Liquor up front. Poker in the rear.

[Benjamin Barrett]

I would swear I've seen that sign in bars in the 1970s in Alaska, though maybe "liquor in the front, ...."

The earliest hit I see for that variation is 1990: http://stuff.mit.edu/afs/athena/activity/h/humor/MIT/er.jokes

Benjamin Barrett
Seattle, WA

On Apr 21, 2012, at 7:02 PM, Garson O'Toole wrote:

> Barry recently examined the following saying and presented two initial
> matches with Google Books (GB) dates of 1984.
> 
> Liquor in front, poker in rear (bar sign)
> 
> http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/liquor_in_front_poker_in_rear_bar_sign/
> 
> The two links into GB for the 1984 cites now say "did not match any
> documents." But I am sure the links worked when Barry created the
> entry on April 1. Sometimes GB matches within books disappear because
> of problems with the GB database. (I recommend that researchers take
> screenshots to store information about page numbers and snippets for
> personal records.)
> 
> Here is match with a date of GB of 1980. Based on the volume numbers
> the match is probably in 1980 or 1981, but I have not verified it on
> paper. The wording is slightly different: "Liquor up front. Poker in
> the rear." The cite also gives a precise location for the sign:
> Stockman's Casino - Missoula, Montana.
> 
> Title: California sociologist.
> Author: California State University, Los Angeles.
> Publisher: Los Angeles, California State University.
> Volumes: 3-4
> Year: Circa 1980-1981
> (Unverified Google match; Data may be incorrect; Dates for volumes are
> ok. Quote is visible in snippets. Date probes ok.)
> 
> http://books.google.com/books?id=1Zi0AAAAIAAJ&q=%22Poker+in%22#search_anchor
> 
> [Begin excerpt]
> As with all status games, one also sees reverse snobbery where common
> activities and obscure places are boasted of: "beer drinkers get more
> head," "Four wheelers eat more bush," "Stockman's Casino - Missoula,
> Montana - Liquor up front. Poker in the rear.
> {End excerpt]

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