The iconic, legendary and historic Oxford Cafe in downtown Missoula, famous for its late-night meals, for being open 24 hours for many years and for at one time serving brains and eggs, among other things, has been listed for sale for $5.25 million.
The Ox, as it is known, has been serving Missoula since roughly 1883, and there's no counting how many JJ's Specials (chicken-fried steak with JJ's special gravy) have been served over those 14 decades. There's even an entire book, written in 1983 and called "The Ox: Profile of a Legendary Montana Saloon," written by longtime Missoulian reporter and editor Steve Smith (who passed away in 2023).
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One interesting anecdote: The Ox was the unofficial campaign headquarters of former U.S. Sen. Mike Mansfield at one point.
The Ox moved to its present location on the corner of Higgins and Pine in 1955.
Current owner Bruce Taylor Howe, Jr., said his mother Joan Ogg Mulligan owned the building with her husband John Mulligan from 1985 until she passed away a year ago and left it to him. (There are many other partners involved in the ownership history, and Smith's book is a great resource for that.)
"I'm tired after 35 years and want to retire and go have fun," Howe told the Missoulian on Wednesday.
He said that Montana's labor shortage has made it hard for him to hire cooks and other staff.
"Getting employees is the hardest part," he said. "I don't have cooks. We aren't open 24 hours anymore. We had to shut it down. We're open from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. in the morning, but the food stops around 11 p.m. at night."
For a long time, The Ox boasted that there were no keys to the doors to the place because it was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Bill McFarland, a longtime owner of The Ox, was featured heavily in Smith's book. Employees loved him, apparently, as did the hundreds of local lumber mill workers who got meals there every week.
The real estate listing for the property, at 337 N. Higgins, was posted by Jennifer Cooney of PureWest Real Estate in Missoula. Cooney was unavailable for comment on Wednesday.
"Step into history with this rare opportunity to own one of Missoula's most iconic establishments," the listing says. "For the past 35 years, this landmark business has been under the stewardship of the same dedicated owners and is now ready for a new chapter. Located on a prime downtown corner lot, this 8,800 square-foot commercial building offers high visibility, walkability, and long-standing brand recognition."
The first floor includes a fully equipped bar and restaurant, private poker room and dedicated office space.
"Upstairs, the unfinished second floor features high ceilings and sweeping views of (the mountains)," the listing says. "It's a blank canvas ready for transformation into luxury condos, office suites, or event space with a rooftop deck. The property also includes three basements, offering generous storage or the potential for creative repurposing. The separate unused Pine Street entrance provides independent access, perfect for multi-tenant use or a second concept. Included in the sale are all furniture, fixtures, and equipment and the coveted Montana all-beverage liquor license with gaming, making this a truly move-in-ready opportunity for restaurateurs, operators, or developers."
Smith's excellent book on The Ox quotes former owner John Mulligan as he described the place.
"The Ox is like a little world unto itself," Mulligan said. "I refer to everybody here, employees and customers, as one big family. There has to be well over 100 people who come here every day, without fail. This is their home. There's a segment of the Missoula community that spends more time in the Ox than they do at home. They have breakfast with us, lunch with us and they cocktail with us in the evening."
David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian.
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