Crosby's Restaurant and Bar, also known asMrs Crosby's andMa Crosby's, is a historic bar inCiudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico, near theMexico–United States border. It was founded by Esther Crosby inDel Rio, Texas, in 1915 and relocated to Acuña in 1923, becoming one of the most popular eating, drinking, and dancing venues in Acuña. For some time it also included a hotel. It is referenced in scientific literature as the place of discovery of the miniature cactus speciesMammillaria luethyi. It is also mentioned in a song byGeorge Strait.
Esther Otamendi Crosby, known as "Ma Crosby", ofSalvatierra, Guanajuato, opened a smallcafé inDel Rio, Texas, in 1915.[2][3] It was situated on property behind what is now the Woolworth Building. During difficult economic times, Crosby paid a symbolic rent in the form of coffee or breakfast to her landlord,Jewish American merchantMax Stool. The business not only survived but flourished, relocating to Ciudad Acuña, just across theRio Grande border, in 1923.[3][4] Crosby personally greeted her patrons, and her establishment became one of the most popular on the border, renowned for its cleanliness, air conditioning, and high-qualityMexican food and beverages.[2][5]
Crosby's is located on Acuña's historic downtown and tourist strip, Calle Hidalgo, alongside theToltec Café and other clubs and restaurants, immediately next to theDel Río–Ciudad Acuña International Bridge.[2] It is well-known for its nostalgic ambiance:arched doorways,adobe and wood-paneled walls, wooden furniture (including originalbarstools), antiquebrass, floors of wood and original green and whiteceramic tile flooring, and black-and-white photographs ofMexican revolutionaries that decorate the interior. Occasionally also decorated withsombreros, the interior design evokes the atmosphere of aWestern film set.[3][6][7]
At one point, the site also included a hotel[4] and a dance hall.[3] Anorchestra played from 6 p.m. to midnight to encourage dancing. The addition of an outdoor patio, a hotel, and a curiosity shop transformed Mrs. Crosby's into a comprehensive destination for travelers while also becoming a favored venue for locals celebrating special occasions.[2]
The establishment has traditionally catered to a diverse clientele that includesU.S. tourists, particularly those crossing over from Del Rio,[3][6] local Mexican workers,U.S. oilmen, ranchers, andU.S. military personnel stationed at a nearby airbase.[7] Scientists frequented the establishment as well;[8] it is at Mrs Crosby's thatNorman Boke discovered a hitherto unknown species of cactus growing in a coffee can in 1952. The plants had been given to Mrs Crosby by a local miner and thrived on her windowsill before they were sent to be studied atSt. Louis,Missouri, where they promptly died; all that remained for the next 44 years were pictures of Mrs Crosby's specimens, including one photographed in the coffee can.[9]
Over time, Crosby's became a cultural landmark and a border icon,[4] attracting celebrities as well.[2] It is mentioned in the lyrics ofGeorge Strait's 1981 song "Blame it on Mexico". In the song, Strait humorously narrates a series of events during a visit to Mexico, mentioning an evening of excessive guitar music, tequila, salt, and lime, which ultimately led to a disrupted romantic encounter and a reflective aftermath.[7]
By 1983, the food quality had dropped and the restaurant closed, but the hotel continued to operate and the quality of drinks at the bar remained unaffected.[5] As of 2010, the bar was co-owned by Gabriel Ramos.[3][6] Business at Crosby's had been negatively impacted by several factors, including decreased tourism attributed to fears of violence associated withMexico's drug cartel war, stricterU.S. passport requirements, and reports of border violence in the media.[3] Its dance hall had been closed for a year and a half as of 2010 due to a decline in patrons.[3]