a day.
Enter: The Clock
Just two years later, in 1925, the space reopened as The Clock Tavern, later simply known as The Clock — a name that would stick for nearly 70 years.
The Clock wasn’t your average greasy spoon. It had a certain elegance, the kind of place where downtown workers in suits might grab a steak and a stiff drink at lunch, or where families came for Sunday dinner when they wanted to feel fancy.
Regulars still remember the dark wood paneling, the intimate booths, and of course, that bar — which stayed right where it was, the centerpiece of every era.
From Prohibition to boom times, The Clock stayed steady through it all. It was a local landmark long before people were calling things “iconic.”
Time’s Up: The End of an Era
In 1994, after nearly seven decades in business, The Clock served its last meal. But instead of gutting the space or turning it into just another bar, the new tenants embraced the history.
By 2000, the doors reopened as Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus. Today, the space mixes craft beer culture with Gilded Age elegance — but the original Bott Brothers bar still gleams at the center of it all.
So next time you’re sipping a Kolsch at Elevator, look around. You’re standing in a space that’s survived Prohibition, mid-century downtown decline, and Columbus’s rapid growth — and it still looks damn good doing it. This beautiful, timeless space serves as a poignant reminder of why historic buildings in Columbus deserve to be preserved.
