Zoo Bar receives apology letter 45 years later

For most business owners a letter with no return address is usually not a great sign but for one Lincoln staple it turned out to be restitution over four decades overdue.

Zoo Bar in downtown Lincoln just celebrated its 46th year in business and they recently received a letter to make amends, for something that happened 45 years ago.

“45 years ago I broke the Zoo Bar sign. Here is my restitution.”

13 words, no return address and $500 dollars cash enclosed.

“The more I’ve thought about it the cooler it is,” said Pete Watters, the Zoo Bar’s current owner.

Watters is unsure what sign it was but he thinks the decision to send the money was probably bigger than just that.

“Did this really torment them all that long,” said Watters. “Or is it something else that inspired them to do that?”

Watters started at Zoo Bar as a bartender 33 years ago and has been the owner for the past 18. The manager at the time of the sign breakage has passed away.

“I think he would have thought it was great too,” said Watters. “It would have been a fun thing to share with him.”

Watters says while there is nobody to credit for the gesture he would like to thank them.

“It’s really humbling to know that somebody cared enough about this place that they wanted to make it right,” said Watters.