Welcome to a Topeka tradition – Speck's Bar and Grill. While you are here we thought you might enjoy reading a "speck" of our history.

Our story begins in 1957 when Franklin (Speck) Benge decided to get out of the concrete business. Knowing he had a growing family to feed, Speck cemented his feet in the Seabrook Tavern. He promised his wife, Lou, they would only run the place a year – "till something else came along."

But Speck discovered that the bar business gave him ample time for his great love of fishing. And he and Lou liked the Seabrook and its growing band of loyal patrons. The first year passed and Speck and Lou were caught up by the Seabrook – hook, line, and sinker.

Speck’s popularity soon became apparent as his customers began to refer to the Seabrook Tavern as Speck’s (Speck got his nickname due to a receding hairline that revealed a large number of "specks" all over this head). So it didn’t take long for the names Seabrook Tavern and Speck’s to become synonymous.

Speck’s became a well known hangout for fishermen, as well as other sportsmen. To find out the score of a ballgame or where the big ones were biting, a stop at Speck’s was all that was necessary.

It was in the early 1970s that a new tradition began at Speck's. It was the Turtle Hunt. It became an annual event for many years to come and was always held on the second Wednesday in August. The day would begin with everyone arriving at Speck’s to drink a few beers and throw a dollar in the "pot" before heading out to a designated pond for a day of turtle fishing and beer drinking.

Lou Stewart would start the turtle fishing by "calling" the turtles out of the mud with a couple of smacks on the water surface with a boat oar. The "pot" money would be divided among those who caught the first, the most and the largest turtles.

Following the Turtle Hunt a date would be set for another Speck tradition – the Wild Game Feed. This special day gave everyone a chance to taste the turtles caught, as well as other types of wild game tavern patrons would cook up and bring in to share with their fellow beer drinking buddies..

Many Washburn University alums will remember that when the legal drinking age in Kansas was 18, Speck's was a popular place to tip a few brews after classes. And Speck’s was also a favorite watering hole for many softball teams throughout the years.

In 1987, Speck became ill with cancer. Even so he continued to work in the bar until a few months before his death in February 1988. His daughter Debbie purchased the tavern prior to Speck’s death.

In December of 1989 Debbie married Carl Maichel and they decided to move the Seabrook Tavern in a new direction by opening a kitchen in May of 1990. This was the beginning of yet another Topeka tradition – the three pound hamburger.

Through a lot of hard work the grill became a huge success and in 1992 the bar was voted the "Best of Topeka" for serving the best hamburger in town.

Debbie and Carl were blessed with the birth of a son, Jacob, in August of 1994. When Debbie found out she was going to have another child in 1996 it was decided to lease the tavern out so more time could be devoted to the new family.

With the birth of Matthew in August of 1996 Carl and Debbie were going to take it easy for a while. Carl had just retired from Goodyear Tire and Rubber and Debbie was going to be a stay at home mom. They moved to a farm in Jefferson County and life was good. However, Debbie became bored and opened a hamburger business in nearby Ozawkie.

In July of 1998 a daughter, Madison, was born and the hamburger business was sold so Debbie could spend more time at home. But once again plans changed. In December 1998, Debbie was notified that the person who had leased the Seabrook was giving up his lease without notice. So, it was back to Topeka and back to running the bar – with only a day’s notice.

Then in 2006, Debbie decided to spend more time with her family, so once again she leased the bar out and even sold rights to the bar's Seabrook name. But after three years, she took over the business once again in July of 2009, and renamed it Speck's Bar and Grill -- in honor of her father. With Carl still enjoying retirement (as much as he can with three school age children to transport to their daily activities), Debbie is now running the day-to-day operation of Speck's with the assistance of a great crew of bartenders, servers, and cooks helping her.

With good food and friendly service, it hasn’t take long for the old customers to start coming back. Many of the long time patrons are more like family than customers. With the addition of liquor and expanded late night hours, young and old customers alike are finding night time at Speck's a popular place to be.

So, as you make your selection of one of our popular sandwiches, set back and enjoy the atmosphere and know you are part of a Topeka tradition. This family-owned and operated bar has been serving customers like you for more than 50 years.

Thanks for coming, and please come back soon!