Igor Margan, who created some of New Orleans' classic dive bars, died Dec. 4 at age 71, after living for years with cancer.

Susan Brooks, his longtime business partner, confirmed the news Monday.

Welcoming but slightly raffish, Margan's round-the-clock bars drew a mix of people from all walks of life, some seeking a night on the town and others just grabbing a drink after working the late shift. Patrons could even do their laundry in back while draining a few beers by the bar.

For the last week, though, some of the drinks raised in Margan’s establishments have been in tribute to the founder.

The businesses he developed have been part of the New Orleans bar scene for more than 40 years. The oldest, Igor’s Lounge & Game Room on St. Charles Avenue, dates to 1974.

It was followed by Igor’s Check Point Charlie on Esplanade Avenue, Lucky’s on St. Charles Avenue and Igor’s Buddha Belly on Magazine Street.

The bars will continue operating as usual, Brooks said, following a plan she said Margan laid out years ago.

Born in 1947 in what was then Yugoslavia, Margan left war-torn Eastern Europe with his family as a young boy and spent most of his life in New Orleans.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He had a stint selling insurance door to door but soon found his calling in the bar business.

While his name was etched in neon above the door of Igor’s Lounge, Margan himself was more of a behind-the-scenes proprietor than the face of the business. However, as news of his death has spread on social media, friends and former employees shared memories of him as a gregarious, generous man.

His bars each hold their own ground and have developed their own niches. Some are situated on Carnival parade routes and astride the commuting paths of people working in the hospitality industry downtown.

He once also had a restaurant, Igor's Garlic Clove, next to the original Igor's Lounge.

Check Point Charlie, meanwhile, hosts live music from local bands. When it opened in the 1980s at Frenchmen Street and Esplanade Avenue, that neighborhood's commercial strip was only just beginning its gradual transformation into a nightlife destination.

The bars are similar in many ways, with their 24-hour schedule; pool tables; menus of burgers and bar food, often prepared by the bartender; laundry machines; and, for their many regulars, good times.

Margan is survived by his wife, Halina Ring Margan.

Services were private.