In the years Mary Lou rode a parade float on Loyalty Day, she was the most memorable entrant. (Some may remember she tossed $5 bills to the cheering crowds.)

Mary Lou Mandel 1921-2000

There’s scarcely a Peninsula resident who was “of an age” in the 1970s and ‘80s who doesn’t have a story about the indomitable proprietor of Mary Lou’s Tavern in Long Beach, Mary Lou Mandel. She was one of a kind, no doubt about it!

Mary Lou was born in the Willapa Valley, and grew up on the family farm along with a sister and two brothers. Their father, Peter, wan an immigrant from Bavaria, Germany and their mother, Elizabeth Deal, was a first-generation resident of the Valley.

Mary Lou graduated from the Willapa Valley High School in 1939 and soon went to work for Boeing in Seattle as a riveter — a job she held throughout World War II. She then returned to Pacific County, worked as a waitress at Bridges Inn in Raymond, and moved to Long Beach in 1952. With her partner Ray Wilis, she opened the Bending Elbow Tavern, which later became May Lou’s Tavern. It was known for its tasty food, madcap Halloween parties and spontaneous special events. (It’s now the location of Castaways restaurant.)

But mostly, the tavern was known for Mary Lou! She had big black hair and a whisky voice. She gave each man a not-so flattering nick-name and called every woman customer “Dolly,” except for a mysterious friend who lived nearby, referred to as “Annie Bedsprings.” (Eventually, it was learned that she was referring to her sister — but she never explained the reason for the sobriquet.

Her work uniform included a food-stained top, hot pants, fishnet stockings and white go-go boots. When on her own time, Mary Lou was always suitably and well-dressed, spoke softly, and was often the center of attention. She was warm and quietly generous. Few people outside the Long Beach Fire Department knew that her generosity over the years had paid for at least one fire truck!

Mary Lou rode on a custom-built float the annual Loyalty Day Parade, cheered enthusiastically for the University of Washington Huskies, and when she took a vacation, loved nothing better than driving to Reno in her Cadillac! In later years, Ben Stott often acted as her chauffeur and Mary Lou rode in style — “to the manner born” her many admirers would say.

Mary Lou sold the tavern in 1988 to Phil Norman. He made statewide news by saving 174,000 pennies during 18 years of tavern ownership and cashing them in for a car down payment.