By Mary Jo Bishop, owner of Steggie’s 9th Ward Café
It’s rare for any small business to survive 80 years, let alone a third-generation neighborhood bar. Yet here we are — Steggie’s 9th Ward Cafe in Lebanon — just passing that incredible milestone.
Steggie’s has weathered a lot. When my grandfather, lovingly known as “Steggie,” opened the bar in 1945, Lebanon’s steel mills were booming. Workers would finish their shifts and stream into the bar, where my grandparents lived in the apartment upstairs. It was a true family business — and it still is.
Today, my husband Paul and I own Steggie’s, and, after everything the bar has been through, we are worried that legislation, Senate Bill 756 sponsored by Lebanon County Sen. Chris Gebhard, could be the thing that brings it down. The bill calls for a massive tax rate of 40% on skill games, which we can’t afford. (More on that in a minute.)
I took over Steggie’s from my parents in my early 30s. While the steel mills are long gone and 30 local bars have dwindled to just four, we’ve kept our doors open with hard work, long hours, and a deep love for this place and our community.
Steggie’s isn’t just a bar. It’s a gathering place, a familiar comfort where people come for dart leagues, karaoke, and maybe even some homemade meatballs from the crockpot. It’s a place where everyone really does know your name. When we recently marked our eight decades in business with a party, hundreds of people came to celebrate with us.
All the community support is amazing. But let me be clear: Steggie’s is still here today in big part because of the legal skill games we have in our bar.
Nearly 10 years ago, we installed these games that bring in customers and provide a lifeline for businesses like ours. People enjoy playing them, and when they win, they often celebrate by tipping big or buying a round for the bar. For us, it has meant steady supplemental revenue to make necessary repairs, invest in improvements and stay afloat.
Like so many small bars and restaurants, we face increasing costs on just about everything. The revenue from skill games helps us get by; it makes a big difference.
Thanks to those games, we’ve been able to pay our bills, hire help, and even give back. We’ve donated to local schools, children’s programs, playgrounds, the Humane Society, and veterans’ food drives. Most importantly, we’ve been able to support our disabled grandson and ensure he has what he needs.
This isn’t just about a bar. It’s about family. It’s about community. And it’s about small businesses trying to survive in a world that keeps getting tougher. That’s why we oppose Senator Gebhard’s bill. It will devastate our business.
Don’t get me wrong, I support regulating and taxing skill games. We want to see these games managed responsibly and kept available to the small businesses that rely on them. Regulation will ensure fairness, transparency and revenue for the state — while safeguarding a revenue source that has helped places like Steggie’s endure. I support Senate Bill 626, which is sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw and calls for a 16% tax increase on the games – the same as casino table games – and will give state police the tools they need to shut down illegal mini-casinos.
Paul and I hope Steggie’s can continue for years to come. Just like it did for my parents and grandparents, maybe one day, another generation will step in. But whether or not that happens, I know one thing for sure: skill games draw people into our bar. And without our loyal customers, Steggie’s might not be here.
This is why Paul and I are joining many other small businesses and fraternal organizations at the state Capitol Tuesday to tell lawmakers to think about our best interests and oppose Senator Gebhard’s bill.
If we want small businesses to survive — and thrive — we need to give them the resources to do it. For us, skill games are a big part of that equation. Let’s make sure we don’t tax and regulate them out of existence.
