The Stoneleigh P

The Stoneleigh P is a historic bar and grill in the Uptown neighborhood of Dallas, Texas.

Exterior shot of The Stoneleigh P in the Uptown neighborhood of Dallas, Texas.

History

Originally a drugstore called the Stoneleigh Pharmacy, it was converted and renamed by Tom Garrison in 1977. Garrison told D Magazine that he had simply smudged out the "harmacy" on the old sign, and that when he purchased the building there was a "leaking roof and rats the size of puppies."

In the 1970s, it was a center for counter culture and a hangout for artists. A 1980 fire burned the building to the ground, but it was rebuilt in the same location. At the time of the 1980 fire, the Stoneleigh P was the favorite bar of Dallas restaurateur Shannon Wynne; suddenly finding himself without his favorite "watering hole" inspired Wynne and his friends to open his first bar. The Stoneleigh P has maintained the same dark interior and recognizable red neon sign for its over 40 year history.

Because of its long history and proximity to downtown Dallas, it has become a regular meeting spot for public events such as those run by the Dallas Historical Society. In May 2018, former Dallas sheriff and Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez had a campaign event at the Stoneleigh P with her supporters. As journalist Jonathan Rienstra noted, "In a time when places have a troublesome tendency to exist for a blink of an eye, there’s something reassuring about how the P has maintained this corner of Uptown for more than 40 years, standing guard as young guns attempt in vain to establish themselves with gimmicks and false promises [. . .] It is a time capsule that holds thousands of stories."