I was recently checking out Jim Croce's final concert. Amon the songs was one I didn't remember. The title of it is the same as a bar in Downtown Loveland. 'Wow! Maybe they named it after his song!', I thought.

Top Hat Loveland
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The Top Hat Lounge/Saloon has been on 5th Street in Downtown Loveland for a long time. So, it wasn't beyond reason that they may have named their establishment after Jim Croce's 'Top Hat Bar and Grille.' found on his 'I Got A Name' album. The curiosity was killing me, so I finally asked them.

I figured that the bartender wouldn't know, as she seemed too young to know how the bar got its name, but I asked her. She said I could ask the owner- who was sitting outside. 'Super!' I said.

I told Allen my theory about the Top Hat being named after the songs, and he said, 'Nah.. we were here in the mid-60s- the song came out after we opened.'  He does KNOW the Jim Croce song and agreed that it does sound a LOT like Loveland's long-standing, well-known, biker/dive bar.

So, my new theory is that Jim at one point passed through Loveland, stopped at The Top Hat for a beer and then wrote his song! Not that theory seems likely...

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