About Grazers Bar & Grill
“WHERE GOOD FRIENDS MEET”
In 1954, Jim and Margaret Eastburn opened Jim’s Bar (often referred to by locals as the “south” bar) on Highway 92 in downtown Arnold. It was a place where friends gathered for Saturday football games, to celebrate birthdays, to challenge someone to a game of cribbage, or just to unwind after a hard day at work. It was always full; everybody was always laughing and having a good time. It was a place everybody felt they could be.
The Eastburn family, with the help of son Lee in later years, ran this beloved business for nearly 60 years. At the center of it all was “the red table.” At any given time, you would find a variety of people sharing stories and drinks across a certain red-topped table. It would start with one or two people, soon they’d be joined by another, and another, until the table was full and additional chairs were angled in haphazardly around the corners. And as one person left, their seat was soon filled by another. It’s often been said that if that table could talk, it could write a novel about Arnold’s residents and visitors.
Eventually, it was time for the Eastburn family to pass the torch to a new owner. During this transition, Jim’s Bar suffered a devastating fire, destroying the interior and crushing a long-standing and much-loved business in the community. The building sat vacant, in a state of disrepair, for a period of time.
Two Arnold residents looked at the rubble and had a grand vision. Jesse Halstead and Annie Vettel purchased what remained of Jim’s Bar in 2018 and began its transformation. The building underwent extensive remodeling for several months and was stripped all the way down to the bones. Two additions were added, the building was completely refigured, and a modern kitchen and amenities were added. The result was a brand-new restaurant and bar that rivals those typically found in a much larger city.
The bar reopened on May 24, 2019, with a new look and a new name: Grazers Bar & Grill. An excited alumni crowd filled the space once again, sharing stories of the “good old days” at Jim’s Bar while embracing the promise of something new. Though the building had been transformed, the spirit of the place remained—welcoming, familiar, and full of life, just as it had always been.
For several years, Jesse and Annie carried that vision forward, creating a space where neighbors gathered, laughter echoed, and new memories were made alongside the old ones. They honored what came before while building something of their own, ensuring that Grazers continued to feel like home to many.
But as is often the case in life, chapters change. In early 2026, ownership once again passed to new hands. Joyce Bass of Maxwell saw not just a business, but a legacy—one worth preserving. With a deep appreciation for what Grazers meant to Arnold and the surrounding area, she reopened the doors in April 2026, ready to carry the tradition forward.
And what about the red table? Surprisingly, it survived the fire and continues to have a home at Grazers Bar & Grill. The base has been repainted, but the top is original, showing signs of wear from decades of hands and elbows upon it. It’s a tribute to Jim’s Bar and represents people’s memories from the past, those in the making, and ones yet to come.
Relationships are an important part of small-town living, and so, with the Eastburn family approval, Grazers Bar & Grill adopted the Jim’s Bar tagline: “Where Good Friends Meet.”
We welcome everyone to join us at the red table…it’s where good friends (still) meet.
Phone
(308) 848-2900
Location
208 W Arnold Ave
Arnold, NE 69120
Hours
Mon closed
Tu-Th 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
F-Sa 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Sun 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.