tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-235637602024-03-17T20:03:27.749-07:00Rotgut.org BlogFive thousand bars and countingpetergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.comBlogger2343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-71611619229044795492024-02-22T11:53:00.000-08:002024-02-22T11:53:13.185-08:00 #5579 - The Adams Hotel, Greenville, PA - 2/21/2024<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPlYB2mfdPIQtOTh337QXwTIUd5CWKfCDzB4xGdm8pnlQrYiKI7bB03IZl4QhPk64hWcmxclnkzmusCmdkeYKkd9cbe4HhmoJtzJVvyTIH62eSsJjDBOciTeWJvR2UMgFOWrFTRA3QUkpEmjqMiRf2woa4dhOdA1yQQNb5TyhYT8F5fpA-1Xb/s4032/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPlYB2mfdPIQtOTh337QXwTIUd5CWKfCDzB4xGdm8pnlQrYiKI7bB03IZl4QhPk64hWcmxclnkzmusCmdkeYKkd9cbe4HhmoJtzJVvyTIH62eSsJjDBOciTeWJvR2UMgFOWrFTRA3QUkpEmjqMiRf2woa4dhOdA1yQQNb5TyhYT8F5fpA-1Xb/s320/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-089.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adams Hotel Bar<br />Greenville, PA </td></tr></tbody></table>The Adams Hotel Bar has been sitting just off the Shenango River since current owner Richie Williams' father bought it in 1951. Richie bought it when his dad retired at 88 years-old. It's a comfortable old neighborhood dive here in Greenville, some 80 miles north of Pittsburgh and 80 miles east of Cleveland, and home to the Werner Company, the world's largest manufacturer of step and extension ladders.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike most bartenders in similar joints, Richie wears a tie every day, hanging from below his white beard, lending him a sort of professorial look.</div><div><br /></div><div>The sign out front is a bit confusing, giving no reference to a bar, and containing the tag line "Where Your Family." I forgot to ask exactly what was meant by this (Where you're family? We're your family?).</div><div><br /></div><div>Out back there's a small patio overlooking the river, and to the left of that is a much larger porch that Richie is going to add to the current bar, along with the building beside it.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n-0TFN6idwWfyb2auCrwCy3FXzBRXNczuTqazPYZcsTy0ExF21WsS2OtU2WTpK5_iVZqW3p3JZkl1kwy2cC6rGSD9Np9olYCnALXz-wUhBK3WRCNABNDyWgOLhllUkvGtQvOCoU1lDJUUSJOITB_6vfTnzetOm8a468pKrlw3igRAH8nloZf/s4032/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n-0TFN6idwWfyb2auCrwCy3FXzBRXNczuTqazPYZcsTy0ExF21WsS2OtU2WTpK5_iVZqW3p3JZkl1kwy2cC6rGSD9Np9olYCnALXz-wUhBK3WRCNABNDyWgOLhllUkvGtQvOCoU1lDJUUSJOITB_6vfTnzetOm8a468pKrlw3igRAH8nloZf/s320/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-091.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I had just eaten a chili dog at the Majestic Bar and Grille -- which is said to have been famous for them since it was established in 1920. But both Richie and patrons like Chris assured me that the Adams now has the superior chili dogs, so a return visit is absolutely necessary so that I might judge for myself.</div> <br />
106 Main St, Greenville, PA 16125 - (724) 885-1111
<br />
Est. 1951 <br />
Previous bars in this location: None known <br />
Web site: None<br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/adams-hotel-greenville" target="_blank">yelp</a> <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWaPTNY0QbH-fgRxQflvUvbw8qN2tcv5sG-az49iv_ujH7GUSGPoYSb1nJEzZVdnbTGkIH86WrlWEd5VJouAdvIopKMTetBWibuKyZmOh64Oe7uJPiNFj4ktmhyphenhyphenRObsSqCKZlJqnlSPYQHGEAKCiJRmkCGgaTi7uvtgptmUvPTXL7gXJis5tr/s4032/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWaPTNY0QbH-fgRxQflvUvbw8qN2tcv5sG-az49iv_ujH7GUSGPoYSb1nJEzZVdnbTGkIH86WrlWEd5VJouAdvIopKMTetBWibuKyZmOh64Oe7uJPiNFj4ktmhyphenhyphenRObsSqCKZlJqnlSPYQHGEAKCiJRmkCGgaTi7uvtgptmUvPTXL7gXJis5tr/s320/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-090.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOJF_ziANnBywKcjygqlsh1nBSsYyjC7jZHLdkbY0TNkv1Qox5du2z2Ob_zZ9ViwXv-fCktVJB2X1qk6Qda2CPqmCiI6Jnmk1YEhuPETLKbJpru-UrTmcZjDwZ7HdSSynrUxbJfbiZREOaW5NQNoUmnr47ITDa__J0_xGt-DWnFN6fjGwfRMK/s3578/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3578" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOJF_ziANnBywKcjygqlsh1nBSsYyjC7jZHLdkbY0TNkv1Qox5du2z2Ob_zZ9ViwXv-fCktVJB2X1qk6Qda2CPqmCiI6Jnmk1YEhuPETLKbJpru-UrTmcZjDwZ7HdSSynrUxbJfbiZREOaW5NQNoUmnr47ITDa__J0_xGt-DWnFN6fjGwfRMK/s320/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-093.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hhBk0FtWmE9cVx6WskPao6yrGDHT_D6HAYIBpp1-PUB_bT_Ugk2KpDU_zwz7k9Ypq9tioiJb39phipHJ2_QN-BwZPXP6scW71RTeBLscC5sEo21sf1XOcWb1GW9cY71J__JxJ3F6mH6NwmxvXTNxkUTpx1jnLba_52J-zC5U4LGDpaz5mb47/s4032/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hhBk0FtWmE9cVx6WskPao6yrGDHT_D6HAYIBpp1-PUB_bT_Ugk2KpDU_zwz7k9Ypq9tioiJb39phipHJ2_QN-BwZPXP6scW71RTeBLscC5sEo21sf1XOcWb1GW9cY71J__JxJ3F6mH6NwmxvXTNxkUTpx1jnLba_52J-zC5U4LGDpaz5mb47/s320/adamshotel-greenville-pa-2024-02-21p-094.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-21565869255953933952024-01-11T20:19:00.000-08:002024-01-12T12:20:49.959-08:00 #5538 - La Carafe, Houston, TX - 1/6/2024<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeMVhEeLNPo9PhYErU6hhVzIsJ4kP-nKYnKolBmYPWONnvqNRBiO5vatBfkqWJnvz_EqYx3GZGlnVxU7g6EzTBmBFGlEQSIzzTbl8UVBq-bx8ZY7u322Ff9h2HM6ciPgE5cq5GaZX_ymtr5fZdJHn9a-noFxvQnjIyD4B_qwpGzTvfy13Wt6R/s4032/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeMVhEeLNPo9PhYErU6hhVzIsJ4kP-nKYnKolBmYPWONnvqNRBiO5vatBfkqWJnvz_EqYx3GZGlnVxU7g6EzTBmBFGlEQSIzzTbl8UVBq-bx8ZY7u322Ff9h2HM6ciPgE5cq5GaZX_ymtr5fZdJHn9a-noFxvQnjIyD4B_qwpGzTvfy13Wt6R/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-273.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Carafe, Houston, TX<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Established in 1955 in a downtown Houston building constructed in 1860, "La Carafe" is often referred to as both the "oldest bar in Houston" and the most haunted site in the city. I'll leave the latter claim to the ghost chasers, and the former is highly dubious; but it is an old and wonderful bar housed in one of, if not the oldest commercial buildings in the city.</div><div><br /></div><div>The oldest bar in Houston is not a question I can answer. There are various places that make the claim, most of them starting during Prohibition or in the two decades after, and pretty much none of them having a clearly established date of when they were established as a licensed bar, rather than an ice house, grocery, etc. The history of the La Carafe location goes back to the Kennedy Bakery, built by Nathaniel Kellum in 1847. As the <a href="https://torimask.blogspot.com/2014/02/la-carafe-houstons-oldest-building-1847.html" target="_blank">torimask</a> blog notes:</div><div><blockquote>"Let that sink in just a minute. 1847. Ten years before, Houston was incorporated, with a population of 1200 people. Sam Houston is head of the Republic of Texas."</blockquote><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5oOe_K3wma9r2-8ORVtm7kuxNkAwegbmU_rxW_nBswJYubKfK4rwwX8GpyFlenz3JTsuxFhyagt-lxHB7wUWIKCHbjzgoCgRZl1ut5FB65ZopQ8X2JdR160vb-vt1MECHJfZ-NeYvP6WqRAWwMQj4vFlJ5P3CB2BiS5ZUks6YrmGVAExYiUG/s3812/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="3812" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5oOe_K3wma9r2-8ORVtm7kuxNkAwegbmU_rxW_nBswJYubKfK4rwwX8GpyFlenz3JTsuxFhyagt-lxHB7wUWIKCHbjzgoCgRZl1ut5FB65ZopQ8X2JdR160vb-vt1MECHJfZ-NeYvP6WqRAWwMQj4vFlJ5P3CB2BiS5ZUks6YrmGVAExYiUG/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-278.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Carafe, Houston, TX</td></tr></tbody></table><br />That original structure was destroyed by fire, leading to the current building being completed here a few blocks from Houston's first steamboat landing, where the Kennedy Bakery sold hardtack during the civil war. In subsequent years the building is said to have hosted a Pony Express stop, an apothecary, a print shop, a drugstore and a hair salon. In either 1955 or 1957, James Harrison leased the space and opened a bar named Le Carafe. Then in 1963 the place was purchased by William V. Berry, who appears to have tweaked the name to "La Carafe," and who is responsible for the vast number of portraits, old photographs and antiques, said to be from his travels around the world and also a large estate sale in New Orleans.</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eLUI-mY1kiSamgFOyQD-gKXj6sLn2jky0SzDH9yRWaQma8Gi9CL64nTecNsjdKBwim5uyXsQzk8BxIvJJHYQYpbzlL_BDUMLaUY_MuZH6GzmkgViF6BhgcWvRSKShq84zQNGk8ZfPgWOSosu-MMjnpjLGWP2UTDU3V_W5euURjwp2gya7VqT/s3315/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3315" data-original-width="2932" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eLUI-mY1kiSamgFOyQD-gKXj6sLn2jky0SzDH9yRWaQma8Gi9CL64nTecNsjdKBwim5uyXsQzk8BxIvJJHYQYpbzlL_BDUMLaUY_MuZH6GzmkgViF6BhgcWvRSKShq84zQNGk8ZfPgWOSosu-MMjnpjLGWP2UTDU3V_W5euURjwp2gya7VqT/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-077.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Carafe, Houston, TX<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>So to Mr. Berry we owe the veritable museum, but we are also indebted to the subsequent owners for preserving the artifacts and lovely ambiance of the business. It was purchased in 1987 by Warren Trousdale, who died the following year, leaving the bar (and also the nearby "Warren’s Inn") to his younger sister, Carolyn Wenglar, who has run it ever since. A Rice University "Owlnet" <a href="https://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hans320/projects/lacarafe/building.html" target="_blank">article</a> observes:</p><p></p><blockquote>'Since 1988, Wenglar has kept La Carafe at it's original, mellow best, hiring bartenders who have been with La Carafe for her entire duration as owner. Though many people have offered to buy the place from her, Wenglar has said that the building is not hers to sell. Its a building, she says, that belongs to the public and she is none too anxious for entrepreneurs to make it into a law firm. Aside from her interest in the history and preservation of La Carafe, Wenglar says of her life as owner and manager, "It's been fun, real fun, and I like it."'</blockquote><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5OWp-RQatolCaOnMLSbFgUyxpQARlp8W6ZDKAPVUd6OsQ63YY8waQean7-_qayjBj8Y2drIBPplDq-hiF1unnLnXAFAfnYK4M7-wWUoV9NocceRpNeQb-ttcVDvgwbtn__0tnUBiA_2w1rvJhB1EoX230a3J0mIYo1bQZXNBoQGtjhQOfgg0/s4032/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5OWp-RQatolCaOnMLSbFgUyxpQARlp8W6ZDKAPVUd6OsQ63YY8waQean7-_qayjBj8Y2drIBPplDq-hiF1unnLnXAFAfnYK4M7-wWUoV9NocceRpNeQb-ttcVDvgwbtn__0tnUBiA_2w1rvJhB1EoX230a3J0mIYo1bQZXNBoQGtjhQOfgg0/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-268.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As a sort of collector of information on antique back bars, it's a bit frustrating that I have not found any background on the two very interesting such bars (one on each floor). If anybody has any information on these, I would love to hear it.<p></p><p>Today the bar remains a chill, comfortable, happily dark place to grab a drink and have an interesting conversation. It is wine centric, with additional beer choices, and steadfastly refuses to allow a television inside. On my visit, bartender John helpfully let me and some other first time visitors take a look at the second floor and balcony, which are only open on weekends, and which just further cemented the place as one of my very favorite bars I've ever been to.</p></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeg1lkU9Xk9Oy1OZ5XX6XqTyaVTAa4GREEi-GWqDdw-UNF2FKOOX8hWi_V6SaXS9C4f-pLkOcNp8-oUoEiAc9YAHeXon8XIhV9rWyV14QT33C_EaKGGtsjQuwDRtN7GsdqHeRpEZ0ubZMLHRANjeWghKGiSIUR9yyOI-7ESuaJjj6L-WnLasi/s3969/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2939" data-original-width="3969" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeg1lkU9Xk9Oy1OZ5XX6XqTyaVTAa4GREEi-GWqDdw-UNF2FKOOX8hWi_V6SaXS9C4f-pLkOcNp8-oUoEiAc9YAHeXon8XIhV9rWyV14QT33C_EaKGGtsjQuwDRtN7GsdqHeRpEZ0ubZMLHRANjeWghKGiSIUR9yyOI-7ESuaJjj6L-WnLasi/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-281.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGmSenUOKf1YS6UaJf8BGQY15OCr4YVY1dSMnEXXi5PvGVn-DOi_fBXJzSqS4b06d6HevbtG8kZ9GJQfDMcPZFElCoMYdH7L_rsWc_YZ5ZIhsMBYTIG3J3ZCsHiHuEoYLkBwwvQZ_JJ2eH-BEyQwbCFd_laZ_L9UQi4sbMUn6L0RCTapDZfil/s3722/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3722" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGmSenUOKf1YS6UaJf8BGQY15OCr4YVY1dSMnEXXi5PvGVn-DOi_fBXJzSqS4b06d6HevbtG8kZ9GJQfDMcPZFElCoMYdH7L_rsWc_YZ5ZIhsMBYTIG3J3ZCsHiHuEoYLkBwwvQZ_JJ2eH-BEyQwbCFd_laZ_L9UQi4sbMUn6L0RCTapDZfil/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-294.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlxC4UFt5sCXtVYXFnXljAzbjWQdZlKt-EfBIps7Rf2qsFSo85IkgBkqagcF5D1Ouf3e2m7SxBu2taogBf1X5DMpyIjIH9T4hQX_rYaSXA0EF6i3981UgjbOEyyg8jqe5RwrTT9_yh1oTxM-S_Qf9qsZGgUF6af0HrOSBLLWmLz7SjZOt0VbX/s4032/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlxC4UFt5sCXtVYXFnXljAzbjWQdZlKt-EfBIps7Rf2qsFSo85IkgBkqagcF5D1Ouf3e2m7SxBu2taogBf1X5DMpyIjIH9T4hQX_rYaSXA0EF6i3981UgjbOEyyg8jqe5RwrTT9_yh1oTxM-S_Qf9qsZGgUF6af0HrOSBLLWmLz7SjZOt0VbX/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-316.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHTt7xjMBvtdNxoolbZixTjWiHjW_zRRYcRZsvOQlCsrVhVF_zh7VZWqC7ufMLQFPktFiVAptuet8pEDtXxWtxyJIYGz4WGHXfaT-jbMN_0vFxgJMtMfiCNV46L8oYf6aUoSp3tzYwS580soQZSjxlE4mS0ZzKFUCxOWCvMzCj4ps1SIfC2FP/s4032/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHTt7xjMBvtdNxoolbZixTjWiHjW_zRRYcRZsvOQlCsrVhVF_zh7VZWqC7ufMLQFPktFiVAptuet8pEDtXxWtxyJIYGz4WGHXfaT-jbMN_0vFxgJMtMfiCNV46L8oYf6aUoSp3tzYwS580soQZSjxlE4mS0ZzKFUCxOWCvMzCj4ps1SIfC2FP/s320/lacarafe-houston-tx-2024-01-06p-277.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
813 Congress St, Houston, TX 77002 - (713) 229-9399
<br />
Est. 1955 - Building constructed: 1860 <br />
Previous bars in this location: None known<br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/La-Carafe-100063761131450/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Articles ranked: <a href="https://savingplaces.org/stories/la-carafe-in-houston-texas?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwP6sBhDAARIsAPfK_wYBS-6bSY3cVCB7dnKodXDB3L38vFCGWaiF-TE2rksF_pn1xmVfJmsaAl0oEALw_wcB" target="_blank">savingplaces.org</a> - <a href="https://torimask.blogspot.com/2014/02/la-carafe-houstons-oldest-building-1847.html" target="_blank">torimask</a> - <a href="https://texashighways.com/eat-drink/return-to-la-carafe-houston/" target="_blank">texashighways</a> - <a href="https://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hans320/projects/lacarafe/building.html" target="_blank">owlnet.rice.edu</a> - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5utX3vFWJM" target="_blank">greatdayhouston</a> (video) <a href="https://usghostadventures.com/houston-ghost-tour/la-carafe-houstons-most-haunted-bar/" target="_blank">usghostadventures</a> - <a href="https://www.houstoniamag.com/eat-and-drink/2023/03/la-carafe-is-a-cozy-celebration-of-houston-s-past" target="_blank">houstonianmag</a> - <a href="https://secrethouston.com/oldest-bar-in-houston/" target="_blank">secrethouston</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-carafe-houston" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g56003-d104702-Reviews-La_Carafe-Houston_Texas.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.chron.com/chrontv/this-forgotten-day-in-houstonredesign1/article/La-Carafe-Houston-s-oldest-haunted-bar-6831418.php" target="_blank">chron</a> - <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/ake-a-look-inside-one-of-the-oldest-most-haunted-bars-in-texas/2793853/" target="_blank">nbcdfw</a> - <a href="https://www.houstonpress.com/location/la-carafe-6792930" target="_blank">houstonpress</a> - <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/bars/houston/la-carafe" target="_blank">cntraveler</a> </div></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-44981669325810854122023-12-05T09:39:00.000-08:002023-12-05T09:55:04.254-08:00#4988 - Stone House, Wharton Township, PA - 1/29/2023<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcmp8TWdQuAj8df3qT1UbVJVhBeFCaX2v75wx-8_wmOjyelyaBnJQVsQIQuPnajMfyik7Gh5WMViq1ahQoWjNr5XnO8QJWr5AfI0wQQKk3rt1h0KUkoyWAZo93JVlGmzpv3CdKKwHngcx2UyKFPlzc0P8EgyrpCtYF-qB8Mp3I0P3tMI0fan0/s4032/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-006.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcmp8TWdQuAj8df3qT1UbVJVhBeFCaX2v75wx-8_wmOjyelyaBnJQVsQIQuPnajMfyik7Gh5WMViq1ahQoWjNr5XnO8QJWr5AfI0wQQKk3rt1h0KUkoyWAZo93JVlGmzpv3CdKKwHngcx2UyKFPlzc0P8EgyrpCtYF-qB8Mp3I0P3tMI0fan0/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic Stone House Restaurant, Farmington PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Stone House Restaurant and Country Inn is a semi-formal bar, restaurant and hotel in a historic building just north of the Laurel Highlands and West Virginia border. Along the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Road" target="_blank">National Road</a> first proposed by George Washington, and approved by President Jefferson, it is also just two miles east of Fort Necessity, where Lt. Col. George Washington fought his first battle against a large force of French and Indians. It first opened as an inn in 1822, and was largely closed to the public from 1909 until 1964, when it was purchased and reopened by the remarkable Fannie Ross.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am indebted to the small publication <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stone-House-Legends-Marci-McGuinness/dp/0938833286" target="_blank">Stone House Legends & Lore</a> by Marci Lynn McGuinness, from which I shall liberally assimilate and quote:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgqsmBDBGLB1yPZN3s-DBC3zrX_bpk-18vvvVDpdJm9KKSAniIFnQvkx2b09jDGNMQ5uya8Ro4KpVl1ebgXcQAxk2DOlgOCOXcD8FWb7IaXHwfKB7keyi1o9WwAgu0LJstgWh7IgRt-5LWz8mjAKrMzI8KaqE3IaRO2Gqp5ral_7h4iQSButx/s4014/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-012.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3001" data-original-width="4014" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgqsmBDBGLB1yPZN3s-DBC3zrX_bpk-18vvvVDpdJm9KKSAniIFnQvkx2b09jDGNMQ5uya8Ro4KpVl1ebgXcQAxk2DOlgOCOXcD8FWb7IaXHwfKB7keyi1o9WwAgu0LJstgWh7IgRt-5LWz8mjAKrMzI8KaqE3IaRO2Gqp5ral_7h4iQSButx/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>"The new Fayette Springs Hotel opened in 1822, affording spring dwellers a comfortable inn. Billiards, a ten-pin alley, swings, fine meals, and overnight accommodations attracted wealthy visitors."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The building was constructed by longtime U.S. Congressman Andrew Stewart, who was the first to make industrial use of the power of Ohiopyle Falls with a sawmill above the drop. His sons built a large mill there and expanded their father's Ferncliff Hotel. Stewart died in 1872 and in 1877 Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart sold the hotel to Captain John Messmore, who leased the business to Samuel Lewis and then William Snyder.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDuicBve7sUhUMyGW3WGRIQY_EDj8C7wRrtt12GaKSn-N9wviH88QFaZpHbPwuLIDmaDPDLU4skZOvxWj1ZXbFY9I_rEWR5bQcVARJl9qkbleOvsSVaBYcEicjmdN-d9xOdDYZVOIYCla21WbiwzZ9ONPOGA_EdSSKohJCReWaZeiTZ_ze3IN/s4032/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-008.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDuicBve7sUhUMyGW3WGRIQY_EDj8C7wRrtt12GaKSn-N9wviH88QFaZpHbPwuLIDmaDPDLU4skZOvxWj1ZXbFY9I_rEWR5bQcVARJl9qkbleOvsSVaBYcEicjmdN-d9xOdDYZVOIYCla21WbiwzZ9ONPOGA_EdSSKohJCReWaZeiTZ_ze3IN/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On August 3, 1909, George Flavius Titlow purchased the building and property from Albert and Annie Boyd. Titlow immediately added a large addition to the building and named it the Stone House. He installed parque floors and fancy woodwork with fireplaces in every bedroom. This was used as the family's summer and weekend home.</div><div><br /></div><div>After Titlow died, the family leased the building to Jack and Ethel Ray from 1941 to 1946, where Ethel ran Ray's Stone House restaurant and rented rooms (there was no tavern). In 1944 the Titlows sold the place to Rev. James Bouras, who a month later sold it to Stephen Samonas. Samonas built a tavern by enclosing the left porch, and leased the business to several people over the years, including Baron Karl and Russell Shearer. Upon his death in 1963, Samonas's sister sold the building to Fannie Ross and her friend James "Gene" Cardine.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXq81979AABCQYzuXUzQgiN8Eg9QLXFf2E3O6M5AHOysyqRndi9cHmmBtPc78bbgH2tdt3rkGuNmd9HKDUHGZZ9wpXx4JATHYrpnJ1psr6o2tJxH6vCO7jWj2vZ-Y67tYqim4GKPit0mEyZ8BfKl_20Q8TwGM74dVcWEO5_LiyHMPSZXnRgkim/s4032/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-023.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXq81979AABCQYzuXUzQgiN8Eg9QLXFf2E3O6M5AHOysyqRndi9cHmmBtPc78bbgH2tdt3rkGuNmd9HKDUHGZZ9wpXx4JATHYrpnJ1psr6o2tJxH6vCO7jWj2vZ-Y67tYqim4GKPit0mEyZ8BfKl_20Q8TwGM74dVcWEO5_LiyHMPSZXnRgkim/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>"The mountain people didn't want me up here. I was an outsider. They did a lot of things trying to get rid of us, but they couldn't."</i> -- Fannie Ross, quoted in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stone-House-Legends-Marci-McGuinness/dp/0938833286" target="_blank">Stone House Legends & Lore</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Fenalba "Fannie" Cassurole was born in Connellsville in 1907. Her mother died in childbirth while she was three and her father passed within six months of that. She was adopted by her Uncle Carl only to see him perish in a mine accident on the day they were set to return to Italy. Subsequently raised by her Uncle Chubby, an orphanage, and the nuns of a local Catholic school, Fannie would go on to an arranged marriage. When her husband's gambling resulted in their bills not being paid, Fannie built a career as a bootlegger and owner of a speakeasy. Her husband died of black lung in 1950.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg9B2wFDDL3AewgCOYZq6AN7kxYzmgOfKp8S15839s9K7HQCRKvJp_6t6jc5giEKcdWLAXkPcPSYRTovkwHauqBylNWLOsXbNqMjL5-otBVpkrbLY351ZW4D45tiV8yQ5ihqymN2hkIe0WD6Au4skcMlNaZd__ARJSDovrCNHe_tJqqDzFK6t/s3251/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-031.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3251" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg9B2wFDDL3AewgCOYZq6AN7kxYzmgOfKp8S15839s9K7HQCRKvJp_6t6jc5giEKcdWLAXkPcPSYRTovkwHauqBylNWLOsXbNqMjL5-otBVpkrbLY351ZW4D45tiV8yQ5ihqymN2hkIe0WD6Au4skcMlNaZd__ARJSDovrCNHe_tJqqDzFK6t/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-031.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>Fannie would hold her own with some very rough characters back in her day, and according to Marci Lynn McGuinness this included shooting three men: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>'The miners got out of hand in her Cardale speakeasy one time and Fannie told them to keep it down. Her husband was ill and trying to sleep. One of the men hit Fannie and they got into it. He knocked her down in back of a booth and she found a bottle and broke it. She went after him and they fought more. Then he kicked her dog. "He kicked my dog who was trying to help me. That made me mad. I went behind the bar and got my gun and shot him in the pelvis."'</i></li><li><i>'Another time I had a little place called the Coffee Pot on Route 40 and this man wouldn't pay his bill.... There was about six of them from Keister. They were drunk and I had two of my friends sitting at a table. I told them "You pay the bill or else." "Or else what?" one of them asked. I didn't even take the gun out of my pocket I just shot him."'</i></li><li><i>"One time a carload of young men stopped late at night at the Stone House. They wanted to use the phone but Fannie wouldn't let them in.... Carl came and gave one of the guys a ride to Hopwood to get some gas. Fannie told the rest of them to stay in the car while Carl did them a favor. One of the men challenged her and came toward her in an unfriendly manner. She shot him in the foot."</i></li></ul></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVckLEQvZlBBrBLnKmAE_IMBRYpQ0Xpv0MJFGTC9g_RpRCOqWMonveQyKXPpTZDzsulg6GYX9Cp99mYJf_BJYqCdIlvbATXA-4_AiRzxp8fgXchtakinA8Bwd5lRNvLN7hFiJwiUapojFabSzjeml20lWrMvhRANSjUNZcUNuYIAdFSrHwW2w/s4032/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-044.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVckLEQvZlBBrBLnKmAE_IMBRYpQ0Xpv0MJFGTC9g_RpRCOqWMonveQyKXPpTZDzsulg6GYX9Cp99mYJf_BJYqCdIlvbATXA-4_AiRzxp8fgXchtakinA8Bwd5lRNvLN7hFiJwiUapojFabSzjeml20lWrMvhRANSjUNZcUNuYIAdFSrHwW2w/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Fannie and James opened the new Stone House restaurant in April of 1964. Fannie would cook ravioli, spaghetti, lasagne and gnocchis, and Gene would cut steaks to whatever thickness the customer wanted. After Gene passed away in 1973, her son Carl and his family moved back to town to help keep the business running. Fannie finally sold the business to Fred Ziegler in 1995 when both hers and Carl's health issues made continuing impossible.</div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to fulfilling Fannie's exacting requirements of new owners, Fred and Rhonda Ziegler put in a very substantial amount of remodeling and upgrades, including uncapping original fireplaces, exposing the original hardwood floors, and furnishing it with various antique pieces including what MAY be a Stradivarius violin. They also brought in accomplished chef Carl Fazio, who had served an apprenticeship at the Hyehold and worked the second inaugural dinner for Ronald Reagan. Chef Carl would go on to be named 1996 chef of the year by the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Culinary Association.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8voFBP2TH_V7KojKM4YgByiJD6-XHDcRdY9vJdwbHfFhFzzw9o4lYT144m4MGECsUENq7i_FewVf10GbwjtfF1gbzqnmd7ekaMTtf7PTAtXmp-tS_UgfB1xb8MKrWT9RQFnJRJ7cKLIrQolrqf2ZnOzxxyQj_m3RUDGE7uqZl3jDB8vmcmCaM/s3773/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-015.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2856" data-original-width="3773" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8voFBP2TH_V7KojKM4YgByiJD6-XHDcRdY9vJdwbHfFhFzzw9o4lYT144m4MGECsUENq7i_FewVf10GbwjtfF1gbzqnmd7ekaMTtf7PTAtXmp-tS_UgfB1xb8MKrWT9RQFnJRJ7cKLIrQolrqf2ZnOzxxyQj_m3RUDGE7uqZl3jDB8vmcmCaM/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-2023-01-29p-015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today, the inn continues the tradition of a formal chef with an Italian-focused menu, and hosting visitors to the local springs, rivers and hills for over two centuries.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4A3tu7SULHw97Vl4oEtxyQuTlsNQd7tULYm7-wxWhFz5bGeixlvh0OvBSRfhHN_hLPJ260ydqF1FQOn0_PQCx8S3vXhxW6p_U9Bxlm1jPWeOA_nVssejhZuD3Du0V0a-vmnwEYqVJ-fs7VcshBKfewyrxImtuqjwk4y7n1WKeBW3OcUqsCea/s1055/stonehouse-farmington-pa-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1055" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4A3tu7SULHw97Vl4oEtxyQuTlsNQd7tULYm7-wxWhFz5bGeixlvh0OvBSRfhHN_hLPJ260ydqF1FQOn0_PQCx8S3vXhxW6p_U9Bxlm1jPWeOA_nVssejhZuD3Du0V0a-vmnwEYqVJ-fs7VcshBKfewyrxImtuqjwk4y7n1WKeBW3OcUqsCea/s320/stonehouse-farmington-pa-map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
3023 National Pike, Farmington, PA 15437 - (724) 329-8876
<br />
Est. 1963 (first opened as an inn 1822) - Building constructed: 1822<br />
Previous bars in this location: Fayette Springs Hotel <br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.stonehouseinn.com/" target="_blank">stonehouseinn.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StoneHouseRestaurant/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://exploreroute40.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/mile-55-the-stone-house-restaurant-and-inn-farmington-pa/" target="_blank">exploreroute40</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/stone-house-restaurant-farmington" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60812-d522542-Reviews-Stone_House_Restaurant_and_Inn-Farmington_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.ourhauntedtravels.com/post/our-stay-and-visit-to-the-stone-house-restaurant-and-country-inn" target="_blank">ourhauntedtravels</a> - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayette_Springs_Hotel" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> </div></div><div>Book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stone-House-Legends-Marci-McGuinness/dp/0938833286" target="_blank">Stone House Legends & Lore</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-80832328152048173362023-12-04T11:28:00.000-08:002023-12-04T16:20:24.588-08:00 #5500 - Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN - 11/24/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK0cHX_VuWhMo_yoU4Bpvghqus-ULeAePNRKxoTcACUXSEzlBXK-pgFpkhA5ywUbPegHR3Hpx_j9tzKxER_TO4yQuGrHzPxZco5oQ1ETrTcS7Kh4XdeMtIhtr3F_4dHoH0IL-oKH3XuhiyVil5EVbR47QB-EOf8EAfxzXojWIYnFTPYSaKqfY/s4032/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-118.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK0cHX_VuWhMo_yoU4Bpvghqus-ULeAePNRKxoTcACUXSEzlBXK-pgFpkhA5ywUbPegHR3Hpx_j9tzKxER_TO4yQuGrHzPxZco5oQ1ETrTcS7Kh4XdeMtIhtr3F_4dHoH0IL-oKH3XuhiyVil5EVbR47QB-EOf8EAfxzXojWIYnFTPYSaKqfY/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-118.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN<br />Painted sign said to date back to 1850 origins<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I've added the Slippery Noodle Inn to my most favorite bars list for its history and for its current incarnation as a great blues hub. While headliners play in the back room, I enjoyed regulars Reverend Robert and Washboard Shorty, and learning the history of the place from enthusiastic bartender Zach, whose father once worked the place. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is such a staple of Indy nightlife and the blues scene that it has a mammoth list of past celebrities who have performed and or visited, e.g. Greg Allman, Billy Joel, John Mellencamp, Albert Collins, Edgar Winter, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Harrison Ford, Dave Matthews, The Blues Brothers Band, John Entwistle, Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Neil Diamond, Robert DeNiro, Liza Minnelli, Harry Connick, Jr., and Spike Lee.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Aelo60DDRP9xHIzGFg57TXvrelUVIAPxUUiwLhkTuJxkxCXpBhbqEjQePeNUT28b46BwwGIfaOR771y3yEpOHc9I7BE4_WQQ_MSO_mVGlV3gdZirkkNpjFD0BOrum7pC9RNLbc2VmB3jeW43Sos605rYlvuTmcCM0UcLjktM2jOdUPoJvXsE/s3732/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-121.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="3732" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Aelo60DDRP9xHIzGFg57TXvrelUVIAPxUUiwLhkTuJxkxCXpBhbqEjQePeNUT28b46BwwGIfaOR771y3yEpOHc9I7BE4_WQQ_MSO_mVGlV3gdZirkkNpjFD0BOrum7pC9RNLbc2VmB3jeW43Sos605rYlvuTmcCM0UcLjktM2jOdUPoJvXsE/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-121.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The bar makes certain claims to being the oldest continually operating bar in the original building in the state of Indiana; and while this relies on us granting its history under several different names and beating out the Knickerbocker in Layfayette (est. 1935) in some way I don't quite understand, there's no questioning the great history of building and gin joints here. And with such antiquity it has been found, inevitably, to be <a href="https://cbs4indy.com/in-your-neighborhood/blues-booze-bullet-holes-and-human-remains-the-spooky-stories-behind-indianas-oldest-bar/" target="_blank">haunted</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was great to get all the pointers from Zach, but still the bar's <a href="https://www.slipperynoodle.com/" target="_blank">website</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyXcl6HsUAf0EZaZ_ntGxMZIMtaPDfaVf8JnU-2HnRHL1baO2c0gpv2XshZdiZF9QkgZkot0onHPc91KHjaPq5IGgm2ZMew-wMc55FU5EErYuu0eIQ9NytC4dWROlZBYioX5Bu8zkRH_7wNu7dt7_bhgMwNZQfSbQi8e-lgMgnNLnWBHDzpvP/s4032/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-148.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyXcl6HsUAf0EZaZ_ntGxMZIMtaPDfaVf8JnU-2HnRHL1baO2c0gpv2XshZdiZF9QkgZkot0onHPc91KHjaPq5IGgm2ZMew-wMc55FU5EErYuu0eIQ9NytC4dWROlZBYioX5Bu8zkRH_7wNu7dt7_bhgMwNZQfSbQi8e-lgMgnNLnWBHDzpvP/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-148.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Reverend Robert and Washboard Shorty<br />Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>"The Slippery Noodle Inn was originally founded in 1850 as the Tremont House. It is Indiana's oldest, continually operated bar in the original building. The Noodle is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Originally it was a roadhouse (predecessor to the Holiday Inn) and a bar. It has traditionally been owned by people of German descent and it was one of the first German clubs in Indianapolis. The Noodle has been through several name changes over the years. In the 1860's the name was changed to the Concordia House. This name came from the first German Lutheran immigrant ship to land in the new world (the Concord)....</p><blockquote><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1SKp_FzqOhkoJB401PfomyaP8IomkQxOjyc2ynmkA1b_oJr730yDMd_ymkZnviu6rH9v8w5amiCT3083w9Cs8jZw1hS35W_gpzHNqvinkaXLkCFTVvcBlZoPc8MDggoTCRByUSMI2CleTXj_70gnvni8jETVYxp5qsOCFC8w0znI4Y1FRRsg/s4032/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-126.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1SKp_FzqOhkoJB401PfomyaP8IomkQxOjyc2ynmkA1b_oJr730yDMd_ymkZnviu6rH9v8w5amiCT3083w9Cs8jZw1hS35W_gpzHNqvinkaXLkCFTVvcBlZoPc8MDggoTCRByUSMI2CleTXj_70gnvni8jETVYxp5qsOCFC8w0znI4Y1FRRsg/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-126.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>In later years the name was changed to the Germania House. It remained the Germania House until the start of World War I at which time German associations were to be avoided so the owner, Louis Beck, changed the name to Beck's Saloon. Prior to Prohibition, Walter Moore purchased the saloon and named it Moore's Beer Tavern. During Prohibition it was renamed Moore's Restaurant (although beer was still made in the basement). After Prohibition ended in 1935, it was renamed Moore's Beer Tavern. In the late 1940’s Boris Petercheff purchased the saloon.... Boris ran the tavern until early 1963 when Emelia Finehout, the property owner, took over. She found out all too quickly that she did not enjoy running a tavern, and promptly put the business up for sale.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9o32I9xzvr7LEZZNT68byH74mRTgRVZbBlCwIbE2W0kggGKZuKIf1bSBYclKzn2MHjfqLlQowVlCtC3hZI5JLS6gWjL0bXu0cnahNnm8yQJ0hx-dS-BBf30wmDLPj5erxrMtbQ8kGrvaQaekoznN4KlVg_58Z6HsH8_5HXxz8VOJ2-jishPL/s4032/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-134.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9o32I9xzvr7LEZZNT68byH74mRTgRVZbBlCwIbE2W0kggGKZuKIf1bSBYclKzn2MHjfqLlQowVlCtC3hZI5JLS6gWjL0bXu0cnahNnm8yQJ0hx-dS-BBf30wmDLPj5erxrMtbQ8kGrvaQaekoznN4KlVg_58Z6HsH8_5HXxz8VOJ2-jishPL/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-134.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Harold and Lorean Yeagy (Hal’s parents) bought the bar in late 1963, taking final possession on December, Friday the 13th. The "Slippery Noodle Inn" was named by Hal's dad after a lengthy family debate (Hal was six years old). Names were thrown out for the family to vote on and at about 5 a.m. "Slippery Noodle Inn" sounded pretty darn good. The Noodle has remained in the Yeagy family since that time. Hal took over the bar in 1985 after his father's death and since that time it has grown from a one room lunch counter into the Midwest's premiere blues club. [Note: in March 2023 the bar was sold to Jason Amonett and Sean Lothridge.] </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7KMGdlwaHx8u9rnwKKa-fb4lbo0KKJLmbn0sLJam7qYYharI9Ce99ysoas2V-I97L7Kt7PfEpfxXvxgbaFFpFOi-CUATvmMkiCU2G1TY-5T0uG0JN6smBY1PZc2wfCv30f2o-urDMu7hS0hELTX3KdNxwf00HgzK_DqM3CwUlQgs-dl7ZJTS/s4032/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-129.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7KMGdlwaHx8u9rnwKKa-fb4lbo0KKJLmbn0sLJam7qYYharI9Ce99ysoas2V-I97L7Kt7PfEpfxXvxgbaFFpFOi-CUATvmMkiCU2G1TY-5T0uG0JN6smBY1PZc2wfCv30f2o-urDMu7hS0hELTX3KdNxwf00HgzK_DqM3CwUlQgs-dl7ZJTS/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The "Inn" has been used in all types of activities. In the Civil War years it was a way station for the Underground Railroad. Later years saw a bordello open in the once luxurious Inn. It remained open until 1953 when a patron was killed. Two customers of the bordello got into an argument over one of the women, one killing the other and leaving the bloody knife on the bar. During Prohibition the Brady & Dillinger gangs used the building in back, originally built as a horse stable for the Inn, for target practice. Several of the slugs remain embedded in the lower east wall. In addition to liquor and beer being distilled in the building, cattle and swine were slaughtered and butchered in the basement. The meat hooks and water lines can still be found in the basement.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6KvPllMh79Ez3MbpnI6ThugdS9-5lwMfCpTT-0aI9FFMeUvInRzQtwCeJRVVLCboqJ1_R6F8TX93GcllvkjDKnaz0AjxnjN-HH2wLZeXmrZjf8GAlmH3weFUsu5CQ0OlzGwwd_EuEYucrV2qOL1Q-JrbmlMv2blrGRkeZLl9kWWxTtKQfe8T/s4032/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-119.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6KvPllMh79Ez3MbpnI6ThugdS9-5lwMfCpTT-0aI9FFMeUvInRzQtwCeJRVVLCboqJ1_R6F8TX93GcllvkjDKnaz0AjxnjN-HH2wLZeXmrZjf8GAlmH3weFUsu5CQ0OlzGwwd_EuEYucrV2qOL1Q-JrbmlMv2blrGRkeZLl9kWWxTtKQfe8T/s320/slipperynoodle-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-119.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The ceiling in the front barroom is made from pressed tin. It was installed circa 1890. The "tiger oak" bar and back bar are well over a 100 years old and believed to be original. The trough at the edge of the bar was used as the cash register in the olden days. The "honor" system worked or else the colt 45 did! The Noodle is the oldest commercial building left standing in Indianapolis and the Tremont House sign painted on the north side of the building dates back to the 1850's."</div></blockquote><div></div></div><div><div> </div><div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
372 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225 - (317) 631-6974
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Est. Dec 7, 1963 (1850 as Tremont House) - Building constructed: year
<br />
Previous bars in this location: Tremont House, Concordia House, Germania House, Beck's Saloon, Moore's Beer Tavern<br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.slipperynoodle.com/" target="_blank">slipperynoodle.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheSlipperyNoodle/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Articles ranked: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/drink/indianapolis/wholesale-district/slippery-noodle-inn-history-indianapolis-hal-yeagy" target="_blank">thrillist</a> - <a href="https://cbs4indy.com/in-your-neighborhood/blues-booze-bullet-holes-and-human-remains-the-spooky-stories-behind-indianas-oldest-bar/" target="_blank">cbs4indy</a> - <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/dining/bars/2023/03/02/slippery-noodle-indianapolis-sold-for-first-time-in-60-years/69963079007/" target="_blank">indystar</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/slippery-noodle-inn-indianapolis" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g37209-d1114602-Reviews-Slippery_Noodle_Inn-Indianapolis_Indiana.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://phantomhistory.com/episodes/the-slippery-noodle/" target="_blank">phantomhistory</a> - <a href="https://breadedtenderloin.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/slippery-noodle-indianapolis/" target="_blank">breadedtenderloin</a> - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_Noodle_Inn" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> - <a href="https://indyencyclopedia.org/slippery-noodle-inn/" target="_blank">indyencyclopedia</a> - <a href="https://cbs4indy.com/in-your-neighborhood/blues-booze-bullet-holes-and-human-remains-the-spooky-stories-behind-indianas-oldest-bar/" target="_blank">hmdb</a> (historical marker)</div></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-39401529177960369992023-12-03T17:04:00.000-08:002023-12-03T17:04:34.630-08:00#5498 - St. Elmo Steak House, Indianapolis, IN - 11/24/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QCcMrabC01ecJgUp3Wn6nFRhwc1js8t6ORgri-i48y2kf-C4_PZ8mQV9WA8-wuVWcksr_H2vHFH83Ojegljakh_L3kuJsMeOHYxbhXavEEq66avInLLLNEYvT_oJo5RRL_F97wHJLxVx4XkFcIKDgELiBj5_OGtRSWWIq1MGPpfnAyt39IkE/s2946/stelmo-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2881" data-original-width="2946" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QCcMrabC01ecJgUp3Wn6nFRhwc1js8t6ORgri-i48y2kf-C4_PZ8mQV9WA8-wuVWcksr_H2vHFH83Ojegljakh_L3kuJsMeOHYxbhXavEEq66avInLLLNEYvT_oJo5RRL_F97wHJLxVx4XkFcIKDgELiBj5_OGtRSWWIq1MGPpfnAyt39IkE/s320/stelmo-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-077.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Elmo Steak House, Indianapolis, IN<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>St. Elmo Steak House was founded in 1902 in Braden's Block of Indianapolis, constructed in 1875. It is said to be the oldest steak house in the country. Founded under the St. Elmo name and run as a relatively modest tavern for most of its life, the business expanded into the neighboring building, upgraded the menu, and added a top class wine cellar in 1996. The vibe is very much classic steak house, which, of course, benefits from the historic setting.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>The restaurant and lounge both contain antique back bars -- probably Brunswick, but not standard models. Both bars contain round columns around a single central section. The restaurant bar tops the columns with cherub-faced capitals (ala Brunswick models such as the "Los Angeles"). It has large, egg-shaped appliques on the corners. This Tiger-maple bar is said to have been imported from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Similar but not identical models reside in Glascott's in Chicago and the Smokehouse Saloon in Greybull, WY. The model in the restaurant's "1933 Lounge" is considerably more simple, featuring some oddly shaped (cracked?) pieces in the top facade, and an unusually simple trim framing the central mirrors.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFVAeFxWzxsc3BEx1UFfkGj-vAI2v-y1IKppBPC22GECxOK90ZUsUZRszpSCJ2i5EJko_zKL4S-CPlBE2J-BJitBRApem2V1JuZAeIJMwe3DmDyWrca0XSjoqjWTguxCBmeOFjkXTSZfonG-Lj0GMZFq0AyJCo_fRVwNE8-Ecr0mi92kClFNm/s4032/stelmo-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFVAeFxWzxsc3BEx1UFfkGj-vAI2v-y1IKppBPC22GECxOK90ZUsUZRszpSCJ2i5EJko_zKL4S-CPlBE2J-BJitBRApem2V1JuZAeIJMwe3DmDyWrca0XSjoqjWTguxCBmeOFjkXTSZfonG-Lj0GMZFq0AyJCo_fRVwNE8-Ecr0mi92kClFNm/s320/stelmo-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-089.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The upscale steak house of today attracts business people and has been a favorite of people like Peyton Manning and NFL owners. (At certain times of year it is described as "an extension of the NFL combine.) It has been named an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation. The cocktail menu is not particularly exciting, but contains several classics. We also sampled St. Elmo's famous shrimp cocktail -- four large shrimp covered with their signature, burn-out-your-nosehair-spicy cocktail sauce. According to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo_Steak_House" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> the restaurant orders four tons of horseradish a year.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK-lRdiyWZUg08aLB-neA8-YbmA5lTrBU1K5TBULVUlucYy8pvVC3wcwi8iv0LFD5Lvz2IbghSquWC_skxkY_yqU8zVkBEf6ZhxPB3ISaqlc6g7WiO1R136BJBvje1KMC1HaP20bM_ZNuljZl2ytNJCQrAXX8-DbC_XsV2iA7PTEdYEEz3hfq/s4032/stelmo-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK-lRdiyWZUg08aLB-neA8-YbmA5lTrBU1K5TBULVUlucYy8pvVC3wcwi8iv0LFD5Lvz2IbghSquWC_skxkY_yqU8zVkBEf6ZhxPB3ISaqlc6g7WiO1R136BJBvje1KMC1HaP20bM_ZNuljZl2ytNJCQrAXX8-DbC_XsV2iA7PTEdYEEz3hfq/s320/stelmo-indianapolis-in-2023-11-24p-097.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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127 S Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46225 - (317) 635-0636
<br />
Est. 1902 - Building constructed: 1875<br />
Previous bars in this location: None known<br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.stelmos.com/" target="_blank">stelmos.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stelmosteakhouse/" target="_blank">facebook</a> - <a href="https://www.1933lounge.com/" target="_blank">1933lounge</a> <br />
Articles ranked: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo_Steak_House" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> - <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/sports/football/nfl-combine-steak-house-deals.html" target="_blank">nytimes</a> - <a href="https://varrtravel.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/st-elmo-steak-house-indianapolis-dont-miss-this-one/" target="_blank">varrtravel</a> - <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/great-american-bites-indys-st-elmo-serves-steak/story?id=15670827" target="_blank">abcnews</a> - <a href="https://damonrichard.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/st-elmos-steakhouse-indianapolis-in/" target="_blank">damonrichard</a> - <a href="https://www.candacelately.com/2023/08/indianapolis-in-edition-st-elmo-steak.html" target="_blank">candacelately</a> - <a href="https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2020/02/13/st-elmos-indy-tradition/41737713/" target="_blank">columbiadailyherald</a> - <a href="https://www.tastingtable.com/1457397/st-elmo-steak-house-indianapolis-history/" target="_blank">tastingtable</a> - <a href="https://roadfood.com/restaurants/st-elmo-steak-house/" target="_blank">roadfood</a> - <a href="https://www.gayot.com/restaurants/top-best-steakhouses-in-the-usa.html" target="_blank">gayote</a> - <a href="https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/food-and-drinks/dining/st-elmo-steakhouse/" target="_blank">indianapolismonthly</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/st-elmo-steak-house-indianapolis-3" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g37209-d399506-Reviews-St_Elmo_Steak_House-Indianapolis_Indiana.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.frommers.com/destinations/indianapolis/restaurants/st-elmo-steak-house" target="_blank">frommers</a> - <a href="https://hungrytravelers.com/st-elmo-steak-house-is-indianapolis-classic/" target="_blank">hungrytravelers</a> - <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/ehkj45hghe/st-elmo-steak-house-indianapolis/?sh=256b54ef4954" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">forbes</a> - <a href="https://www.visitindy.com/listing/st-elmo-steak-house/43961/" target="_blank">visitindy</a> - <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/indianapolis/restaurants/st-elmo-steak-house" target="_blank">thrillist</a> </div></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-71600947152277178682023-11-13T16:17:00.000-08:002023-11-13T16:17:15.871-08:00#5485 - Open Range Grille, Mount Pleasant, PA - 11/11/23<div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQetNbfpHlZ4eLhhCFuejza3mrIvkjCSkg2SdpfuRTumoG7xBRQsMp-JKaQvUNgeB9U3GbLKE1-8nJnX4bUois959crlyBvaM2LHHSZLiFxT6ilLgwrv6htXzqN-v5YLaPtyjv82N7eZIKW60k3mNxZUrz9rfceJT_oVz6Ab2vMobUqIoafPq/s3310/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3310" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQetNbfpHlZ4eLhhCFuejza3mrIvkjCSkg2SdpfuRTumoG7xBRQsMp-JKaQvUNgeB9U3GbLKE1-8nJnX4bUois959crlyBvaM2LHHSZLiFxT6ilLgwrv6htXzqN-v5YLaPtyjv82N7eZIKW60k3mNxZUrz9rfceJT_oVz6Ab2vMobUqIoafPq/s320/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-022.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Open Range Grille<br />Mt. Pleasant, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Well, if you have a hankering for a bison burger, or an elk burger or just some fried alligator bites anywhere in the Mount Pleasant, PA area, you better get down to the Open Range Grille soon. Owner Marie had a very friendly and open chat with us in front of the pretty, art deco, antique back bar. The restaurant is more the vision of her son and co-owner Jason, who converted their sports bar into a more family friendly establishment, with a woodfired oven and unique menu items. They bought a bunch of new equipment and hand made the wooden tables and various other decor.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">It may have been a little much for a small old mining and manufacturing community, some 45 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. In any case, the timing was tragic. The restaurant opened during COVID, and has been trying to recover from the challenges of the closures, and those that linger still in food prices and hiring.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKe0ZV9MZxXi20hD8xu77UqvttiG2TTUS3GmvT4R1-DrJ6F8rGJAftaJ7rnG74XPnplptLPSjUo0eKjdGAFRWZ6tp6qdMarwBolubsA4tJh0jOTfqpDtcu7jmUvBmz1RHBsRMJAarqbTA2xdeABPJeCseE2H9RPUangW3Mben8ezg7vetg8fa/s4032/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKe0ZV9MZxXi20hD8xu77UqvttiG2TTUS3GmvT4R1-DrJ6F8rGJAftaJ7rnG74XPnplptLPSjUo0eKjdGAFRWZ6tp6qdMarwBolubsA4tJh0jOTfqpDtcu7jmUvBmz1RHBsRMJAarqbTA2xdeABPJeCseE2H9RPUangW3Mben8ezg7vetg8fa/s320/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-041.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Open Range Grille<br />Mt. Pleasant, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>The location is attractive, right in the historic Kelly Hotel, where the bar area was the original lobby. It still has the original tin ceiling, and Marie says that art deco back bar probably moved to this location from another in town in the late 30s. Neon lettering over the middle door to the upper apartments shows that it once housed the Sons of Italy Club.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">For almost two decades Marie and Jason had run the EndZone sports bar in the northwest half of the ground floor, before expanding to both sides and remaking the business. The Open Range Grille opened for takeout Aug 17, 2020, then Sep 21 for dining in, then back to takeout only when COVID closures commenced Dec 10. Marie also owns and operates the Gluten Free Oven bakery just up Main Street. She arrives there early in the morning to prepare baked products, before putting in long days at the restaurant.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCh4tvXUNYYolXd2pmXoK5LmRI2kAfMei93JIJN2Cmtpc6FABpmf_Fvplp932_Ji9AZw_V_HvqyjAWkms8xyVT_umepANuSpuWQzPJrhog8ADgWuAsVLJohGrr7il3bvEP6ixOUGha9uYAHIYCSunDWaDu1_uY0d38vsmPeTJCFx-WXPfLghyphenhypheni/s3496/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3496" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCh4tvXUNYYolXd2pmXoK5LmRI2kAfMei93JIJN2Cmtpc6FABpmf_Fvplp932_Ji9AZw_V_HvqyjAWkms8xyVT_umepANuSpuWQzPJrhog8ADgWuAsVLJohGrr7il3bvEP6ixOUGha9uYAHIYCSunDWaDu1_uY0d38vsmPeTJCFx-WXPfLghyphenhypheni/s320/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With expenses continuing as income was buffeted by all the challenges, Marie said it's unlikely they'll recover enough to pay off the SBA loans and operate profitably in the near future. Jason and she will probably be forced to either sell the place and declare bankruptcy and auction off the equipment.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Restaurants and bars are always a risky business, but it's a shame not only for two good people who have been working hard, but for the community, and even rambling bar fans like me. Not only would it mean losing some unusually interesting food choices, but who knows what will come next, and if the historic hotel space and the beautiful back bar will remain available for visitors to see? In any case, I wish the best in fall future endeavors for Marie and Jason.</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bUpVfqgZMg_FhuayEyOTtRU-If8O3TXcx8A0tp_sCU3_gP_SpSwkTOn3sDZPA4k7u4BxTUwScR0InIvJyqxlv6zKyqcJWWr102su0GdUy8OdmeGUlpPePv_pfwKPZTASXhtDIiRg2SB8EUnw94QfvEOftJISJlfs_SdxCMY7efjtVoyQ20kB/s3928/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2890" data-original-width="3928" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bUpVfqgZMg_FhuayEyOTtRU-If8O3TXcx8A0tp_sCU3_gP_SpSwkTOn3sDZPA4k7u4BxTUwScR0InIvJyqxlv6zKyqcJWWr102su0GdUy8OdmeGUlpPePv_pfwKPZTASXhtDIiRg2SB8EUnw94QfvEOftJISJlfs_SdxCMY7efjtVoyQ20kB/s320/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pY4vimhbwJHnlnO8yLCMpRjRbM13fOE-tTWhBUIFAF38SODSFXUPahgdwWb71pRuJPX0feez7Krcc1Yz72fSpiAiTy2RELAMPp0bbgx4VVVYLwv9ApsTIfJZfWaVsnmdFcvormuhwjKA7mn0-XUADUHYcDjtPdeBU4zpzg0ZK4BV4VzZuE7w/s3472/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="2895" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pY4vimhbwJHnlnO8yLCMpRjRbM13fOE-tTWhBUIFAF38SODSFXUPahgdwWb71pRuJPX0feez7Krcc1Yz72fSpiAiTy2RELAMPp0bbgx4VVVYLwv9ApsTIfJZfWaVsnmdFcvormuhwjKA7mn0-XUADUHYcDjtPdeBU4zpzg0ZK4BV4VzZuE7w/s320/openrangegrill-mtpleasant-pa-2023-11-11p-046.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
512-514 W Main St, Mt Pleasant, PA 15666 - (724) 542-9663
<br />
Est. 2020 - Building constructed: 1800s<br />
Previous bars in this location: The EndZone Bar <br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OpenRangeGrilleMP/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/daynelle.sanner/videos/10223561640813028" target="_blank">What's Happening in Mt. Pleasant</a> (facebook video) - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/open-range-grille-mount-pleasant" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g53256-d21359786-Reviews-Open_Range_Grille-Mount_Pleasant_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-62050020766148096542023-11-13T11:57:00.000-08:002023-11-13T11:57:38.191-08:00#5476 - Stanley's Bar and Grill, Ford City, PA - 11/6/23<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvVoX5ewZ-2rA2OkWpiTNmopgQqMuV4J4fzAG_61xkCvRAVgnL1VLp2uUS18F3KgQ4IE_eOJUZ_kOOTtZIRuHtAa-4vlTUvQ9VpSfRifYseWZMUTxXqBfDTNK1fL5Gz1Qn0eJy_Nhs7sphDtL3a9GVKved3AaI9f9uUx8Srr90tDpS-BK9kmQ/s4032/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvVoX5ewZ-2rA2OkWpiTNmopgQqMuV4J4fzAG_61xkCvRAVgnL1VLp2uUS18F3KgQ4IE_eOJUZ_kOOTtZIRuHtAa-4vlTUvQ9VpSfRifYseWZMUTxXqBfDTNK1fL5Gz1Qn0eJy_Nhs7sphDtL3a9GVKved3AaI9f9uUx8Srr90tDpS-BK9kmQ/w400-h300/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-033.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanley's Bar & Grill, Ford City, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Ford City, PA, population 2,859, sits along the east side of the Allegheny River, some 40 miles upriver from where it joins the Monongahela in Pittsburgh. It was a company town, founded here in 1887 by the Pittsburgh Place Glass company, and named for PPG's founder. The factory here once employed 5,000 people, as "Germans, Poles, Italians, Slovaks and African Americans from the South all worked at PPG; many built churches and started social clubs. Other companies, like Eljer Plumbing, which became one of the world’s largest plumbing-equipment suppliers, also moved in during the town’s heyday." (<a href="https://www.pghcitypaper.com/news/like-so-many-former-western-pennsylvania-company-towns-ford-city-is-in-dire-need-of-a-comeback-3279621" target="_blank">pghcitypaper</a>)<div><br /><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTfb7A3ujRI-9jyhWOXj4hpL4xd_zyWSZM7z2lv-qSWKSJuerKtkAAZU254bK_7SlawZZdHm-DtJ1oFIzuyKfPLzAydVC6l4liNh2_nOj5WJZXyjQTqgmJFBexW7its7kcv_ZvG8Sn90fftjMiIIl9MlgapZf18yv2eIhIpK1bFD5zRFSeDG_/s4032/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTfb7A3ujRI-9jyhWOXj4hpL4xd_zyWSZM7z2lv-qSWKSJuerKtkAAZU254bK_7SlawZZdHm-DtJ1oFIzuyKfPLzAydVC6l4liNh2_nOj5WJZXyjQTqgmJFBexW7its7kcv_ZvG8Sn90fftjMiIIl9MlgapZf18yv2eIhIpK1bFD5zRFSeDG_/w400-h300/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-039.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanley's Bar & Grill, Ford City, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>But PPG shut down the the 200 acre facility in 1993. Eljer Plumbing, once the largest employer in the county, laid off 200 people in Ford City in 2004, then shut down its plant altogether in 2008. A big "business incubator" project, with funds from the federal and state government, and adding loans in the years just preceding the 2008 mortgage crisis, eventually collapsed. The population, once over 6,000 people continued to decline:</div><div><br /></div><div>"The area is also not seeing any of the positive international migration that is helping to stem the tide of population loss in places like Allegheny County. From 2010 to 2016, Armstrong County saw a positive net international migration of only 33 people, bringing the total foreign-born population to about 400 out of the county’s 68,000 residents. Ford City wasn’t home to any of them: Census figures indicate that the town doesn’t have a single foreign-born resident." (<a href="https://www.pghcitypaper.com/news/like-so-many-former-western-pennsylvania-company-towns-ford-city-is-in-dire-need-of-a-comeback-3279621" target="_blank">pghcitypaper</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_C5douy6MqAOJyX__8gpDW7ZWIdZe6FTCRbMhParzdKtP8PbcT8XOFSuwMdPXHyeAibO9jhi82FuXxWlAIX8bf06cDK9n4eB7r1qP4xC-bnskTNBE-HJRkL9Vkuxr9RiRRt3C67zapS8auss1tuLtQfGVlBbYNbpCBFdwWhmC20ys5utq7UKb/s1600/ppg-fordcity-postcard-ebay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_C5douy6MqAOJyX__8gpDW7ZWIdZe6FTCRbMhParzdKtP8PbcT8XOFSuwMdPXHyeAibO9jhi82FuXxWlAIX8bf06cDK9n4eB7r1qP4xC-bnskTNBE-HJRkL9Vkuxr9RiRRt3C67zapS8auss1tuLtQfGVlBbYNbpCBFdwWhmC20ys5utq7UKb/w400-h256/ppg-fordcity-postcard-ebay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But unlike many declining rust belt communities, you wouldn't know all this was the case from just driving through town. The houses are small but tidy, well-dressed people depart a service at the First Church of Ford City, and neighbors greet each other brightly at the CoCo Coffeehouse in the century old Farmers Building.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Sitting amidst the small houses along 4th avenue that once sheltered factory workers, Stanley's Bar and Grill is a nice old neighborhood joint known for its hot sausage -- specially blended by Kevin's Meats using a secret recipe. Polish immigrants Frank and Katherine Szalankiewicz sold soda pop and dry goods here since the 1920s. It was converted to a bar by their son Stanley when he returned from WWII. Stanley turned it over to his sister and brother-in-law Ann and Bernard Tarnek, who in turn passed it along to their son Jim Tarnek and his wife Julie. I think (?) Jimmy and Julie still own it today.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizf2kdl6smOxm7pkoHBVm3F6-W-hbC9y9tnwgg0AL1doxC-FG3lF5ohookicL2yFuPukfYwFpcibxBh4B_EqpyUbdBkW5hfulGHvVFF2XkFJVodkL5D4OjgdJtB22YKE_yrsrFqpg9lsO0mMYGCnoT_BKh5DiTBBVP9DG56cqOx0x7dMWDZT1-/s4032/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizf2kdl6smOxm7pkoHBVm3F6-W-hbC9y9tnwgg0AL1doxC-FG3lF5ohookicL2yFuPukfYwFpcibxBh4B_EqpyUbdBkW5hfulGHvVFF2XkFJVodkL5D4OjgdJtB22YKE_yrsrFqpg9lsO0mMYGCnoT_BKh5DiTBBVP9DG56cqOx0x7dMWDZT1-/w400-h300/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-036.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>There isn't a lot pulling visitors or would-be residents into Ford City right now, but it's still a nice small town to visit, and when you smell the grilled onions inside Stanley's, you'll want to have arrived hungry.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIT2Wm9t99YhZ6b3n0fKZUj1pqWvdyAFtVCZ0aQmCenD1vRa4AeMAvfNDB7vO1vLS-XArWwIYqks5PXwPQrDJO4F-_oT_SnDVlYOzEEQMyLKLjo7ZUiXsxPsVpXaSgb-lZ3ooc5ZzJXXdAp1ej-OsthFOjDDv8pFsQGDMIpLJsz3-gu7hyf3g/s3786/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-040-stanley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2720" data-original-width="3786" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIT2Wm9t99YhZ6b3n0fKZUj1pqWvdyAFtVCZ0aQmCenD1vRa4AeMAvfNDB7vO1vLS-XArWwIYqks5PXwPQrDJO4F-_oT_SnDVlYOzEEQMyLKLjo7ZUiXsxPsVpXaSgb-lZ3ooc5ZzJXXdAp1ej-OsthFOjDDv8pFsQGDMIpLJsz3-gu7hyf3g/w400-h288/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-040-stanley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Stan Szalankiewicz<br />Stanley's Bar & Grill, Ford City, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim9TFe_Q6x-94EeCcJ-J00_CuE4uBMfwADgTsrOjlh6oE0dh-Lgqz0T043O_K9H-xIAqU1HGUP3H7p12P46opJF8zMo2Uq4QIhfj6N4A5e-Ro_5niVSo831RctKG3l_RS2Db28aMV87zY2Hh74Mdls4PIhaA2pB4jsAPbyLvh9xyEA0UJbYbh/s3715/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2811" data-original-width="3715" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim9TFe_Q6x-94EeCcJ-J00_CuE4uBMfwADgTsrOjlh6oE0dh-Lgqz0T043O_K9H-xIAqU1HGUP3H7p12P46opJF8zMo2Uq4QIhfj6N4A5e-Ro_5niVSo831RctKG3l_RS2Db28aMV87zY2Hh74Mdls4PIhaA2pB4jsAPbyLvh9xyEA0UJbYbh/w400-h303/stanleys-fordcity-pa-2023-11-06p-041.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos of Bernard Tarnek and Ann Szalankiewicz Tarnek <br />Stanley's Bar & Grill, Ford City, PA</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
507 4th Ave, Ford City, PA 16226 - (724) 763-9774
<br />
Est. 1940s<br />
Previous bars in this location: None known<br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stanleys-Bar-Grill/113949065302795" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Articles: <a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2004/07/01/Worth-the-Trip-When-delicious-outweighs-the-diet/stories/200407010112" target="_blank">post-gazette</a> - <a href="https://archive.triblive.com/news/stanleys-bar-grill-in-ford-city-offers-free-thanksgiving-dinner/" target="_blank">triblive</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/stanleys-bar-and-grill-ford-city" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g52660-d4719992-Reviews-Stanley_s_Bar_and_Grill-Ford_City_Armstrong_County_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://archive.triblive.com/news/smoking-ban-brings-change-of-faces-2/" target="_blank">triblive</a> </div></div></div></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-9477750094341503412023-10-19T17:22:00.004-07:002023-10-19T17:22:51.572-07:00 #5453 - Pastime Inn Lounge, Uniontown, PA - 10/18/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJVURA8A_OsW_7IK-ukF__w2fHMX0NaUhca5ZJj-dt6qQJPXmZxTSLXKTEP0Mx_CXYUZUqnUAaFBHwPrXQ3WO4PRxaFLwr_Rn_5q0GyXa_wqIGSTSN_q_R9TQHI6UCIszUxf839zgtgYoIY_MgxyelKehAyOvrhJN1bHNp-5G3eZ8pUZcVOdR/s4032/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJVURA8A_OsW_7IK-ukF__w2fHMX0NaUhca5ZJj-dt6qQJPXmZxTSLXKTEP0Mx_CXYUZUqnUAaFBHwPrXQ3WO4PRxaFLwr_Rn_5q0GyXa_wqIGSTSN_q_R9TQHI6UCIszUxf839zgtgYoIY_MgxyelKehAyOvrhJN1bHNp-5G3eZ8pUZcVOdR/s320/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-149.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastime Inn Lounge, Uniontown, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Pastime Inn Lounge in Uniontown, PA is old school, and it doesn't make much effort to reach non-locals. There's no web site, no real Facebook site, and even finding a listing that includes the full address takes a little doing. Patricia "Pastime Patty" Franko has been working the place since 1980, ten years after her dad Richard Franko bought the place. Richard passed in 2008.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a soft spot for "Pastime" bars, as, this has been the single most popular name for bars in American history -- or at least in the northwestern states. So far I've identified 68 "Pastimes" in Washington state, along with 112 in other states. But relatively few remain now, and I make an extra effort to visit when I find one.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqTmrQAGQtIU-m17Yy1surJrJKo4qYeLpkUEMP9ddYz4t47jGj7nWsG08Q4pcuxdYrEj3-FJsRUhPhtp0k3ljS_clnrIufK2c10agFLPfvhQ9CZXGwdIWX6jK44jMK_CRZYGY0j37MfshbC30G2xpqyBdn7Ao9uDZzKN80DlrWW9ph0vupomU/s4032/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqTmrQAGQtIU-m17Yy1surJrJKo4qYeLpkUEMP9ddYz4t47jGj7nWsG08Q4pcuxdYrEj3-FJsRUhPhtp0k3ljS_clnrIufK2c10agFLPfvhQ9CZXGwdIWX6jK44jMK_CRZYGY0j37MfshbC30G2xpqyBdn7Ao9uDZzKN80DlrWW9ph0vupomU/s320/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-152.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Patty chatted with me a bit about the history of the place, and showed me a photograph of the grocery store that proceeded it in this location near a corner of the city established by the Quaker Henry Beeson in 1776. The city lies less than fifteen miles from the West Virginia border, and ten miles northwest of Fort Necessity, built by George Washington during the French and Indian War and the site of the Battle of Jumonville Glen, where the North American branch of the war began. 140 years later the war here was between the local miners and mine owners, with the owners bringing in "fifteen guards armed with carbines and machine guns [to hold] off an attack by 1,500 strikers, killing five and wounding eight." (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniontown,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQRvUsCRRKPS-V5eTRjjBRuL4ftfJrUHLOyLj_McLxsjGMDZxKT-A7kr8eQXtn8aSDBmtz2SH9Od1Vk9txnnfbqEyYjbsxD3xVFHts6ZRwPFDtIol49eJXx-U-sXWDdyBP7_FT7hK-zoXMPqjGGluN7Vrzg6ULT5wMmomvuz-iEjASKdezPKw/s3388/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3388" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQRvUsCRRKPS-V5eTRjjBRuL4ftfJrUHLOyLj_McLxsjGMDZxKT-A7kr8eQXtn8aSDBmtz2SH9Od1Vk9txnnfbqEyYjbsxD3xVFHts6ZRwPFDtIol49eJXx-U-sXWDdyBP7_FT7hK-zoXMPqjGGluN7Vrzg6ULT5wMmomvuz-iEjASKdezPKw/s320/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-150.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br />Patty doesn't like photos taken of her, but she seems well known to people in the area. A couple bartenders at my other stops on the road trip told me to tell her hello. It's a nice place for people who appreciate an old, unassuming joint with some nice vintage beer decor. As I left I noted my hope that no one ever changes the name.</div> <br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYazAmQouNg7qibPCSpWxqPywIfSaxyfupqY-lAl-NB1LJHdcPJ8q4zy5g39LzcdC6Ils4JsZmA1haZlxULeLwLSL_X8flJT9HBUICc08KjfZ7z96YCpDjJmRLTSD8kN3Kfxpf_wgOHwNcqIu0zsIqmbDCNDj8YsJJP31yZ1rei1qJkF27Yx6/s3915/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2909" data-original-width="3915" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYazAmQouNg7qibPCSpWxqPywIfSaxyfupqY-lAl-NB1LJHdcPJ8q4zy5g39LzcdC6Ils4JsZmA1haZlxULeLwLSL_X8flJT9HBUICc08KjfZ7z96YCpDjJmRLTSD8kN3Kfxpf_wgOHwNcqIu0zsIqmbDCNDj8YsJJP31yZ1rei1qJkF27Yx6/s320/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-151.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusiotm_updlcT1pu_lJtPbRahvGEnYe_r19mh1o5bTydGnLBknnPqD4QV9fG_7kqxyj3rMUh8V3EstkW5pMvlKYqDF8fQl0FM_m8paeuHkFOQdjReophwckTysd24NLW1FHh-vBzNgEaGc8-mlhV2unCLFIdhqOZ7b6bQDtIbzE4DsAL2oftx/s3810/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3810" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusiotm_updlcT1pu_lJtPbRahvGEnYe_r19mh1o5bTydGnLBknnPqD4QV9fG_7kqxyj3rMUh8V3EstkW5pMvlKYqDF8fQl0FM_m8paeuHkFOQdjReophwckTysd24NLW1FHh-vBzNgEaGc8-mlhV2unCLFIdhqOZ7b6bQDtIbzE4DsAL2oftx/s320/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-153.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqMOxs4lY4N56K_eD7jrtBtPu-MDgu-D_cI3cq5vtJxSJMI34bPJs55JiP1_TkXcoUsmWK2M6FeQfmKjg51_vzais28KpyCIqeiIyc68M8_ppaLVP6FzKJ1jlzhuDGeLFi31Ucl4PcfonncX3XAfB0G_40ujbaICUoe72bzA-BMuaxoquSdJg/s1880/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="1636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqMOxs4lY4N56K_eD7jrtBtPu-MDgu-D_cI3cq5vtJxSJMI34bPJs55JiP1_TkXcoUsmWK2M6FeQfmKjg51_vzais28KpyCIqeiIyc68M8_ppaLVP6FzKJ1jlzhuDGeLFi31Ucl4PcfonncX3XAfB0G_40ujbaICUoe72bzA-BMuaxoquSdJg/s320/pastime-uniontown-pa-2023-10-18p-155.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
154 W Berkeley St, Uniontown, PA
<br />
Est. 1970<br /><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-56070508452230876302023-09-22T13:08:00.001-07:002023-09-22T13:44:53.086-07:00 #5392 - Spirits Tavern, Baltimore, MD - 9/9/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTEAIfvJIXsnLM4sozXbvrMOxX7pfgfzDO3AxcNLFHzlu_DtOa2_nFjGpvjl9IvkQbxpDTkdhacnJmX8I7OPVp-vdkmdKfaNuRustH4OPZHQUhJy2ZIYZykhGPj0Ahu2FtYaCxdfQElVnr7YlTRMdgAQww87Via6KMVp7o6Wq8hbn4hnUzVrw/s4032/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-096-fellspoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTEAIfvJIXsnLM4sozXbvrMOxX7pfgfzDO3AxcNLFHzlu_DtOa2_nFjGpvjl9IvkQbxpDTkdhacnJmX8I7OPVp-vdkmdKfaNuRustH4OPZHQUhJy2ZIYZykhGPj0Ahu2FtYaCxdfQElVnr7YlTRMdgAQww87Via6KMVp7o6Wq8hbn4hnUzVrw/w320-h240/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-096-fellspoint.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spirits Tavern, Baltimore, MD<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Fells Point area of Baltimore is one of my favorite walkable bar areas that I have been to. A number of locals complain about its gentrification -- and I might too had I been a long-time resident of the city. But it appears to be a process that's been happening for well over a century. It's estimated that when Fells Point was a rollicking trade harbor in the late 1800s there were over 300 bars and over 100 brothels in the area.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favorites is in Upper Fells Point, and has a sort of gothy dive theme. I don't know how long there has been a bar here, but there are mentions of it as one of the oldest bar locations in the city and <a href="https://www.410area.com/maryland/baltimore/nightlife/spirits-tavern.htm" target="_blank">one site</a> claims it has been operating continually since 1890. Before that it was a funeral home during the civil war, housing bodies of both Union and Confederal soldiers. The name "Spirits Tavern" originated after Chad and Dan Ellis purchased the place in August 2005.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJhXxCKkDHriA-MZGmrWwo3EFM0a8r4BbMAdaz3tFmzkUxhzQLukivliGck_f_3TyKBsoNDUvXZYN332twL0rmlpHbNbjzBWb3XaHAPI2KFVPOIlTOlkjefMzuxHEe8KqQuZfq5T-pgNMWabzEelziKpQ2lahvdR-c7vfN4_gQMoGeUpCEnM_/s4032/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-098-fellspoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJhXxCKkDHriA-MZGmrWwo3EFM0a8r4BbMAdaz3tFmzkUxhzQLukivliGck_f_3TyKBsoNDUvXZYN332twL0rmlpHbNbjzBWb3XaHAPI2KFVPOIlTOlkjefMzuxHEe8KqQuZfq5T-pgNMWabzEelziKpQ2lahvdR-c7vfN4_gQMoGeUpCEnM_/s320/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-098-fellspoint.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spirits Tavern, Baltimore, MD<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The name appears to be an homage to the history of the place, and perhaps the spirits that are served there today. Old photos and spooky artifacts adorn the place. The pool table is free and the cocktails include fresh squeezed juices. My visit was apparently too late to experience the "Tub-Of-Fun," which apparently is no longer offered. The Tub-Of-Fun was a big bucket full of cheap beers for $1. You take whatever beer the bartender grabs from it, and if you guess which one he/she is going to pull, you also got a free shot.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had a pleasant visit chatting with the bartender, whose name I unfortunately have forgotten (Amy?) and customer Sam. It turned out that Sam had not only spent several years in Seattle, but worked at epic Seattle bar The Fenix, with Rick Wyatt. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXISsyu6rbOdM1ZkHzWW_nR5IzZjhLh4kJNdYSbP4o5oPbyXtxqGAfHQdJDigofMeqlWpw63WE7xQ3BXl56ESe3ko8dEZokUkGdWWCW13voLat2LmdJQOik25_xSb3j1clA-HJewTJjPbUSxoYdipFYePvXZo7LsdIVV_8ialCQnppAmBJ_JR/s4032/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-099-fellspoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXISsyu6rbOdM1ZkHzWW_nR5IzZjhLh4kJNdYSbP4o5oPbyXtxqGAfHQdJDigofMeqlWpw63WE7xQ3BXl56ESe3ko8dEZokUkGdWWCW13voLat2LmdJQOik25_xSb3j1clA-HJewTJjPbUSxoYdipFYePvXZo7LsdIVV_8ialCQnppAmBJ_JR/s320/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-099-fellspoint.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I subsequently learned that the bar is located on a crossing that locals call "Crash Corner." Indeed, cars have crashed through the front of the bar itself eight times in twelve years (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/baltimore-intersection-crash-corner-makeover-fells-point-bank-wolfe-street/" target="_blank">cbsnews</a>). I'm not sure if any efforts to curtail this have yet been implemented, but I managed a medium-length visit with not a single crash.</div><div><br /></div><div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssK8gBmXlGH-h25zhzVZgmx6gd_1QOQ-KsE4QzfyKhoWK1KxMXSvqAaClC19KzF9oG3z4riPh3ZgU9ZNx9URnRuFyydWPfeCbQ6RRILmd90kKNpW59KQOp_U39loK36sL8ca1qeAK7-70Ud4yX0wZVRZYziXX6fCTzcfttU43vB4XMWhdlVFB/s4032/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-112-fellspoint-amy-sam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssK8gBmXlGH-h25zhzVZgmx6gd_1QOQ-KsE4QzfyKhoWK1KxMXSvqAaClC19KzF9oG3z4riPh3ZgU9ZNx9URnRuFyydWPfeCbQ6RRILmd90kKNpW59KQOp_U39loK36sL8ca1qeAK7-70Ud4yX0wZVRZYziXX6fCTzcfttU43vB4XMWhdlVFB/s320/spiritstavern-baltimore-md-2023-09-09p-112-fellspoint-amy-sam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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1901 Bank St, Baltimore, MD 21231 - (667) 260-4114
<br />
Est. 2005 <br />Web site: <a href="https://spirits-tavern.com/drinksmenu" target="_blank">spirits-tavern.com</a> - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/spirits.tavern/" target="_blank">instagram</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/spirits-tavern-baltimore" target="_blank">yelp</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-22017339280315099152023-07-18T13:45:00.002-07:002023-07-19T18:55:08.032-07:00#5283 - Korner Tavern, North Huntingdon, PA - 7/17/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoF0bk2imQn5kPE2--Wx70bI9CE4QwQjnEmNm3lU78LOydN6nBrGWfYdVDH8ScG-NXrz1lVTJVVIKtQan3yG546Ik0ExOKVVSRF6ZXxQC69CHHF5H9xiIab8bPYua5khUlPbrsqyvmuV9wbD1rmAAjE2ckFR7MmaZ4ZDTikyye6XhdyW_fbLQl/s4032/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-045.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoF0bk2imQn5kPE2--Wx70bI9CE4QwQjnEmNm3lU78LOydN6nBrGWfYdVDH8ScG-NXrz1lVTJVVIKtQan3yG546Ik0ExOKVVSRF6ZXxQC69CHHF5H9xiIab8bPYua5khUlPbrsqyvmuV9wbD1rmAAjE2ckFR7MmaZ4ZDTikyye6XhdyW_fbLQl/s320/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-045.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korner Tavern, Hahntown, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Technically in the township of North Huntingdon, the Korner Tavern is located on a corner in the unincorporated old mining community of Hahntown, and lists itself in Irwin. In fact the building is said to have originally been the company store of the Westmoreland Coal Company -- although some have disputed whether that mining operation actually included a company store at all. In any case, it served the mining community for many years -- then run by Stanley Brevic and known as "Stanley's Tavern" -- including hosting meetings of United Mine Workers Local 6080 in the basement.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFc22VKRzliYmKI_kQBCmzGCo30oqn1RgpdQX_y9TaYwWC5Mge0yeSLyuZAjjoDM1iWPtrwrzM2pAcoDPq18lal1g_nilaA6DIC76Gh46Uj62ucMM0yhus2lJh6NA5BCxMdyBgSZGgG9GynDRHMAQKfMbwR9yI1nqsQObpUXxp7LzYBQi7nb24/s4032/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-040-lindaPilipovich.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFc22VKRzliYmKI_kQBCmzGCo30oqn1RgpdQX_y9TaYwWC5Mge0yeSLyuZAjjoDM1iWPtrwrzM2pAcoDPq18lal1g_nilaA6DIC76Gh46Uj62ucMM0yhus2lJh6NA5BCxMdyBgSZGgG9GynDRHMAQKfMbwR9yI1nqsQObpUXxp7LzYBQi7nb24/s320/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-040-lindaPilipovich.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda Pilipovich, Korner Tavern<br />Hahntown (Irwin), PA</td></tr></tbody></table>In 1962 the tavern was purchased by Victor and Helen Pilipovich and renamed the Korner Tavern (reasons for the "K" are unclear). It has remained in the family ever since then. When Victor and Helen split, Helen bought him out and operated the bar herself until she was 91, <a href="http://www.mckeesportobituaries.com/?a=2019-m09" target="_blank">passing away</a> in Sept 2019. The business is now run by Helen's son Victor Jr. (AKA "Butch"), and his wife Linda. Linda was not involved with the bar in the early years, but a few years ago, when they needed to replace an employee, Linda decided to give it a shot, even though she'd retired twice. She now works the earlier part of the days and says she enjoys it much more than any of her previous office jobs.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVepKmz6yllcjVgFZIdClXrBYFBlGH8T8-3Gc0m6LJyr--hAdSEbrippyyA3Fc0knRXUIokaAXqC3f3Cb4J5MnIvFKYmfGSfCU5sJhOARTzdk4ljv6KEYA9zoiRLoD4DtsOoFkcM-Ny8zqhH-bENmeIdX0zdJpS_Y6aW3STLMkoVZ_tnlwlTEF/s4032/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-043-anthony-derek.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVepKmz6yllcjVgFZIdClXrBYFBlGH8T8-3Gc0m6LJyr--hAdSEbrippyyA3Fc0knRXUIokaAXqC3f3Cb4J5MnIvFKYmfGSfCU5sJhOARTzdk4ljv6KEYA9zoiRLoD4DtsOoFkcM-Ny8zqhH-bENmeIdX0zdJpS_Y6aW3STLMkoVZ_tnlwlTEF/w400-h300/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-043-anthony-derek.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korner Tavern, Hahntown, PA<br />Anthony and Derek<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Another change Linda made late in life was to start distance running at the age of 62. On July 4th of this year she ran her 200th race, and Butch said they should put her medals up in the bar. I was fortunate enough to first visit the bar while Linda was working, and explaining the medals now hanging behind the bar to a couple other first time visitors. There are now 217 of them, including one from a triathalon and two from ultra marathons.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I asked about the portrait above the bar, she informed me that that was Helen, and added that she had been a great mother-in-law and when she was behind the bar the patrons knew she meant business, and were not about to get out of hand.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmNK_PnCS-ElL9TcnvCgI7Ms1KqTuwvsD3usenxxLQb2NUpJrCQl8npPu0Q9D5kfU03561avXCqo0S_WRPC06HoIY1NLoHuKXth3aq93mOOOdjwdqOoCxhuGKntfjcUokkLAcQpFbvbGSqs5vnn0tGnUyHxmWeEMqJOsbGpErr2q21zeePU3X/s4032/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-039.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmNK_PnCS-ElL9TcnvCgI7Ms1KqTuwvsD3usenxxLQb2NUpJrCQl8npPu0Q9D5kfU03561avXCqo0S_WRPC06HoIY1NLoHuKXth3aq93mOOOdjwdqOoCxhuGKntfjcUokkLAcQpFbvbGSqs5vnn0tGnUyHxmWeEMqJOsbGpErr2q21zeePU3X/w300-h400/kornertavern-northuntingdon-pa-2023-07-17p-039.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korner Tavern, Hahntown, PA<br />Portrait of previous owner Helen Pilipovich<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In addition to a very pleasant chat with Linda, I also exchanged notes with the other two first-timers, Anthony and Derek, and exchanged bar stories.</div><div><br /></div><div>Butch is said to be an excellent cook, and I am looking forward to returning, hoping to try the food and/or visit on a Friday or Saturday night to see what it's like when it's really hopping.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HvGe_3tjJLLBgZebQ3o34SKsM5gmKhZ5g2LCpUmUbb03WcFLO6havPTwU5Z2qzLFvouuxKQ92ymQifg_GHqE5ZcjdXNGGBiQDqgcZed115o5Fo5RyMUovqY1pLTaY_MVJZons-jDj-3o6zr7zgKqwScujWqxDXWGdC6HHTAlJRE-RlOkpVIO/s782/kornertavern-northhuntingdon-pa-dateandsourceunknown.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="782" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HvGe_3tjJLLBgZebQ3o34SKsM5gmKhZ5g2LCpUmUbb03WcFLO6havPTwU5Z2qzLFvouuxKQ92ymQifg_GHqE5ZcjdXNGGBiQDqgcZed115o5Fo5RyMUovqY1pLTaY_MVJZons-jDj-3o6zr7zgKqwScujWqxDXWGdC6HHTAlJRE-RlOkpVIO/s320/kornertavern-northhuntingdon-pa-dateandsourceunknown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old photo of Korner Tavern<br />Date and source unknown<br />From</td><td class="tr-caption"><a href="https://www.academia.edu/49344681/HAHNTOWN_Penn_Gas_No_2_Mine_Adams_Mine_Hahntown_Mine_Adams_Hill_Scab_Hill_North_Huntingdon_Twp_Westmoreland_Co_Pennsylvania_U_S_A" target="_blank">HAHNTOWN</a> b</td><td class="tr-caption">y Raymond Anthony Washlaski</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPj7oMbY98tjjrKJwpDB_Bczj8Xfbwctnna0gTYK2r2L3HENvFnL6NEvsPoeP7UaazhKpn1rldl31SiOX71be1ApB8dmYODlpCXm8FD1g6wktrH-ja3MzwoRs-PHMnMiWHzYLrLXzmpgjnZYxdhr20cYFuQAAc8kyHfV0vpyNYqvcf_K7-06b/s946/miners-adamsmine-01a.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="672" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPj7oMbY98tjjrKJwpDB_Bczj8Xfbwctnna0gTYK2r2L3HENvFnL6NEvsPoeP7UaazhKpn1rldl31SiOX71be1ApB8dmYODlpCXm8FD1g6wktrH-ja3MzwoRs-PHMnMiWHzYLrLXzmpgjnZYxdhr20cYFuQAAc8kyHfV0vpyNYqvcf_K7-06b/w284-h400/miners-adamsmine-01a.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miners from Adams Mine <br />Norwin Historical Society<br />Via <a href="https://www.academia.edu/49344681/HAHNTOWN_Penn_Gas_No_2_Mine_Adams_Mine_Hahntown_Mine_Adams_Hill_Scab_Hill_North_Huntingdon_Twp_Westmoreland_Co_Pennsylvania_U_S_A" target="_blank">HAHNTOWN</a> by Raymond Anthony Washlaski</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /> <br />
339 Main St, Irwin, PA 15642
<br />
Est. June 5, 1962 - Building constructed: 1900<br />
Previous bars in this location: Stanley's Tavern<br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063522913554" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/north-huntingdons-korner-tavern-looks-back-on-60-years-of-memories-family-business/" target="_blank">triblive</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/korner-tavern-irwin-2" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://norwinhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2019-Fall-Newsletter.pdf" target="_blank">norwinhistoricalsociety</a> - <a href="https://www.academia.edu/49344681/HAHNTOWN_Penn_Gas_No_2_Mine_Adams_Mine_Hahntown_Mine_Adams_Hill_Scab_Hill_North_Huntingdon_Twp_Westmoreland_Co_Pennsylvania_U_S_A" target="_blank">Hahntown: Peen Gas No. 2 Mine</a></div></div></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-33380528509041596582023-07-18T12:54:00.001-07:002023-07-18T12:57:08.212-07:00 #5284 - Safari Club, Duquesne, PA - 7/17/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJSO2Taa0Y64lC96QhEfTPC4BrORb6ELCE9lcbkZFOVwr-YZ-Lj_DRPcA1lfiyAL8xJ9GDj6Qs6T46r17Lc5DZPmZ_S1navLHamrcw0bXTRLnjWdxBSZCIRHUYLmcECxHspWfRmdNaEQgnguMvpkFjv5Xq8kJEwJR4FkGkXr8HzsdIr7VE9ZW/s4032/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-14p-012.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJSO2Taa0Y64lC96QhEfTPC4BrORb6ELCE9lcbkZFOVwr-YZ-Lj_DRPcA1lfiyAL8xJ9GDj6Qs6T46r17Lc5DZPmZ_S1navLHamrcw0bXTRLnjWdxBSZCIRHUYLmcECxHspWfRmdNaEQgnguMvpkFjv5Xq8kJEwJR4FkGkXr8HzsdIr7VE9ZW/w400-h300/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-14p-012.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Safari Club, Duquesne, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The city of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duquesne,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">Duquesne</a>, hugging the south side of the Monongahela River just southeast of Pittsburgh, is an archetypal declining old steel town. From it's heyday in the 30s and 40s, when Carnegie Steel operated "Dorothy Six," the largest blast furnace in the world, and employed more residents than they entire city population today, the population has been declining ever since, leaving crumbling buildings and pothole filled roads. The health of the community faded along with the infrastructure, with over a third of the residents below the poverty line, the worst performing schools in the state, one of the highest crime rates in America, and inclusion on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financially_Distressed_Municipalities_Act" target="_blank">Financially Distressed Municipality</a> list. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duquesne,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>, <a href="https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/pa/duquesne/crime#:~:text=With%20a%20crime%20rate%20of,here%20is%20one%20in%2025." target="_blank">neighborhoodscout</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfomRzDrrLjN-or-qOepj4_Ujog6axk9VoDWN-YCb1MWWgA2Qn1DlDNX1-YtI29425u38n2c1vFTqC9BGfD4ReClID_MxWSJf91ugrZ6JMUsL6ur8FY2hWEO8VkJ19PAqv2ZrszSSuaHIUfSzCeSZVKkRe1hCQa3vOroxAsdQwQMLFLc6MUQzw/s4032/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-066.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfomRzDrrLjN-or-qOepj4_Ujog6axk9VoDWN-YCb1MWWgA2Qn1DlDNX1-YtI29425u38n2c1vFTqC9BGfD4ReClID_MxWSJf91ugrZ6JMUsL6ur8FY2hWEO8VkJ19PAqv2ZrszSSuaHIUfSzCeSZVKkRe1hCQa3vOroxAsdQwQMLFLc6MUQzw/w400-h300/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-066.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Safari Club, Duquesne, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Thus the bars here tend to be few and far between, inconsistent in their operation, and with very spotty data on the internet and social media -- e.g. on the day I visited a bar here it was listed in Yelp as permanently Closed -- although the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057585393907" target="_blank">facebook</a> site is updated regularly. But the bars that survive can carve out intimate and pleasant spaces, amidst the crumbling surroundings, and this is the case with the Safari Club, on the ground floor of a 3 to 4 story old building, with broken windows, faded plywood over upper doors, and the brick walls in back appearing to crumble. But inside the Safari is a cozy neighborhood dive bar space.</div><div><br /></div><div>True to it's name, the Safari contains a good number of African artifacts and jungle-themed decor. But like many true dives, the theme varies widely. Above the bar are three taxidermy buck heads, two quite professionally done surrounding one that appears older and executed by someone just starting to learn the craft. Opposite the pool table is a selection of photos of old school jazz and rock stars. The bartender and manager Quanda tells me her uncle owns the bar and the taxidermy, and she guessed it had been here for about 23 years, with no idea what was here before it. The efforts to maintain a friendly, safe environment are more evident than usual, including a large fluorescent green 86 list and requirement that you must be at least 30 years-old to enter.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3addjVGbH7sjmBffNHa5yY8Lp3HuXNSSJmKWfxs9fZbV9TXeviysIWRhOZ99VqX2kyMmfw7l83BUZ4tzWJU_mZGmn0RuiyGSy8T9loRLZJB0vn83fBXODn3SD2Yfe7yFNmwMCrYX5baNfLEWP53SF-bGW3X3RTaVKeFxEI1m5XmTpAQqINxY9/s3477/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-067.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3477" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3addjVGbH7sjmBffNHa5yY8Lp3HuXNSSJmKWfxs9fZbV9TXeviysIWRhOZ99VqX2kyMmfw7l83BUZ4tzWJU_mZGmn0RuiyGSy8T9loRLZJB0vn83fBXODn3SD2Yfe7yFNmwMCrYX5baNfLEWP53SF-bGW3X3RTaVKeFxEI1m5XmTpAQqINxY9/w400-h348/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-067.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Altogether it creates a welcoming getaway from the heat and humidity, as well as the other struggles outside. The drinks are typical dive bar spirits and canned beers, and the food fairly standard pub fare (wings, burgers, fish sandwiches, etc.). Events include Bar Bingo nights, karaoke, and the occasional live band. It's the sort of unique neighborhood joint that I might put on my highest favorites list -- perhaps after checking out what it's like on a Friday or Saturday night.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ksp4f9yiMlxhaHDJ0IBW3lc9PQ4DxSuHwOu8mDldznrYr_wU3tmnU9ug7DcWCGELlGuZJd95PP4bA_90009TR1uRGMLkudG0V6-Kstzd0BmSq8I9nwj68gLNMOHgROeZlapmjqbGzV0R5BM-qTWT3IlExnreQ7WAoXf9zAf3UhUX30OQeS_d/s4032/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-068.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ksp4f9yiMlxhaHDJ0IBW3lc9PQ4DxSuHwOu8mDldznrYr_wU3tmnU9ug7DcWCGELlGuZJd95PP4bA_90009TR1uRGMLkudG0V6-Kstzd0BmSq8I9nwj68gLNMOHgROeZlapmjqbGzV0R5BM-qTWT3IlExnreQ7WAoXf9zAf3UhUX30OQeS_d/w400-h300/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-068.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIG_dgG-I4kfLKo0Qqh3s3hzXsUnQve0Yjtoj8CsSHn-ISQkC9gUcmeRV3-t-b6iabOWSJX-KnBgiidwv809xq9kAliA1W8WqVJTVXps726bEbqyj4lY6Cw11O606khJvWwYee5hN0TfnLTvEBHcQyqRAlx1TcCfbPK6ff1MLSSZMvXssgfKV/s3629/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-078.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3629" data-original-width="2987" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIG_dgG-I4kfLKo0Qqh3s3hzXsUnQve0Yjtoj8CsSHn-ISQkC9gUcmeRV3-t-b6iabOWSJX-KnBgiidwv809xq9kAliA1W8WqVJTVXps726bEbqyj4lY6Cw11O606khJvWwYee5hN0TfnLTvEBHcQyqRAlx1TcCfbPK6ff1MLSSZMvXssgfKV/w329-h400/safariclub-dusquene-pa-2023-07-17p-078.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
708 Grant Ave, Duquesne, PA 15110 - </div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057585393907" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br /><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-72662132666986896932023-07-14T16:10:00.004-07:002023-07-14T16:12:48.089-07:00 #5277 - K and M Pub, Pittsburgh, PA - 7/14/23<div><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_ygcu82qktR5EuA3VEhvxotVsXdT2tGVOgM8g8Zcq90fOfqO5p3tSs7NWe3rEdNtysSQ9NMZGuzs20aW8ltlgTjzyG9D7RUDGCsOEOPGEDmRcDw8vQn8TbiCHFJWRgwLM7nECE6uAcRXBJmOcDbO50nnpDUakrmVbfeUF6dOrI8bUOgT6xdl/s3432/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-018.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3432" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_ygcu82qktR5EuA3VEhvxotVsXdT2tGVOgM8g8Zcq90fOfqO5p3tSs7NWe3rEdNtysSQ9NMZGuzs20aW8ltlgTjzyG9D7RUDGCsOEOPGEDmRcDw8vQn8TbiCHFJWRgwLM7nECE6uAcRXBJmOcDbO50nnpDUakrmVbfeUF6dOrI8bUOgT6xdl/w353-h400/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-018.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K&M Pub, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The K&M Pub is a classic old neighborhood joint where the bartenders know every customer. Once inside I was very pleasantly surprised to find an original pressed tin ceiling and antique back bar. County tax records only fill in the story from 1963, when Gerald and Anita Garner bought the place, but it's plainly much older than that. The Garners appear to have sold it to the current owners in 1999, but the old "Garner's Tavern" ghost sign is still more prominent than the tiny "K&M" at the front door. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mike the bartender says it goes back "about a hundred years," and it appears to have been built in 1924, so he was pretty much on the money (though of course it could not have been a licensed bar until 1933 at the earliest). Still a lot of research to do on this area.</div></div><div> </div> <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80DlSqRpqVUUP9q5dK-3bxPWh7fd90Hh3B7u2zJxVH2UoZaW2oCIUC0yaKA_j0ypCZs73KtjQFNryXPcY7L6iOfy06wEo6GAnJlnImldQlsLZ_Mlosq3V-XNyV1-R7dn-d4S9ZrQrqICNmfM0dWDm7ZDQZdDwtPus12yUsNoMup_n8ZZjPJJl/s4032/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-021.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80DlSqRpqVUUP9q5dK-3bxPWh7fd90Hh3B7u2zJxVH2UoZaW2oCIUC0yaKA_j0ypCZs73KtjQFNryXPcY7L6iOfy06wEo6GAnJlnImldQlsLZ_Mlosq3V-XNyV1-R7dn-d4S9ZrQrqICNmfM0dWDm7ZDQZdDwtPus12yUsNoMup_n8ZZjPJJl/w400-h300/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge96sjSSKWcz69mUNfXZbQbJWbTq1qiUrimgxwpq494H0Jj2vD7QSZ8oKkSdNhJ4lEYOWQpoYsAH4Mte_jH2tIadLKK8AlolFC72zcq4XOqTFzXLfbrItkEXNrXPHZjWq-sCQ7j78oz5wb5pGU-bnKU8xZtbnZt3y5pHJI5BiiFzGu-GnWd-Mj/s4032/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-024.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge96sjSSKWcz69mUNfXZbQbJWbTq1qiUrimgxwpq494H0Jj2vD7QSZ8oKkSdNhJ4lEYOWQpoYsAH4Mte_jH2tIadLKK8AlolFC72zcq4XOqTFzXLfbrItkEXNrXPHZjWq-sCQ7j78oz5wb5pGU-bnKU8xZtbnZt3y5pHJI5BiiFzGu-GnWd-Mj/w400-h300/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OYHnO_OjB3JOnZ4cpLpdjvBksF4B4SLqNdojHLuKo_0E9DDZ3tt-DrKk6EALk0efzEoXSIwkYDzOUWAlQ62hO8CRBnnMCE8YPYK1fDfiMdmC1abu5rI_oRPHzn52ybx9dINujSWZ6wWK67_hTwDuc_2WcEy8q4B3IWPA6gEvh49s_sQkzY7J/s4032/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-025.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OYHnO_OjB3JOnZ4cpLpdjvBksF4B4SLqNdojHLuKo_0E9DDZ3tt-DrKk6EALk0efzEoXSIwkYDzOUWAlQ62hO8CRBnnMCE8YPYK1fDfiMdmC1abu5rI_oRPHzn52ybx9dINujSWZ6wWK67_hTwDuc_2WcEy8q4B3IWPA6gEvh49s_sQkzY7J/w400-h300/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-025.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekSt3OY0Inn-UwqkE9fkuAc3jJRyZkL2QSsffUZFb-hReLJvnrO_SqnQo34aCnVjWhW0fHW8Tn2CqGGFc_4PgHSNSqVVHNJaNfYsVJT1oa6l2KnvclMzIrxoQ6xPth53sTqlYwd17jdV503oHIWH3j5oc6SQjUZyI933FPtF4bszFGMm8hBtc/s3983/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-030.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3983" data-original-width="2959" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekSt3OY0Inn-UwqkE9fkuAc3jJRyZkL2QSsffUZFb-hReLJvnrO_SqnQo34aCnVjWhW0fHW8Tn2CqGGFc_4PgHSNSqVVHNJaNfYsVJT1oa6l2KnvclMzIrxoQ6xPth53sTqlYwd17jdV503oHIWH3j5oc6SQjUZyI933FPtF4bszFGMm8hBtc/w298-h400/kandmpub-pittsburgh-pa-2023-07-14p-030.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>200 Mt Oliver St, Pittsburgh, PA 15210 - (412) 488-6241
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Est. 1999? - Building constructed: 1924</div><div>
Previous bars in this location: Garner's Tavern
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Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=205640309449683&paipv=0&eav=AfZ7XDSQUdwax0OyhBRstGPL97AGiIkZFmZWGnmHWwk14LB-IV_PbkOOg_vxF_0VFQc&_rdr" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/k-and-m-bar-pittsburgh" target="_blank">yelp</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-32737890293337165412023-06-23T14:51:00.000-07:002023-06-23T14:51:33.136-07:00 #5253 - 19th Street Country Club, Parkersburg, WV - 6/22/23<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVYUfVrvRX21jp5twFIK8HjmHZ2leHezaasA8m7Mie5H1zFmuWc2opn88hfwwJA0GKZ5fbsOjbcBE4w2Y6Mgy53zn9czHTAQxt72_MS4O3So1EFg0dTtONJx2Hy3d-GuuLXv5mMak03GENYFRvCK_Zh4Uy2oQQ18M1eQ1-PA3X7XvKSbpqtR3/s3764/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2842" data-original-width="3764" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVYUfVrvRX21jp5twFIK8HjmHZ2leHezaasA8m7Mie5H1zFmuWc2opn88hfwwJA0GKZ5fbsOjbcBE4w2Y6Mgy53zn9czHTAQxt72_MS4O3So1EFg0dTtONJx2Hy3d-GuuLXv5mMak03GENYFRvCK_Zh4Uy2oQQ18M1eQ1-PA3X7XvKSbpqtR3/s320/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-039.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wright's 19th Street Country Club<br />Parkersburg, WV<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I've added this place to my list of favorites. It might not be immediately evident why, but sitting around and chatting with the owner Kevin and patron Shane, taking in the dry humor and all the knick knacks and sports memorabilia that have accrued since the bar opened in 1946, it just feels like the perfect little neighborhood joint -- a refreshing antidote to strip mall sports bars. Apparently Ohio State fans like Shane can prepare themselves for a good share of abuse, usually from the WVU fans, and the unofficial motto of the place seems to be "BEAT PITT."<br /><br />Kevin told me about the Blue Moon that used to be kitty-corner, and other now gone joints. Kevin's dad Dave Wright bought the place in 1985, and added "Wright's" to the name. Kevin came back in 2008 to run the place. They survived the COVID pandemic, and live on to serve up good quality tavern food, bottled beer, sports on the TVs, and good natured ribbing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmybzwvXCFTobFyhoNlsCEQGP7jKxP0GNN_4wiWSanGJDa0EHmvDkdEWzX_SzR9IonPdXpiGV7c_r-qAgRie0SUtC7Q4iNs-W0CiD4MUgj9qgxuJjNrgfkdtF-jOENkLnU1Gcan-JAk4LnDvlONp8wtTR1FzdHOSnTrhtlyiPFpKzp1rQ0Ses/s4032/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmybzwvXCFTobFyhoNlsCEQGP7jKxP0GNN_4wiWSanGJDa0EHmvDkdEWzX_SzR9IonPdXpiGV7c_r-qAgRie0SUtC7Q4iNs-W0CiD4MUgj9qgxuJjNrgfkdtF-jOENkLnU1Gcan-JAk4LnDvlONp8wtTR1FzdHOSnTrhtlyiPFpKzp1rQ0Ses/s320/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Before being converted to a bar in 1946 it was a grocery store, and for many years it was owned by Robert “Lefty” Mason, a standout high school athlete in Parkersburg in the 40s, who went on to get a baseball scholarship to West Virginia U and sign with the Boston Braves. It was also owned and operated for a period by Charles “Gary” Winters, who served as a Parkersburg City Councilman, worked the chains at Parkersburg High football games, and helped build over 300 handicap ramps. Regulars at the bar included Wayne Funk, who quarterbacked the local HS team team to a perfect 9-0 record and the 1921 state championship, then played for the 1922 WVU team that when undefeated (with one tie) and won the East-West Christmas Classic Bowl game.<br /> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5nK-hal1rng_xecw_zuHKjiL0Xga9z6IRDcUeXEWCtvoNHBQWdW010tH_Ij1tOIR_F4jo2CqdvSaiBFeIkNgIflrOurx7n4eU3WONR3e_gYW7CgxCFLhKe8owNNDigyeTKsyOSmlFIZx-WCZi8iJGDulRMc8dpEGj9FrUiDsaZvT5ghCwTo5/s3920/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3920" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5nK-hal1rng_xecw_zuHKjiL0Xga9z6IRDcUeXEWCtvoNHBQWdW010tH_Ij1tOIR_F4jo2CqdvSaiBFeIkNgIflrOurx7n4eU3WONR3e_gYW7CgxCFLhKe8owNNDigyeTKsyOSmlFIZx-WCZi8iJGDulRMc8dpEGj9FrUiDsaZvT5ghCwTo5/s320/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-041.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BIBe3Q9onrghMsRoxLLa5anQWS1Z_YzIWLmBUdJp5eMX4bZF2wFMFvlrq8QX-DPWB2kwn-efP0QBjEj2U6CqBiu6julaBXlx1kWtbtokloq9ZpNjfxHEcLKKy9gQf_iXja_QcMh5r3ca9rVdhkNDyocIy-8R8DB0lIxhBB8jQLeIH6wxQNVY/s2825/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2356" data-original-width="2825" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BIBe3Q9onrghMsRoxLLa5anQWS1Z_YzIWLmBUdJp5eMX4bZF2wFMFvlrq8QX-DPWB2kwn-efP0QBjEj2U6CqBiu6julaBXlx1kWtbtokloq9ZpNjfxHEcLKKy9gQf_iXja_QcMh5r3ca9rVdhkNDyocIy-8R8DB0lIxhBB8jQLeIH6wxQNVY/s320/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYVFVsxR0pMaXz_n1dDudWA9vT6-4d2arnJOsnzduZYM1iPf-QitTp4m-bErz5QZ2YPmx108W7L0YuQAqMCCFJmc2tdue0kCAyjd8Xa_kFK3rFXyIUXwDqr__WSFzSTnVsSOsRztaTDAYGRZyEZCoGkjS60M9aQclIilYsWTQG0wzstQaX0d4/s4032/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYVFVsxR0pMaXz_n1dDudWA9vT6-4d2arnJOsnzduZYM1iPf-QitTp4m-bErz5QZ2YPmx108W7L0YuQAqMCCFJmc2tdue0kCAyjd8Xa_kFK3rFXyIUXwDqr__WSFzSTnVsSOsRztaTDAYGRZyEZCoGkjS60M9aQclIilYsWTQG0wzstQaX0d4/s320/19thStreetCountryClub-parkersburg-wv-2023-06-22p-045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
1401 19th St, Parkersburg, WV 26101 - (304) 424-6336
<br />
Est. 1946 <br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/19thStCountryClub/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br /><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-56784957197525127962023-05-13T18:35:00.004-07:002023-05-13T18:35:47.257-07:00#5156 - Coal Tipple Brewery, Smith Township, PA - 5/12/23<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF32cyY1U--U4GaPsZe1qj4sn_pysf4HhKih5eRIjbszrBWZzZ-yBSiUi-1c-YCCi-07v-Zvayz0Rqmt_5uW63TgVYksvBSzYajNE3wEhiH9eAnBY_5K2dM8tacoN8pCwuKrypCVisM0mVnOyueMnfVwYWwAjTOY-Sncgp6ZiFwFrczRXaVA/s4032/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF32cyY1U--U4GaPsZe1qj4sn_pysf4HhKih5eRIjbszrBWZzZ-yBSiUi-1c-YCCi-07v-Zvayz0Rqmt_5uW63TgVYksvBSzYajNE3wEhiH9eAnBY_5K2dM8tacoN8pCwuKrypCVisM0mVnOyueMnfVwYWwAjTOY-Sncgp6ZiFwFrczRXaVA/s320/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-026.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coal Tipple Brewery, Smith Township, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />One of the finer greenhouse-winery-breweries I've ever visited, Kramer's Greenhouse, Raccoon Creek Winery, and the Coal Tipple Brewery is a family operation that traces its origins go George and Martha Kramer's greenhouse in 1945. </div><div><br /></div><div>Son and daughter in law Wayne and Helen Kramer took over in 1963, and then their youngest son Chris in 1996. It was Chris who purchased an unused farm at the tip of Smith Township in 2001, constructing and opening the current building in 2004. In 2009 Chris and his wife Dawn added a winery, and in then in 2016 the brewery that is now the oldest in Washington County. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXMwqJEUf5PGQb1m4dVDDJ762_lB929UY4uqEZgMDs58jHmtywIJ_h4AgbbCBkhm32Tfw89ui2WYe9KzvAmpaRHzKyPNs-Cn4VAgtRfxWmwQ2VqXr8xQK1JLdTpIiLgyOjqMjwCb8r9CnPq-TWa03UH7bJeuMlWovn1Vwk050Pz47I3w4lg/s4032/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXMwqJEUf5PGQb1m4dVDDJ762_lB929UY4uqEZgMDs58jHmtywIJ_h4AgbbCBkhm32Tfw89ui2WYe9KzvAmpaRHzKyPNs-Cn4VAgtRfxWmwQ2VqXr8xQK1JLdTpIiLgyOjqMjwCb8r9CnPq-TWa03UH7bJeuMlWovn1Vwk050Pz47I3w4lg/s320/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-034.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A reference to the beer I had:<br />The Dead Canary IPA</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The 3rd generation owners now employ 5th generation family members in the business. The Coal Tipple is an homage to the coal mining history of the region and the Kramer's many relatives who worked the mines, with all beers named with old mining terms, including the Nippy <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipple" target="_blank">Tipple</a> Ale.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPYW4slCumco-iToorWlEOSrvov-OQanvpttSMUJCOveHVcPOdJ6vnWmtKXuxX2gMc5NkGQrzd_9hHm99sCRAYs68dLUcPV1_YCXSfdRptn6lm3gZIeqlcWSpMsCqMXKVbi_7rJOA2EMFbaPJ13ctrjLWs_LN4lkriU8kR4XulmgC8sJt6Q/s4032/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPYW4slCumco-iToorWlEOSrvov-OQanvpttSMUJCOveHVcPOdJ6vnWmtKXuxX2gMc5NkGQrzd_9hHm99sCRAYs68dLUcPV1_YCXSfdRptn6lm3gZIeqlcWSpMsCqMXKVbi_7rJOA2EMFbaPJ13ctrjLWs_LN4lkriU8kR4XulmgC8sJt6Q/s320/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsC6IjgU5hkZsdD0nzzQeHHNm2uuN84UitLdJ1Wu3tDtTL9DAFAXnkin7CbhfbYBooSYC_OUl0QmWjSZoWPztiIh-o3aaAdOU1qxGsro1T_9veo2wGTIxYquEElOZ3d9q95SLX4xPaBjHDLdLAKjKj_HrIsrjY9YfzBTuJWKEt1zZ8XBmdw/s4032/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsC6IjgU5hkZsdD0nzzQeHHNm2uuN84UitLdJ1Wu3tDtTL9DAFAXnkin7CbhfbYBooSYC_OUl0QmWjSZoWPztiIh-o3aaAdOU1qxGsro1T_9veo2wGTIxYquEElOZ3d9q95SLX4xPaBjHDLdLAKjKj_HrIsrjY9YfzBTuJWKEt1zZ8XBmdw/s320/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfO6bacFWuxDEkKmGdr5_lHFte6TswZ_MpV6RzYZ7J871rvyEWGxcvfC5RKBeZ5t3APzrWGTBv6-fjiuFmUYoibXoepusdJTIhdyXNGXEVo900ZtrnfcpR86vWpV3nl4696NujCVuaJukI5yIVTuljyrk6IRgd4R5fjEaM3slMQmyxHiw4g/s3983/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="3983" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfO6bacFWuxDEkKmGdr5_lHFte6TswZ_MpV6RzYZ7J871rvyEWGxcvfC5RKBeZ5t3APzrWGTBv6-fjiuFmUYoibXoepusdJTIhdyXNGXEVo900ZtrnfcpR86vWpV3nl4696NujCVuaJukI5yIVTuljyrk6IRgd4R5fjEaM3slMQmyxHiw4g/s320/coaltipplebrewery-smithtownship-pa-2023-05-12p-032.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
1905 Steubenville Pike, Burgettstown, PA 15021 - (724) 899-3344
<br />
Est. 2016 - Building constructed: 2004<br />
Previous bars in this location: None<br />
Web site: <a href="https://kramersgreenhouse.com/brewery/" target="_blank">kramersgreenhouse.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050309784190" target="_blank">facebook</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/RACCOONCKWINERY" target="_blank">twitter</a> <br />
Articles: <a href="https://observer-reporter.com/business/new-brews-with-a-past-coal-tipple-brewery-tips-its-glass-to-county-s-mining/article_1b3e47fb-7383-5efc-93f5-b540dab8600e.html" target="_blank">observer-reporter</a> - <a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/life/drinks/2016/11/23/Coal-Tipple-Brewery-is-open-in-rural-Washington-County/stories/201611230003" target="_blank">post-gazette</a> - <a href="https://untappd.com/CoalTippleBrewery" target="_blank">untappd</a> - <a href="https://www.visitpa.com/region/pittsburgh-its-countryside/coal-tipple-brewery" target="_blank">visitpa</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/coal-tipple-brewery-burgettstown" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g52284-d18892450-Reviews-Kramer_s_Greenhouse-Burgettstown_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.visitwashingtoncountypa.com/listing/coal-tipple-brewery-at-kramers-greenhouse/737/" target="_blank">visitwashingtoncountypa</a> </div></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-5397176791701329602023-03-23T14:10:00.003-07:002023-03-23T14:10:57.858-07:00 #4989 - The Lamphouse, West Bethlehem, PA - 1/29/2023<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxksnaSkDuFP4o3Xt7QpTlinSMf67rx2hl0atD__zcLqRQSc9Ky1OLM_BO5TMvWp7NsF-xOLsw8NqtHA_CxAm8kNbPh4j-TdyPCP-Cnt97f2oKMsKDU-kDtNdkaDR5NDFx02Hw9cCKAxXQvVb9Ii9wxF7lLAoKNsrPtEWdhgSscGeKyNEig/s2987/lamphousetavern-marianna-pa-2023-01-29p-073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2801" data-original-width="2987" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxksnaSkDuFP4o3Xt7QpTlinSMf67rx2hl0atD__zcLqRQSc9Ky1OLM_BO5TMvWp7NsF-xOLsw8NqtHA_CxAm8kNbPh4j-TdyPCP-Cnt97f2oKMsKDU-kDtNdkaDR5NDFx02Hw9cCKAxXQvVb9Ii9wxF7lLAoKNsrPtEWdhgSscGeKyNEig/w400-h375/lamphousetavern-marianna-pa-2023-01-29p-073.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamphouse Tavern, Marianna, PA</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I know very little about this bar but it certainly has the appearance of being around for a while. They list their location as Marianna, and seem to feel a part of that community, though according to Google Maps they are on the wrong side of the street to be technically in that borough. It's located just across from 10 Mile Creek, and gets business from fisherman as a result. Marianna was established as a mining town by the Pittsburgh Buffalo Company in 1907. It was incorporated in 1910, with a population of over 13,000, which has been declining ever since. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoql1S-wLry8q1xV3ewE1QaiHNh7U7wMBtlUR8moIcB7KCj4hBPmSJXzbcI6wjJdrEfQFNUv2rfLglF0LJpn3trKxhWtrXPkJig3gY0QqN9E31NUO0oiGiKxgKHFevupuQOPGf4VCcEJ5MixnSWjFQp0fjtGxIFWnHETAd8iJq4hcgrVAAPw/s2427/lamphousetavern-marianna-pa-2023-01-29p-075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2427" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoql1S-wLry8q1xV3ewE1QaiHNh7U7wMBtlUR8moIcB7KCj4hBPmSJXzbcI6wjJdrEfQFNUv2rfLglF0LJpn3trKxhWtrXPkJig3gY0QqN9E31NUO0oiGiKxgKHFevupuQOPGf4VCcEJ5MixnSWjFQp0fjtGxIFWnHETAd8iJq4hcgrVAAPw/w400-h254/lamphousetavern-marianna-pa-2023-01-29p-075.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamphouse Tavern, Marianna, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>At 10:55am Saturday, Nov 28, 1908, an explosion resulted in the Marianna Mine Disaster, killing 154 men and leaving only one survivor. The mine continued to operate until 1988. Marianna's population is now around 400 people. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the lazy afternoon we visited the Lamphouse, there were just a few regulars there, most of them taking turns giving patron Larry a hard time. It's a cozy neighborhood joint with a rectangular bar jutting out into the middle, and a pool table in back. In the evenings they are more lively, with candy flavored drink specials and comfort food specials like Swedish meatballs and tuna noodle casserole. It was here that we learned what <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/walking-tacos/" target="_blank">Walking Tacos</a> are.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdX6DlfuUZv7KP5H0ZeaoGF2S20BI25lf1k-OvU0SfqlbALv7dqPvYl5zRY8gnQ_OZnaabiD9TVNymQJD-iupjbK591Z-47iyxzv1nTwFF32AEK5UqkVGrGP1lB63SdE8M3x8ofonPJMxVeYC9DbJyJYRo1Jy_WI0-yaxWYsLMKAUOkxTSg/s4032/lamphousetavern-marianna-pa-2023-01-29p-102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdX6DlfuUZv7KP5H0ZeaoGF2S20BI25lf1k-OvU0SfqlbALv7dqPvYl5zRY8gnQ_OZnaabiD9TVNymQJD-iupjbK591Z-47iyxzv1nTwFF32AEK5UqkVGrGP1lB63SdE8M3x8ofonPJMxVeYC9DbJyJYRo1Jy_WI0-yaxWYsLMKAUOkxTSg/w400-h300/lamphousetavern-marianna-pa-2023-01-29p-102.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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1754 Main St, Marianna, PA 15345 - (724) 267-4750
<br />Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The%20Lamphouse/140624042691862/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/lamp-house-marianna" target="_blank">yelp</a> petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-20679759179306633442023-03-14T11:03:00.006-07:002023-03-14T11:03:49.700-07:00#5037 - Sullivan's Pub, Erie, PA - 3/9/2023<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_dH6LyIgIjc_zusI8iZHbRblf2sYObpwa7xMTWyLyZz2j0d0I6XnWETlAZXBjjyquqXsZtECCYIeOYTM6ffEY-qqieBHKlS1KpXiMC_mxD--Ai7MWVPBvaWXQEay-U6XxYv4teivVMR8A2C83MAvJzu5ygGUa4_7YAkj_pLtZfKmOre6rg/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_dH6LyIgIjc_zusI8iZHbRblf2sYObpwa7xMTWyLyZz2j0d0I6XnWETlAZXBjjyquqXsZtECCYIeOYTM6ffEY-qqieBHKlS1KpXiMC_mxD--Ai7MWVPBvaWXQEay-U6XxYv4teivVMR8A2C83MAvJzu5ygGUa4_7YAkj_pLtZfKmOre6rg/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-134.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sullivan's Pub, Erie, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>There was one other customer in Sullivan's when I stepped in on this afternoon, shortly after they opened. Of course it will be different on Friday and Saturday nights, when the bar routinely serves over 400 people, and most spectacularly on next Friday, as they block off the street and expect over 10,000 customers on St. Patricks Day.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are a few of the bits of info I got from friendly bartender Julia. She also showed me the doorbell said to have been installed for the prohibition days, and the slightly scary ladder down a hole behind the bar to what used to be tunnels -- now sealed in -- and currently serves as beer storage, an office, and occasionally a way to for the bartender to get between rooms when the crowd is too thick. There is a brass bar at counter level in front of the hole now, which Julia explained was installed after the owner's wife fell down it (she apparently was not too badly injured).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRy4b7h0K3S7wR1WN7FQ4qvLdr_UZodjd1SovTRQpwKdsD0UlKhc6CYQADLhjZ6unRvRlb_LniVut9f6O9ZU_MxfAXBJkGJc4TMW5tMZgJXVpFacjGAV5Ox0_6lB6HitKCc63HNeyXfRciqV3dwQ-PaAW0jF2uUq0XYggx0Q3ZUNjlKtb33Q/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-150-julia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRy4b7h0K3S7wR1WN7FQ4qvLdr_UZodjd1SovTRQpwKdsD0UlKhc6CYQADLhjZ6unRvRlb_LniVut9f6O9ZU_MxfAXBJkGJc4TMW5tMZgJXVpFacjGAV5Ox0_6lB6HitKCc63HNeyXfRciqV3dwQ-PaAW0jF2uUq0XYggx0Q3ZUNjlKtb33Q/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-150-julia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bartender Julia, Sullivan's Pub, Erie, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The bar claims to be the seventh oldest Irish bar in the country (I found several older references to being the sixth oldest, so apparently there was a recent correction). It was established as a bar and as "Sullivan's" in 1905, in a building that tax records say was constructed in 1892. It was closed for 19 months due to COVID, and finally reopened, after some remodeling, Oct 15, 2021. It features an interesting back bar; the origins of it were not exactly clear, but it appears to have been obtained by the current owners. It is of a sort of art deco style, with metal plates on the columns featuring bas relief female figures.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI7rTs11_8pghoKiuBFUwDTKfJ34eOv_3iwFZql0MXgYgk7YxomQMZVdTvpWZ-iVQ7w0O95ozezsEvHlnbn90WvTE5bZEzzgZ5Gx0xmdOCdOv2FcxYnJgTpcKAyucRERyHF4yigmroEilxF5jzTQzU9UVgmihlM8wuxatfqnbRTpa70p-2Q/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI7rTs11_8pghoKiuBFUwDTKfJ34eOv_3iwFZql0MXgYgk7YxomQMZVdTvpWZ-iVQ7w0O95ozezsEvHlnbn90WvTE5bZEzzgZ5Gx0xmdOCdOv2FcxYnJgTpcKAyucRERyHF4yigmroEilxF5jzTQzU9UVgmihlM8wuxatfqnbRTpa70p-2Q/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-146.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sullivan's Pub, Erie, PA<br />Hole behind the bar</td></tr></tbody></table>All of his is set two to three blocks from the southwest shores of Lake Erie, and close to Gannon University, which tends to contribute more than its fair share of customers.</div><div><br /></div><div>For a helpful history of the place, I'll quote from the bar's own web site:</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sullivan’s Pub and Eatery is proud to be the oldest public house in Erie, serving the community since 1905.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>The seventh oldest Irish bar in the United States, Sullivan’s has been a proud member of the Erie Downtown community since its opening in 1905 by prominent First Ward politician John L. Sullivan and his wife Alice. The Sullivan family were lifelong residents of the First Ward and members of St. Patrick’s church. Under the ownership of John and Alice, Sullivan’s became a central neighborhood hot spot and a pillar of the Erie Irish community.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6biAznHD6VbPIkaKr62zx5wuOg1pkq4kfsiBa2_n3lROfRpZwIlUnRk5U_Yg3en5wWIlelzFGErVs9ON10lGgmhXd6yfvqTcF5jiFf_Jd7oL1tzJfMax1MMlsbx_CXcGSI_TkJz7j0oBbrLLSgCdNsiG_oOzoEdZFme8Mk8g6Jlo3sb8yZQ/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6biAznHD6VbPIkaKr62zx5wuOg1pkq4kfsiBa2_n3lROfRpZwIlUnRk5U_Yg3en5wWIlelzFGErVs9ON10lGgmhXd6yfvqTcF5jiFf_Jd7oL1tzJfMax1MMlsbx_CXcGSI_TkJz7j0oBbrLLSgCdNsiG_oOzoEdZFme8Mk8g6Jlo3sb8yZQ/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In 1950, Margaret Sullivan Heinz, daughter of John and Alice, assumed ownership of the cafe. Margaret’s brother, Emmet J. “Jiggs” Sullivan, helped her run the cafe. Jiggs was a retired fireman from Fire Station #1 on French Street (formerly Pufferbelly), just two blocks from the cafe. It was during this time that people started recognizing Sullivan’s for having great food. Maggie and Jiggs served a menu consisting of Irish and American fare. The cafe was also known as the “Glue Pot” because once you went in, you couldn’t get out. In fact, one afternoon the firemen from Station #1 went into Sullivan’s for lunch and wound up staying all afternoon to play cards. When a building directly behind the firehouse went up in flames, the neighborhood had to rush down to Sullivan’s to drag the firemen out of the “Glue Pot”!</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsBHRrBH7B9lrqEpMBIheVeXAvE0nc_16fMgtPMyKUytFagfTX44THdBcM-WB0LVObc6O1-15tRVuitQ5q3-0CRqVFMm_74JR5eNLsQ7ujZMTE7Rj5qzqmZ4_7Uwuh2hpmNBXMhnS5HPggzcn2hqUDgqkc2Hs57PZUKfO4ELRCqGA9vcm0g/s3199/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3199" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsBHRrBH7B9lrqEpMBIheVeXAvE0nc_16fMgtPMyKUytFagfTX44THdBcM-WB0LVObc6O1-15tRVuitQ5q3-0CRqVFMm_74JR5eNLsQ7ujZMTE7Rj5qzqmZ4_7Uwuh2hpmNBXMhnS5HPggzcn2hqUDgqkc2Hs57PZUKfO4ELRCqGA9vcm0g/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-147.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doorbell said to have been installed <br />for use during prohibition<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>In 1960, the Powers family, another Irish brood, purchased Sullivan’s. During this time, the cafe was a regular stop for many Hamot Hospital employees and Gannon College students. There were many that gathered at Happy Hour when Mr. Powers would appear from the kitchen with a large freshly baked ham and say with an Irish accent, “Well now, would anyone be wantin’ a bit O’ this delicious ham?” Then he would slice the ham into sandwiches which the patrons would pass down the length of the bar.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 1989, the cafe was purchased by the present owners [Ron and Rick Filippi]. Intent upon preserving a part of Erie history, the group invested time, effort, and resources into completely restoring the century old building while retaining the Irish flavor that has been so popular in the Erie community. The present owners expanded the food menu, remodeled the dining room, kitchen, and added the dance floor."</div><div>(<a href="https://sullivanspuberiepa.com/history" target="_blank">sullivanspuberiepa.com</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNJWSNo6sKtoqg8cSScl4dEgUw0_f9nbDSLFmca2uUMRxooYseZ59ssc_ak8OKX9y864YwJz51Y7VCt4ZZ6v5W5IR6KjwUeExykc5fhcR-bkn7u0-sxYRDBFHcD2Ql7YXUyRZEllCA-i7_GydkzMhGtA5c4BV-6-Es2hcDPl31MDExGO-gQ/s3728/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3728" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNJWSNo6sKtoqg8cSScl4dEgUw0_f9nbDSLFmca2uUMRxooYseZ59ssc_ak8OKX9y864YwJz51Y7VCt4ZZ6v5W5IR6KjwUeExykc5fhcR-bkn7u0-sxYRDBFHcD2Ql7YXUyRZEllCA-i7_GydkzMhGtA5c4BV-6-Es2hcDPl31MDExGO-gQ/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-139.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8iQxFDTqRKlUHir5x_olZ_g3tTlhE2MqXMec-lPsLV4Ygip4_zE5me_klBxwv5NCM6lNdIhdyqfCM61dK583bROe7nO5QejoEGocU-ZBUq9pPLfq9curV4e21AsO1RKkMUcgcvMmW-9imTdavmcP-B44R-rVY41iKxL1NnZbqUP2Vdp0uw/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8iQxFDTqRKlUHir5x_olZ_g3tTlhE2MqXMec-lPsLV4Ygip4_zE5me_klBxwv5NCM6lNdIhdyqfCM61dK583bROe7nO5QejoEGocU-ZBUq9pPLfq9curV4e21AsO1RKkMUcgcvMmW-9imTdavmcP-B44R-rVY41iKxL1NnZbqUP2Vdp0uw/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-148.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmMCOJ0uK-JRp1hMxhVWWkzj_l83Wi4mAgGGIzCgS6yX_MmN7k9w1FIVtpVgSXCL_7qlc00eLNxBj64u9POSXN_88OGh2mnBPM6xQ8Mnx1odiN7DvSF9854H4y_yAuM988jY_-C3unad7TnV277OO48KYtH-Y8KhcIhHjI7twKDnDIqdCDw/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmMCOJ0uK-JRp1hMxhVWWkzj_l83Wi4mAgGGIzCgS6yX_MmN7k9w1FIVtpVgSXCL_7qlc00eLNxBj64u9POSXN_88OGh2mnBPM6xQ8Mnx1odiN7DvSF9854H4y_yAuM988jY_-C3unad7TnV277OO48KYtH-Y8KhcIhHjI7twKDnDIqdCDw/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUnetrDDPaPLTvN_wEp0Caf1yuZTeodcLfp7Aqi5vEZNIdIVaK6U7dghuV7PKRnIfsolrYC8IRgXm7dZjwp1r1OJjhd0THq3mZ3jDPlh2ZsMPPci7bdmUKx62keECWU6z6UY6Oe3ITykEUNv0obEEcaMFqb2ZoBrveSZmFqxkJoo5cdWPig/s4032/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUnetrDDPaPLTvN_wEp0Caf1yuZTeodcLfp7Aqi5vEZNIdIVaK6U7dghuV7PKRnIfsolrYC8IRgXm7dZjwp1r1OJjhd0THq3mZ3jDPlh2ZsMPPci7bdmUKx62keECWU6z6UY6Oe3ITykEUNv0obEEcaMFqb2ZoBrveSZmFqxkJoo5cdWPig/s320/sullivanspub-erie-pa-2023-03-09p-153.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
301 French St, Erie, PA 16507 - (814) 452-3446
<br />
Est. 1905 - Building constructed: 1892<br />
Previous bars in this location: None known <br />
Web site: <a href="https://sullivanspuberiepa.com/" target="_blank">sullivanspuberiepa.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sullivanspub/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.goerie.com/story/entertainment/local/2017/04/06/experience-tradition-at-sullivan-s/21585898007/" target="_blank">goerie</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/sullivans-pub-and-eatery-erie" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.goerie.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/10/13/sullivans-bar-reopening-erie-after-being-shuttered-since-march-16-2020/8439360002/" target="_blank">goerie</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-74453429521416148002023-03-10T15:45:00.000-08:002023-03-10T15:45:13.530-08:00#5033 - Kaufman Tavern, Zelienople, PA - 3/9/2023<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPzS7JUxHlhG6U5zZwnziqmrnXGE_tnrWFwHuvuHZ9weO-4jarFGixSWG7TxJ5MjrtFrwOiSK_bVoBGabah4MxyzeqRSxzT3zs55INymCPbLq2s3UEQPkIFiBlKLzu8qIFiRu1wseRwy3_QRYD0ckaD9BPUlFGNHt4dlWK0m29dQSOzpj3w/s3315/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2567" data-original-width="3315" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPzS7JUxHlhG6U5zZwnziqmrnXGE_tnrWFwHuvuHZ9weO-4jarFGixSWG7TxJ5MjrtFrwOiSK_bVoBGabah4MxyzeqRSxzT3zs55INymCPbLq2s3UEQPkIFiBlKLzu8qIFiRu1wseRwy3_QRYD0ckaD9BPUlFGNHt4dlWK0m29dQSOzpj3w/w400-h310/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaufman Tavern, Zenienople, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>On this day I planned to make my way to a historic bar in Erie, PA, and as that pub did not open until 4 pm, I picked a few additional stops along the virtually due north drive from Pittsburgh. The first of these was a bar in the borough of Zelienople, in a historic hotel that had been closed for many years after a disastrous fire, and reopened in late January 2020. I had barely seated myself at the Kaufman Tavern bar when a woman with a camera came in and asked the hostess if she could view the speakeasy. Wait. SPEAKEASY?!?!?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCq6Ci_2pQUmQ2ZjaC2RJCIkQdcznwam-qxVVZL4DGOq-oR95c8MNG3BRGUpMN6nE9lQdOFWOoX1L_T1kAq9gApn3ti3gk1vCkoWsA0Ter92cArwybMC1tYyCsozq3zzbUvpz6qfKq28wpl_2ioGPPKvisu19xX0tAE1KkgpCOTRYEMpkJNw/s4032/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCq6Ci_2pQUmQ2ZjaC2RJCIkQdcznwam-qxVVZL4DGOq-oR95c8MNG3BRGUpMN6nE9lQdOFWOoX1L_T1kAq9gApn3ti3gk1vCkoWsA0Ter92cArwybMC1tYyCsozq3zzbUvpz6qfKq28wpl_2ioGPPKvisu19xX0tAE1KkgpCOTRYEMpkJNw/w400-h300/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaufman Tavern, Zenienople, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Indeed, in an underground space once positioned as a cigar bar and doubling as the wine storage room, the hotel/tavern had established their speakeasy, open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays. After the serendipitous discovery of its existence, I tagged along for a little tour from one of the employees. The speakeasy lies within the pleasantly antiquated, exposed rock foundation of the building, and is decorated with period paintings, vintage artifacts, and old photographs. As our hostess provided a bit of sometimes violent history of the building, of course I had to ask about ghost sightings. And indeed the young woman herself has seen many signs from "Elizabeth," the one-time owner's wife purportedly murdered by her husband for infidelity, and noted that her brother had seen "Mr. Kaufman" in the walk-in freezer. She pointed to a lamp that often flickers when we talk about Elizabeth, and added that only after her brother's sighting they learned that Mr. Kaufman had committed suicide in that very space. The ghostly <a href="https://ironcityparanormal.com/2019/07/15/kaufman-house-history/" target="_blank">activity</a> has been confirmed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRJN8ritGXU" target="_blank">confirmed</a> -- in the sense that believers use the term -- by paranormal investigators, and the hotel has featured dinner presentations on their work</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2htnC3nAJN06JsXbc2GSHhxZaYek7OiJ9yII_PnPJlp-myQ93MT-4e_6zeX_XX5NyaVt9R7vIjCunojFZVFnCcvPLZmfkLOu0pN_JSibQ6zedYYjXos4s_X1Rar_Ri5vNEmI3-dR_TrrrSDrVdrErR5TQGHFPXUpvnetZ7zQuZtWYwfcaYg/s3541/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3541" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2htnC3nAJN06JsXbc2GSHhxZaYek7OiJ9yII_PnPJlp-myQ93MT-4e_6zeX_XX5NyaVt9R7vIjCunojFZVFnCcvPLZmfkLOu0pN_JSibQ6zedYYjXos4s_X1Rar_Ri5vNEmI3-dR_TrrrSDrVdrErR5TQGHFPXUpvnetZ7zQuZtWYwfcaYg/w341-h400/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-014.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stairway to speakeasy<br />Kaufman Tavern, Zenienople, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This particular spot on the route from Erie to Pittsburgh is said to have hosted a hotel and/or tavern since a tavern was constructed in 1837 by John Randolph. Zelienople itself was founded by Baron Dettmar Basse from Frankfurt Germany, who purchased a tract of 10,000 acres in the current Butler and Beaver Counties upon his arrival in 1802. The borough was named for his eldest daughter, "whose chosen name was Zelie (her given name was Fredericka) which she named herself after her favorite doll." (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelienople,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>In 1902 the hotel on this spot burned down and was replaced by a new owner. "The Kaufman House was built after the fire of 1902 by Henry Stokey and operated it as a hotel [named the Grand Central Hotel] until 1920, when he sold it to the Union Rubber Company, who used it as housing for workers at its plant in Zelienople. Union Rubber sold the house to E.F. Kaufman in 1924. Kaufman remodeled and modernized what he called the Kaufman Hotel, making it a popular stop between Pittsburgh and Erie. In 1974, Ellwood City native Ken Pilarski bought the hotel and renamed it Kaufman House. In his tenure as owner, the Kaufman House had four dining rooms, a coffee shop, a banquet room and a lounge." (<a href="https://kaufmantavern.com/about/" target="_blank">kaufmantavern.com</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuq1ylXbjK6ufl7x8UeRSRkgLuJdHz_snTrxnr42PcTVrfvaciDrimmpQHkFYZjxzjOVqdVh-N9WcNgH3_-xP0miIWmr_ptLOjhxktAiapfmkb2gUHQroaRPGKmXFQqgoO02Q8xtFUq0zdYI1WhLR7xPKEANFnxwxRYesr351vd7uAzgAlA/s3709/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2882" data-original-width="3709" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuq1ylXbjK6ufl7x8UeRSRkgLuJdHz_snTrxnr42PcTVrfvaciDrimmpQHkFYZjxzjOVqdVh-N9WcNgH3_-xP0miIWmr_ptLOjhxktAiapfmkb2gUHQroaRPGKmXFQqgoO02Q8xtFUq0zdYI1WhLR7xPKEANFnxwxRYesr351vd7uAzgAlA/s320/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-026.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaufman Tavern speakeasy, Zenienople, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>Closed for virtually a decade after an <a href="https://patch.com/pennsylvania/cranberry/fire-damages-kitchen-of-kaufman-house-in-zelienople" target="_blank">October 5, 2011 fire</a>, the Kaufman had long been central to the community of Zelienople and surrounding region. "When people from Aliquippa or New Castle wanted to impress a date, they went to Kaufman House for dinner, he said, and then to Pittsburgh for a show, but would return to Kaufman House for drinks." (<a href="https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/02/02/historic-zelienople-landmark-reopens/1785696007/" target="_blank">beavercountytimes</a>) "“Always, it was the crown jewel of Zelienople,” current owner Jason Eisenreich explained.</div><div><br /></div><div>For this reason, after Ken Pilarski, the owner during the 2011 fire, struggled to get the place reopened, the borough itself invested. In December 2015 the Butler County Tourism Foundation purchased the building. When they couldn't put together the backing needed to restore the place, the borough itself about it in 2017, with the aid of a state grant. The borough would partner with local developer Patrick Boylan with a lease-to-own agreement, and a plan for the borough to cover exterior work, and Boylan to fund the interior. (ibid)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMT6Xfp0lbdjkIsaZX2R654hFjciZuADd0aGMY6YrGWCKouu29DlGejFhIbyQY0Yt1LfUazXw7hFBfBky318bs3VsGGgwtAOi8MYsFHVmrI7vTLF1yJUiY8FKxIizb9YejwdDMN__DHq0odDmCjAti90a8n_kx-7L9EXcYJKmHrow4yz7Vg/s3775/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3775" data-original-width="3006" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMT6Xfp0lbdjkIsaZX2R654hFjciZuADd0aGMY6YrGWCKouu29DlGejFhIbyQY0Yt1LfUazXw7hFBfBky318bs3VsGGgwtAOi8MYsFHVmrI7vTLF1yJUiY8FKxIizb9YejwdDMN__DHq0odDmCjAti90a8n_kx-7L9EXcYJKmHrow4yz7Vg/s320/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-027.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>Borough Manager John Pepe confirmed the importance of the effort. "How much money it brings to town, I couldn’t tell you that, but I can tell you that the other businesses in town, whether they are restaurants or not, all rely on each other. Of course they do. That’s the way economics is and they relied on the Kaufman House because it was just a key piece – a cornerstone, if you will -- of the entire economic structure of the town, which is why it was so important to preserve." (ibid)</div><div><br /></div><div>I do not know exactly what years the location featured a bar, nor how similar previous versions of bars resemble the one that now greets you as you walk into the front door. But the current version includes 40 beer choices on tap and fairly upscale food choices for both locals and hotel guests. After my visit to the basement speakeasy, I had a very fine soup du jour and some nice honey jalapeno hummus. I hope to visit the speakeasy while in operation on some Friday or Saturday in the not too distant future. It seems well worth risking the vengeful spirits residing within.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLVy3PlDXlYn7n4pMielrp7E2GYQJiktf_xI0hnvTMNF32bmr9XyKSDznwWalAZ01xWuGDv2XrzIhpMs4Abt_vsD72KhjKiQug5OD71Wc7s30mmxLTEhR64AsNq5-cpx1S4ItKxIh1V-Td1jjCLzKqVSVnqOUZcagFI34zumqLZwVxN_TCA/s4032/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLVy3PlDXlYn7n4pMielrp7E2GYQJiktf_xI0hnvTMNF32bmr9XyKSDznwWalAZ01xWuGDv2XrzIhpMs4Abt_vsD72KhjKiQug5OD71Wc7s30mmxLTEhR64AsNq5-cpx1S4ItKxIh1V-Td1jjCLzKqVSVnqOUZcagFI34zumqLZwVxN_TCA/s320/kaufmantavern--zelienople-pa-2023-03-09p-036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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105 S Main St, Zelienople, PA 16063 - (724) 452-8900
<br />
Est. Jan 2020 current incarnation, 1924 Kaufman Hotel/House/Tavern - Building constructed: 1903/1924<br />
Previous bars in this location: Grand Central Hotel<br />
Web site: <a href="https://kaufmantavern.com/" target="_blank">kaufmantavern.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kaufmantavern/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/02/02/historic-zelienople-landmark-reopens/1785696007/" target="_blank">beavercountytimes</a> - <a href="https://www.cranberryeagle.com/2020/02/08/tavern-tableau-refurbished-kaufman-house-reopens/" target="_blank">cranberryeagle</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/kaufman-tavern-zelienople-2" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g54054-d21071610-Reviews-Kaufman_Tavern-Zelienople_Butler_County_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/5-pittsburgh-area-restorations-worth-a-second-look/" target="_blank">pittsburghmagazine</a> - <a href="https://butlerradio.com/kaufman-house-re-opens-under-new-name/" target="_blank">butlerradio</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-61520703888237347612023-02-14T13:38:00.001-08:002023-02-14T13:38:14.262-08:00#5006 - Lena's Lounge, East Liverpool, OH - 2/13/2023<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPp5nhPZDQPMVg_5X50hswgHRcs9c9oc_LtHKeTFgMiFnOPO2YX1qgyLuGTDRk1AdLO39NeaIiOcIMw04PoDqtNg-apYlRB3BzTfQNOHDnqVEbS7OEXuiSZxysjTJE-Iw8NTZRwW7ujMRT016vsWfGhy-Eq--6_5yOnoTPmWNGGKIvixhkQ/s3075/lenaslounge-eastliverpool-oh-2023-02-13p-043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3075" data-original-width="2899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPp5nhPZDQPMVg_5X50hswgHRcs9c9oc_LtHKeTFgMiFnOPO2YX1qgyLuGTDRk1AdLO39NeaIiOcIMw04PoDqtNg-apYlRB3BzTfQNOHDnqVEbS7OEXuiSZxysjTJE-Iw8NTZRwW7ujMRT016vsWfGhy-Eq--6_5yOnoTPmWNGGKIvixhkQ/s320/lenaslounge-eastliverpool-oh-2023-02-13p-043.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lena's Lounge, East Liverpool, OH<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I like <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterga/albums/72157699557589111/with/52688624492/" target="_blank">86 Lists</a> in bars. The list in Lena's Place in East Liverpool, is the first one I've seen that is next to a display of items -- mostly beer bottles -- memorializing deceased customers. It's a fairly lengthy list, with an unusual amount of full proper names, although it does also include Doug Tooth Man, Cheets/Chicago, Quiet, Peanut, and Irish. </div><div><br /></div><div> East Liverpool is a small town (about 10,000 residents) just across the Ohio River from West Virginia, a couple miles east of Pennsylvania. The town's population peaked in 1970, on the strength of its pottery industry: </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote> <i>'The potteries of East Liverpool became the national center of ceramic toilet and table wares, with 85 firms operating at one time or another making two-thirds of the national output from 1880 to 1950.
East Liverpool became known as "The Crockery City. Potters from Staffordshire, England, began pouring into East Liverpool, attracted by higher wages and the prospect of land ownership. By 1879, there were 24 potteries in East Liverpool, nearly all operated by English immigrants. As late as 1900, East Liverpool remained "essentially a transplanted potting town of Englishmen".'</i> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Liverpool,_Ohio" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>)</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet_Pg2D_IMq4AV9fi13kpWE3o6HnXaAAHb2rN6GTThGIoupvgzsJd6XmyCYnLvFIBybhO2DxKtj164229mrbJluV3iCYus6UyoeyphFcIIeQnRsSl2o-p7gYb7DCUlHoYD0t4HdsvKjEgWHkBiVc1EAy8IGodspNgBL3sNOl7sS5ysrDO9A/s4032/lenaslounge-eastliverpool-oh-2023-02-13p-040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet_Pg2D_IMq4AV9fi13kpWE3o6HnXaAAHb2rN6GTThGIoupvgzsJd6XmyCYnLvFIBybhO2DxKtj164229mrbJluV3iCYus6UyoeyphFcIIeQnRsSl2o-p7gYb7DCUlHoYD0t4HdsvKjEgWHkBiVc1EAy8IGodspNgBL3sNOl7sS5ysrDO9A/s320/lenaslounge-eastliverpool-oh-2023-02-13p-040.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lena's Lounge, East Liverpool, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>The fairly large space that is now Lena's was "Scotty's Place" for several decades. A few years ago it was purchased by Bob Berdine for his daughter Lena. Bob and his wife Joyce ran "Berdines Corner Tavern" in town for many years. Bob and Joyce were married in 1962 and Joyce just passed away Feb 5th. Bob has some health challenges of his own, and is looking to sell Lena's. </div><div><br /></div><div> The bar looks much as it did as Scotty's, with a long, narrow bar area alongside a large open room that once regularly hosted live bands. It is a rare bar in town that still has last call at 1:45am, so it gets a lot of its customers late in the evening, from the other bars that close at 10 or 11.
I wish I could you how old the place is. </div><div><br /></div><div>The back bar runs almost the entire length of the long barroom, and appears to have an early 20th century art deco type of design. As with many of the bars I visit in mid-day, it made me wonder what it was like on busy Friday or Saturday night.
<br /> <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKGG3PQEheAw62pLqAkHRUCKvcxe9AO4AzdcFPZvvER5jBH9taxOCgvmKkW3VJULYiIGe8zM9BQC7rXEKsZROc-tYIvDFhxngNmM1ZA7XAhV6y_ZKnNQEkL1ZrUnLWuJdYGdsyN5Dfa6dZBA6miAlaQ1ZKemIRc2l73R7NXKoLiN3QbRaBQ/s4032/lenaslounge-eastliverpool-oh-2023-02-13p-042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKGG3PQEheAw62pLqAkHRUCKvcxe9AO4AzdcFPZvvER5jBH9taxOCgvmKkW3VJULYiIGe8zM9BQC7rXEKsZROc-tYIvDFhxngNmM1ZA7XAhV6y_ZKnNQEkL1ZrUnLWuJdYGdsyN5Dfa6dZBA6miAlaQ1ZKemIRc2l73R7NXKoLiN3QbRaBQ/s320/lenaslounge-eastliverpool-oh-2023-02-13p-042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q4GhCwhlQzUTcxVXJ-qexpGzQwfAxj7iknmgf4KcvZnK31RPrODjO7JoNGpkw4xC2oFkq7xvca-Ow7SILo8mPp5MbgTxO2bg0RaSeTWDM6lCFnX6i0ls1tniget1Lg3-0Kj4tMSgQd4Jld5swY76ox7tiojyeuoKk7mbWRui1wNn7Qsd-A/s643/lenaslounge-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q4GhCwhlQzUTcxVXJ-qexpGzQwfAxj7iknmgf4KcvZnK31RPrODjO7JoNGpkw4xC2oFkq7xvca-Ow7SILo8mPp5MbgTxO2bg0RaSeTWDM6lCFnX6i0ls1tniget1Lg3-0Kj4tMSgQd4Jld5swY76ox7tiojyeuoKk7mbWRui1wNn7Qsd-A/s320/lenaslounge-map.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
639 St Clair Ave, East Liverpool, OH 43920
<br />Previous bars in this location: Scotty's Place
<br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084294201438" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br /><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-38812323052822263892023-02-12T10:58:00.004-08:002024-02-20T11:30:21.566-08:00 #5001 - Le Mardi Gras, Pittsburgh, PA - 2/10/2023<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s9UXQB9-6EKiwq6042xvJkd9MKb959Koruw1JglvCzXAxZM7LNGhtoVy9uBVyQoIqeBql14pg_DjUTtz5zpQPmU7KjGr_spAMqoiERnwDKey3DQmGuSBF95Ju0ZWPdKT5Y8f--fLV0pVFtAX-mEVwzNQU7DKwQbiDJ7S2scFum6FHg77tQ/s3341/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-045.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3341" data-original-width="2625" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s9UXQB9-6EKiwq6042xvJkd9MKb959Koruw1JglvCzXAxZM7LNGhtoVy9uBVyQoIqeBql14pg_DjUTtz5zpQPmU7KjGr_spAMqoiERnwDKey3DQmGuSBF95Ju0ZWPdKT5Y8f--fLV0pVFtAX-mEVwzNQU7DKwQbiDJ7S2scFum6FHg77tQ/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-045.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Costanza, legendary former owner<br />Le Mardi Gras, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Le Mardi Gras is a smoky, anachronistic, classic dive that seems to divulge a faded, classy past. Upon entering for the first time it immediately feels comfortable, evoking a history of fond memories and animated conversations, and surely just as many that have been blacked out of memory.</div><div><br /></div><div>This location has been around only since 2002, but it brought the murals and, at least it seems, the vibe, from the old location a couple blocks away and around the corner. The original opened in 1954 at 742 Bellefonte Street (that building has long since been razed), and in the early years catered to the city's elites. The bar history on the web site mentions members of Duquesne Country Club, Rolling Rock Country Club, Ligonier Country Club, Sewickley Country Club, and Fox Chapel Country Club; an article on the wall notes that one would not be served without a jacket and tie. Later the bar was known for its mix of classes and people, professors chatting with welfare recipients, city officials with some of the town's most unusual characters, etc.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24R90jAkFnC9nxb95JT2KPtWzaPaLPvimRhmOQMmboadTGw7QtDeDilA0V0eGjixlMZMUpXKsx1MoBojXxEO7QoasXviHG1-6I80hAd87mcUGMpuJc81K3NzdZE86DpEQw3RB7oiKfi2W6d_pCsWZQ8zLcdFv2kHBbcotjHafahqs4SaPug/s3165/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-041.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3165" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24R90jAkFnC9nxb95JT2KPtWzaPaLPvimRhmOQMmboadTGw7QtDeDilA0V0eGjixlMZMUpXKsx1MoBojXxEO7QoasXviHG1-6I80hAd87mcUGMpuJc81K3NzdZE86DpEQw3RB7oiKfi2W6d_pCsWZQ8zLcdFv2kHBbcotjHafahqs4SaPug/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-041.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Mardi Gras, Pittsburgh, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>The bar history also lists visits from various celebrities including Rocky Marciano, Harvey Kietel, Sammy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Billy Conn, Steven Carlson, Alice Cooper, George Clooney, Russell Crowe, John Kerry, and Ted Danson. Then there were the ink-stained wretches from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and Pittsburgh Press, as well as author Richard Florida, and all the professors from various local universities.</div><div><br /></div><div>Probably the most prominent physical features are the New Orleans Mardi Gras themed, smoke drenched murals from the original place. These were done some 60-some years ago by Tom Kouris, who taught at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for many years and is said to have been another regular of the bar. Several of the featured characters were based on Pittsburgh personalities, and modeled by other Mardi Gras patrons. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Rsnh7EcrIrJ-UHB6PQVT-WCVkaC3DVzC1h_NIFvoZD-6KR0FtradXP-eY8DZ9huEipHF78jwBGu1yygw4Ndz1MJ-7fY5JWDtf1CZg3Bsaa2Kv6_akCRSeso6AZjrP0A0HrjTNrjDIg9wqoS5PQYq8RnjDjfFRAmRoWB8kejbQox9uUKf0g/s3974/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-040.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3974" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Rsnh7EcrIrJ-UHB6PQVT-WCVkaC3DVzC1h_NIFvoZD-6KR0FtradXP-eY8DZ9huEipHF78jwBGu1yygw4Ndz1MJ-7fY5JWDtf1CZg3Bsaa2Kv6_akCRSeso6AZjrP0A0HrjTNrjDIg9wqoS5PQYq8RnjDjfFRAmRoWB8kejbQox9uUKf0g/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-040.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Mardi Gras, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another character, long-time owner Joe Costanza, hangs beside the bar, in a lighted portrait and gilt frame. "Papa Joe" ran the place during most of those halcyon years, dispensing advice along with strong drinks, and to many across the city known as simply "the greatest bartender in the world." There's no doubting that he was a remarkable character. Among the other memories, another framed article on the bar walls from a 1978 Pittsburgher Magazine includes these anecdotes:</div><div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>'People like Bud the Bandit, Eata, Frank the Mexican, Clyde, P.L., Antonia, the Cagneys, Dirty Dan, Red, Officer McGovernor, Darce and The Lion. Joe boasts "we get them all -- judges, writers, cops, thieves, politicians, you name it."'</li><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYKyl_v69N5A_nMSySNFB8mE_g33DXUTP80_vb-xuACvvLEymQwFzpexxbPhw-V7Ae22IKKAziyp-R_Rr2i9c69M1uhDH5TPQKdg8tzr_LM30vFGiwev2qZbT8D-Piwco8cHJpEVFiLJDaH7PHg-nxkmvf6G7ei4X7ewaeF8PupZMCgwpeA/s2780/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-051.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2780" data-original-width="2340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYKyl_v69N5A_nMSySNFB8mE_g33DXUTP80_vb-xuACvvLEymQwFzpexxbPhw-V7Ae22IKKAziyp-R_Rr2i9c69M1uhDH5TPQKdg8tzr_LM30vFGiwev2qZbT8D-Piwco8cHJpEVFiLJDaH7PHg-nxkmvf6G7ei4X7ewaeF8PupZMCgwpeA/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-051.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>"Joe remains the dominant force behind the saloon's popularity. He's the reason dozens of folks will stand butt-to-butt on a Friday or Saturday night, bellowing over the blare of that crummy music, squinting through the dim, smoke-filled air, squeezed into a room that would comfortably accommodate one third their number."</li><li>'Joe seems happiest when he's dealing. For a dollar, he'll pour you a very heavy shot. But for down-and-outers, he's been know to barter a handful of change for some odd combinations of scotch, gin, wine and 7-ounce beers. He has his own currency too, as drinks are purchased in hogs and bits -- half-a-hog, six bits, a hog-and-a-quarter and so on. And his concoctions he calls spindoolies.'</li></ul></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLwBvAfoOGXiYak15gcq4YsZsKHCslcbKyR60H5lzY9E9ErEHE-a3s3e6S9KEqVakyPuBSqhVOBFyJMG8HBo2H-x6WlDU-5J3UOq6kRZtKYzXqYiMgMU7S7KJNaq-N8EwyopaXGc7ipxei_6IL1Lw6Rw5ScDOzEKJp4RUSdp7iKSaVIFwdw/s4032/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-060-scotty-trista.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLwBvAfoOGXiYak15gcq4YsZsKHCslcbKyR60H5lzY9E9ErEHE-a3s3e6S9KEqVakyPuBSqhVOBFyJMG8HBo2H-x6WlDU-5J3UOq6kRZtKYzXqYiMgMU7S7KJNaq-N8EwyopaXGc7ipxei_6IL1Lw6Rw5ScDOzEKJp4RUSdp7iKSaVIFwdw/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-060-scotty-trista.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trista with bar manager Scotty<br />Le Mardi Gras, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>When Joe died in 1993, his son Rich took over the place and has run it since. Today Le Mardi Gras is known for having a very different personality than its Shadyside neighbors, for its friendly bartenders, it's cocktails made with fresh squeezed juices, and the incomparably heavy pour of its drinks (e.g. its "shots" are basically rocks glasses filled to the brim). We enjoyed chatting with bartender, bar manager, and bar fan Scotty, who described bits of history and about restoring the murals and decor. Scotty is currently working on a more comprehensive history for the web page (which could probably use the upgrade -- a glance at their page source reveals a history of porn links).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatqxlF-ySjzJTqwsPywbTAIgRz9zKonRiEIiNirAqD3Ori6uF1JKXIqSFPVfR2dqdUohiXdNLq8RMkOfeQAOebn5syEH8FoZh7RfEihLz5hLmXBy-vwJS0_6OOwXhvK9oOWT3_82uuMdCMKG_23LrVIiWBQ82-FiGQsIDCLNlJQDyvcdf2Q/s3285/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-037.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3285" data-original-width="2912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatqxlF-ySjzJTqwsPywbTAIgRz9zKonRiEIiNirAqD3Ori6uF1JKXIqSFPVfR2dqdUohiXdNLq8RMkOfeQAOebn5syEH8FoZh7RfEihLz5hLmXBy-vwJS0_6OOwXhvK9oOWT3_82uuMdCMKG_23LrVIiWBQ82-FiGQsIDCLNlJQDyvcdf2Q/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-037.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Mardi Gras, Pittsburgh, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>The bar has been described as "Pittsburgh's first and last cocktail bar." The former may well be true, and although I haven't yet verified it with any primary sources, it was saluted as such in an official commendation from the Pittsburgh City Council. The "last" term is said to refer to some special liquor license that has been grandfathered in, though current state liquor license data doesn't seem to contain any uncommon license today. Regardless of the license history, many of its patrons will tell you it's the only REAL cocktail bar in town -- a description that seems to draw more from its nod to tradition and its mix of people than it does to anything in the drinks.</div><div><br /></div><div>In any case, and despite the cigarette smoke, this is the sort of old school bar with personality that I could easily see becoming our regular place if it were just a little closer to us. I expect we will often return when in the area.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEes-gGz6fxL8WMhEenhRxKUI0KqQZ4lWVUv3LEpOwusCnj7IDHBCfDs1Xs9dtIupIhb4yFozCDcU6sJ1zDoUCIbLTNIGPLSaBQwealquTxApR01j1V0zWGuXwx8ZnBY3cKtTU05LMbNJoHT64Tlb9t7j0hNNoyOPxEaywVRJQyM5p3mIRFw/s4032/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-066.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEes-gGz6fxL8WMhEenhRxKUI0KqQZ4lWVUv3LEpOwusCnj7IDHBCfDs1Xs9dtIupIhb4yFozCDcU6sJ1zDoUCIbLTNIGPLSaBQwealquTxApR01j1V0zWGuXwx8ZnBY3cKtTU05LMbNJoHT64Tlb9t7j0hNNoyOPxEaywVRJQyM5p3mIRFw/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-066.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> <br /> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1SNg_pbAjb3SqfEM1Zkm61MF1cGSEtlVAbXl3ffGgB1Ee2ZMQTUxsuqgyWkX1b5O9GGepwz3tepD4decLnJrdAkOJtYHBx78Jj9dwNx7WPq9MnA23QOY12w65_Wv24VJ-ZPSTAXA1AnP_8qE7FqAP93x4z_Yx0mN-wgG_MRIJ3bUI94zng/s3380/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-067.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3380" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1SNg_pbAjb3SqfEM1Zkm61MF1cGSEtlVAbXl3ffGgB1Ee2ZMQTUxsuqgyWkX1b5O9GGepwz3tepD4decLnJrdAkOJtYHBx78Jj9dwNx7WPq9MnA23QOY12w65_Wv24VJ-ZPSTAXA1AnP_8qE7FqAP93x4z_Yx0mN-wgG_MRIJ3bUI94zng/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-067.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLKGKZ3ZoejwReX6Yk8hQfhCUaV6xERMOtyTtD11SRvl5cnY9McZuMdXCwezOHlHKWGSaaMMu6olt8AUJu97nmDM102VjNSOvRHBXLGry9aJ2-XmAjo5SvLZg-vNwQZOx6b5Fv3A0SlvJQ-nMczoVpP7TxD_BAsZsI5L1MOOEjUYUC9pZVg/s3741/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-069.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3741" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLKGKZ3ZoejwReX6Yk8hQfhCUaV6xERMOtyTtD11SRvl5cnY9McZuMdXCwezOHlHKWGSaaMMu6olt8AUJu97nmDM102VjNSOvRHBXLGry9aJ2-XmAjo5SvLZg-vNwQZOx6b5Fv3A0SlvJQ-nMczoVpP7TxD_BAsZsI5L1MOOEjUYUC9pZVg/s320/lemardisgras-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-069.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
731 Copeland St, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 - (412) 683-0912
<br />
Est. 2002 in current location; 1954 original location<br />Web site: <a href="https://lemardigras.com/" target="_blank">lemardigras.com</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.pghcitypaper.com/news/le-mardi-gras-keeps-the-prices-old-school-the-drinks-fresh-and-the-vibe-timeless-25426315?fbclid=IwAR3KsHuPMg-_fdU2_FZMwL8nGMRpgED-tkYqROxRqpBItuXhD6r8E334GR4" target="_blank">pghcitypaper</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/le-mardi-gras-pittsburgh" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/drink/pittsburgh/bars/le-mardi-gras" target="_blank">thrillest</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-20666585915794097392023-02-11T14:33:00.000-08:002023-02-11T14:33:00.157-08:00#5000 - The Oak Room, Pittsburgh, PA - 2/10/2023<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpJ6MoEx9kUn05CS_AKuSauVPkklps3Sas1q6dbrh8njnf3KHkTAKKrSI_7YfWkaNklHCUZ7N11t8ttEiAqXXPuO2xorIsXYn4xgrRqGmzUB0VrbkulbAPNyISwuO_CJjIzc-C6uvtchpUUDwWvxQICQVtQT83dClHCsadJOdWpAuwQiyDg/s4032/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpJ6MoEx9kUn05CS_AKuSauVPkklps3Sas1q6dbrh8njnf3KHkTAKKrSI_7YfWkaNklHCUZ7N11t8ttEiAqXXPuO2xorIsXYn4xgrRqGmzUB0VrbkulbAPNyISwuO_CJjIzc-C6uvtchpUUDwWvxQICQVtQT83dClHCsadJOdWpAuwQiyDg/s320/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mansions on 5th Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>In the year of 1900, a time when Pittsburgh produced half the steel in the U.S. and was the country's 8th largest city, prominent attorney Willis Fisher McCook commissioned a new house to be built on "Millionaire's Row," along 5th Avenue in the city. This stretch housed the families of Andrew Mellon, Andrew Carnegie, H.J. Heinz, George Westinghouse and Henry Clay Frick. McCook was counsel for Frick, and eventually served as the president of Pittsburgh Steel Co.<div><br /></div><div>The McCook family lost the house during the Great Depression, and it was purchased in a sheriff's sale by Emil Bonita. To help pay for upkeep and taxes, the Bonita family rented rooms to Carnegie-Mellon University arts students, said to include Andy Warhol, George Peppard, Shirley Jones, and Albert Brooks.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i-GL1Q09uPUTpTCm5Z8q20j4K1HhlXzERCIIuKx6SqMlVhS5wSf2vsN8LVXPo5x-hmEB_bm-AzTJ6CAdS_cJY9zj7OdXfU69T90eMqLtEiXO7hJbAV73snkx8Qr6ooj_wn3WNcHPspGbBk2N3u6cNzmzM-Q2AJkGH_1aBgocBvmc4LN3aA/s4032/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i-GL1Q09uPUTpTCm5Z8q20j4K1HhlXzERCIIuKx6SqMlVhS5wSf2vsN8LVXPo5x-hmEB_bm-AzTJ6CAdS_cJY9zj7OdXfU69T90eMqLtEiXO7hJbAV73snkx8Qr6ooj_wn3WNcHPspGbBk2N3u6cNzmzM-Q2AJkGH_1aBgocBvmc4LN3aA/s320/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-024.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mansions on 5th Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The house was later sold to preservationists Richard Pearson and Mary Del Brady, who commenced restoration work of the mansion as well as adjacent property in 2010. The two were opened as a boutique hotel in March 2011, complete with the Oak Room Pub. The building is also a popular space for weddings and other special events. (Source = printed materials from the business)</div><div><br /></div><div>On February 10, 2023, the Oak Room was the setting for a little milestone of my own. I've been counting bars that I've had a drink in since early 2006, and on this day of my project, in the capable hands of bartender Lisa, my nutty Manhattan made this this the 5,000th different bar in which I've had a drink.</div><div><br /></div><div>We enjoyed our cocktails and conversation with Lisa, spanning from notes on local bars and liquor law to ghosts said to tread the old mansion (Lisa is unconvinced). Of course we also took in the beautiful oak woodwork, stained glass, and the Elizabethan Revival architecture. Then after this, dinner and bar numbers 5,001, 5,002, and 5,003.</div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO9TwdS_czh4gZWpSiL4eTX3LPClZuPJCV0fitl4pzTO2N5wuLzOo_JiQ_5SODvCAtljAzWkA3dFtr7grN6NTcuUPasoqOW0EdXdcssc6GRyiurMMg9OU17RutBv8m4SGxyarwSof5hE_QzIOuapOD-lh166Y7MXurUm24Ars2I51fF7vpA/s4032/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO9TwdS_czh4gZWpSiL4eTX3LPClZuPJCV0fitl4pzTO2N5wuLzOo_JiQ_5SODvCAtljAzWkA3dFtr7grN6NTcuUPasoqOW0EdXdcssc6GRyiurMMg9OU17RutBv8m4SGxyarwSof5hE_QzIOuapOD-lh166Y7MXurUm24Ars2I51fF7vpA/s320/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-029.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Oak Room Pub, Mansions of Fifth<br />Pittsburgh, PA - Feb 10, 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwt39obQ3zmK0DT4HYIXttVulQsYiFhygPmukFzgrR1mauWozzgJ7ChDw-3hlKYb8GhCyOI32zu4uyJR5ObmQOHwPmsGmJ-rIz_SsWJD6_vm5RQ3OAUFEUvzJr5Q4JTRrLvx5tdITgonO9JPs_0u44n_gRnFLUMBX1Uj3BbpmkL-pBKwn_A/s4032/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwt39obQ3zmK0DT4HYIXttVulQsYiFhygPmukFzgrR1mauWozzgJ7ChDw-3hlKYb8GhCyOI32zu4uyJR5ObmQOHwPmsGmJ-rIz_SsWJD6_vm5RQ3OAUFEUvzJr5Q4JTRrLvx5tdITgonO9JPs_0u44n_gRnFLUMBX1Uj3BbpmkL-pBKwn_A/s320/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipM9Q5h4U_6jP6PVq_9rfMMihV_L8W92RtD1lFRrPaCcBo7Fftn8l6EjyKMhM3CvxA8W_h9rqF4kORQyY5aarG34M-l2DBZ7lh5mV3IsDM8JTXh7GcKb-fDIJDoFqsQCvtXVFjDD3RvGKhyLbsk1mrOyby9c35dN_dBAibe0V_BO13x3FOg/s3483/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-034-lisa-pete-5000bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2778" data-original-width="3483" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipM9Q5h4U_6jP6PVq_9rfMMihV_L8W92RtD1lFRrPaCcBo7Fftn8l6EjyKMhM3CvxA8W_h9rqF4kORQyY5aarG34M-l2DBZ7lh5mV3IsDM8JTXh7GcKb-fDIJDoFqsQCvtXVFjDD3RvGKhyLbsk1mrOyby9c35dN_dBAibe0V_BO13x3FOg/s320/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-034-lisa-pete-5000bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa, Oak Room bartender<br />Helping us celebrate my milestone</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTTXFAwRq-cDiXYP-xCbqpmxPYs-C2GgTEU97tEiPd_VMVC43HDJJv40dY72C3WoMccUzSzkcotwOFCAsAm_fovyf0No1Ouy7EMK0ixkLXwppmQGmpZJcbfm_2vKyGF19upJqaoDEoz2kfXMNJjcNxtxqrdCaMIGPpERZHinLo8XWvdUNHQ/s4032/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTTXFAwRq-cDiXYP-xCbqpmxPYs-C2GgTEU97tEiPd_VMVC43HDJJv40dY72C3WoMccUzSzkcotwOFCAsAm_fovyf0No1Ouy7EMK0ixkLXwppmQGmpZJcbfm_2vKyGF19upJqaoDEoz2kfXMNJjcNxtxqrdCaMIGPpERZHinLo8XWvdUNHQ/s320/oakroom-mansionon5th-pittsburgh-pa-2023-02-10p-036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YuH9w59i-fpUaYywVBbuL_VH7mMTeXQRbvGV3gD1elhCuIW_601aa2LmwYeMBluEGT_dmkOnszOH4DBwkgANvdXhEYI8gQIxV8grHfvN4VpJKLu5lqXnd2OpkIskW7J7qRdklPlpl_e9kIgCX7KdiuA5SfNJJVQg8d9XJXiDyFWIwBiClA/s4368/oakroom-mansionsonfifth-curly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YuH9w59i-fpUaYywVBbuL_VH7mMTeXQRbvGV3gD1elhCuIW_601aa2LmwYeMBluEGT_dmkOnszOH4DBwkgANvdXhEYI8gQIxV8grHfvN4VpJKLu5lqXnd2OpkIskW7J7qRdklPlpl_e9kIgCX7KdiuA5SfNJJVQg8d9XJXiDyFWIwBiClA/s4368/oakroom-mansionsonfifth-curly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="4368" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YuH9w59i-fpUaYywVBbuL_VH7mMTeXQRbvGV3gD1elhCuIW_601aa2LmwYeMBluEGT_dmkOnszOH4DBwkgANvdXhEYI8gQIxV8grHfvN4VpJKLu5lqXnd2OpkIskW7J7qRdklPlpl_e9kIgCX7KdiuA5SfNJJVQg8d9XJXiDyFWIwBiClA/s320/oakroom-mansionsonfifth-curly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curly, former steward of the Oak Room<br />(We seem to have been too late to have met this<br />impressive looking gentleman in the bar)<br />(Photo from the mansionsonfifth blog)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YuH9w59i-fpUaYywVBbuL_VH7mMTeXQRbvGV3gD1elhCuIW_601aa2LmwYeMBluEGT_dmkOnszOH4DBwkgANvdXhEYI8gQIxV8grHfvN4VpJKLu5lqXnd2OpkIskW7J7qRdklPlpl_e9kIgCX7KdiuA5SfNJJVQg8d9XJXiDyFWIwBiClA/s4368/oakroom-mansionsonfifth-curly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
5105 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 - (412) 381-5105
<br />
Est. 2011 - Building constructed: 1906<br />
Previous bars in this location: None known<br />
Web site: <a href="https://mansionsonfifth.com/oak-room-pub.php" target="_blank">mansionsonfifth</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MansionsonFifth/" target="_blank">facebook</a> - <a href="https://mansionsonfifth.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">blog</a><br />
Reviews: <a href="https://archive.triblive.com/news/historic-houses-find-new-life-as-pittsburgh-area-restaurants/" target="_blank">triblive</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g53449-d4071528-Reviews-Mansions_on_Fifth-Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/mansions-on-fifth-pittsburgh" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCook_Family_Estate" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> - <a href="https://lewisandclark.travel/nomination/mansions-on-fifth/" target="_blank">lewisandclark</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-60287669174748707902023-02-06T14:02:00.000-08:002023-02-06T14:02:03.604-08:00 #4260 - Timber Inn, Pierce, ID - 6/17/2021<div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW73WDfzBlb5BmhjCNyh0s8t38WiaOkFHLgLtcNCFsUsQql1sJwvOAJTjPeQqUiYFrbwZ9GA9ZbtsYBTN96WSvMpUdWfai_F11vmt57QjJOcElu9vhnA9ZT7dL0wvMlnBgUsprxbn0-DWJk35Hgoa9TtKj8PTZoUt13ftwEjb3v1y2j7_-KA/s4032/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW73WDfzBlb5BmhjCNyh0s8t38WiaOkFHLgLtcNCFsUsQql1sJwvOAJTjPeQqUiYFrbwZ9GA9ZbtsYBTN96WSvMpUdWfai_F11vmt57QjJOcElu9vhnA9ZT7dL0wvMlnBgUsprxbn0-DWJk35Hgoa9TtKj8PTZoUt13ftwEjb3v1y2j7_-KA/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-123.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timber Inn, Pierce, ID<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The community of Pierce, Idaho began with the discovery of Gold on Orofino Creek by Elias D. Pierce and Wilbur F. Bassett in 1860. The party was led there by was by Jane, the daughter of Chief Timothy. The discovery was made on part of 7.5 million acres of land ceded to the Nez Perce tribe at the Walla Walla Council in 1855, and confirmed by treaty in 1859. Of course the promises of the treaty were systematically violated once gold was discovered in the area, with subsequent attempts to eject natives from the area leading to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nez_Perce_War" target="_blank">Nez Perce War</a> in 1877.</div><div><br /></div><div>Soon after the gold strike, "Pierce was the first county seat for Shoshone County, which was established in January 1861 in Washington Territory and for most of its first year included most of present-day Idaho and Wyoming. The Pierce Courthouse, constructed in 1862, is Idaho's oldest public building. Idaho Territory was established in 1863, and the county seat moved north to the Silver Valley in Murray in 1884 (and to Wallace in 1898)." (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce,_Idaho" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrte5zWsTlE_dvkFNgRF1mqie-kbe7BYaFdDgUOFFLIMn9Nx5EqSix0TW6JknWOpMWCTyj4pfDBkrymU_Z59xLvCJPKErH0iP1HBMg_FGzefeF2rhq-u6dIndsFDLyEyGYIgLCcVeb5y07XWwoMRfSut1gUmL5z5juUxkjHUYbk6x7DgHFpw/s857/timberinn-pierce-id-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="611" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrte5zWsTlE_dvkFNgRF1mqie-kbe7BYaFdDgUOFFLIMn9Nx5EqSix0TW6JknWOpMWCTyj4pfDBkrymU_Z59xLvCJPKErH0iP1HBMg_FGzefeF2rhq-u6dIndsFDLyEyGYIgLCcVeb5y07XWwoMRfSut1gUmL5z5juUxkjHUYbk6x7DgHFpw/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-map.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>The swarm of gold seekers soon moved on. "The resulting rush, estimated at as many as 6,000 men, among them many Chinese, was reduced years later by another strike elsewhere." But three decades later another resource would sustain the community. 'A father and son, C.D. and Nat Brown, came West in the 1890’s seeking new areas of timber and found the “green gold” they sought in the largest stand of white pine and other coniferous types in north Idaho’s Clearwater and Benewah counties and nearby hills. Word spread to their former workers in the timber depleted Great Lakes region, and many came out to establish homesteads which opened the land for lumbermen. In 1925 a railroad was built to facilitate hauling the harvest to mills, large and small, nearby.' (<a href="https://piercelibrary.lili.org/pierce/" target="_blank">piercelibrary</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>Today the small city of about 500 people caters to outdoorsmen, hikers, hunters, and snowmobilers. And if you'd like either a night's stay or just a beer and meal in a setting that preserves a bit of the feel of those early days, you will want to make your way to the Timber Inn. I do not know how long the inn has been formally called "Timber Inn" or exactly how long it has included a bar, but the inn is said to have been established during the prohibition era, in 1926. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrElQnQY7VfFPLBn3FtCpACiZYVJzcn6NZJ5EOOckCx0587wJmg_jZRVyW4O2BghsSU1rYqldOqZMoRXPyhaCIOgiiQFP-iWjLHLh_nTgJKTTTzEtvB25aM0k6SZy-HrpDo3NUmm-vsS220t8rLTYT2DoeWHNre6YyILP_WxJ6px4S5j-rg/s4032/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrElQnQY7VfFPLBn3FtCpACiZYVJzcn6NZJ5EOOckCx0587wJmg_jZRVyW4O2BghsSU1rYqldOqZMoRXPyhaCIOgiiQFP-iWjLHLh_nTgJKTTTzEtvB25aM0k6SZy-HrpDo3NUmm-vsS220t8rLTYT2DoeWHNre6YyILP_WxJ6px4S5j-rg/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-136.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timber Inn, Pierce, ID<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>For the last 32 years before this visit, the inn has been run by Robby Harrel, whom I was lucky enough to chat with for a bit, and who let me check out the rooms upstairs. There are five rooms for rent, with a kitchen, laundry and sitting room available to all guests. The rooms tend to be decorated in period fashion, while the bar downstairs has a more eclectic collection of artifacts acquired by Robby over the years. The <a href="https://www.idahotimberinn.com/documents/Timber_Inn_Menu.pdf" target="_blank">menu</a> includes standard diner choices, along with steaks and chicken gizzards, but is best known for the 3/4 pound "Timber Burger." I had one of these myself, but like the vast majority of people who order it, I was unable to finish it.</div><div><br /></div><div>If I am again in this area of northern Idaho I will definitely consider a stay at the inn.</div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWKDTI_givomYWgSmYFEe5WIHy4VKDLCSQB01c0VNGcfu7b_Gg-QhyqqQHUoul5wUY920Finr59-U64qIGfOPpTdvxGD7cJ645Erkndt_fuYi2PSKTo-SdP64mSPC03itC4lBfY_7SZsWJqUq0lNIvYFPx6f-qjrx_MdOS9cp6-8fcNLyrA/s1351/Pierce,_Idaho-1860-wikipedia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1351" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWKDTI_givomYWgSmYFEe5WIHy4VKDLCSQB01c0VNGcfu7b_Gg-QhyqqQHUoul5wUY920Finr59-U64qIGfOPpTdvxGD7cJ645Erkndt_fuYi2PSKTo-SdP64mSPC03itC4lBfY_7SZsWJqUq0lNIvYFPx6f-qjrx_MdOS9cp6-8fcNLyrA/s320/Pierce,_Idaho-1860-wikipedia.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pierce, Idaho - 1860<br />(Photo from Wikipedia)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7rRBPp4xTaGgXVgkOyk0L5Iw5tzXitHaqOnIaXnvQFGjtS9SaT9CPcdIfxcM5CEniVT_PhZOc1K8Vt5wUYDtOc61cO4sSHU9f-brdy5abYr7dQhYaH8eWhTArOGfEY4sUI4bX7lYNV6HTaxVXfrX_rZh8UfKw96aIjPoorEvUx3LC5y-hA/s4032/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7rRBPp4xTaGgXVgkOyk0L5Iw5tzXitHaqOnIaXnvQFGjtS9SaT9CPcdIfxcM5CEniVT_PhZOc1K8Vt5wUYDtOc61cO4sSHU9f-brdy5abYr7dQhYaH8eWhTArOGfEY4sUI4bX7lYNV6HTaxVXfrX_rZh8UfKw96aIjPoorEvUx3LC5y-hA/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-130.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1qD8AyKeCcNYwSRn3VU4lPeiiTZ57iFrbNuW5dfkhvjQxacyCUobTLNN_V_0faY8cqTZETR6gTbZhqAHlRy52lSeMGxYkE4JVvh5sj31t2V8w__31K8c6DD6DeirXCGJ0_w9oH_Jj-BUkyA9pGOW4dOf0Nwrt3AJ1FQprn6oQUY5zyNO_Q/s4032/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1qD8AyKeCcNYwSRn3VU4lPeiiTZ57iFrbNuW5dfkhvjQxacyCUobTLNN_V_0faY8cqTZETR6gTbZhqAHlRy52lSeMGxYkE4JVvh5sj31t2V8w__31K8c6DD6DeirXCGJ0_w9oH_Jj-BUkyA9pGOW4dOf0Nwrt3AJ1FQprn6oQUY5zyNO_Q/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmLpRgVMGX2PLJbfflQdgydK0F-VeaiigY6kAQQzWPuu8RByBmXtM4I6iCGZWLEhfyPQNPMJm4jFs09TiP-8WCY1laUwYvLUthlMYmqCdqLNBIXwr6A54f4KTrIC58581qaokZr7ecsM0Vl0Ahv20LgHmvjTWh0-osPdSKDtwf88eXr-AWQ/s3713/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3713" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmLpRgVMGX2PLJbfflQdgydK0F-VeaiigY6kAQQzWPuu8RByBmXtM4I6iCGZWLEhfyPQNPMJm4jFs09TiP-8WCY1laUwYvLUthlMYmqCdqLNBIXwr6A54f4KTrIC58581qaokZr7ecsM0Vl0Ahv20LgHmvjTWh0-osPdSKDtwf88eXr-AWQ/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-141.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZT4qnWX5sP6bA54EvzTIMSBHtlmor7V2ai_y4SjuElmEIo3GuzrYOmBE4RtqmmzDxoUAR7aE9gnH-cQ1v7-uIfdHfacBciCqoYbkhfbA6LgDuyUyqKIsx1sALoZY9N2GXDJf-CD4ZNEj7V27wRwCvaJZ4633QeAK8dhYBGZR9iEU_QzBkQ/s3349/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3349" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZT4qnWX5sP6bA54EvzTIMSBHtlmor7V2ai_y4SjuElmEIo3GuzrYOmBE4RtqmmzDxoUAR7aE9gnH-cQ1v7-uIfdHfacBciCqoYbkhfbA6LgDuyUyqKIsx1sALoZY9N2GXDJf-CD4ZNEj7V27wRwCvaJZ4633QeAK8dhYBGZR9iEU_QzBkQ/s320/timberinn-pierce-id-2021-06-17p-151.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timber Burger, Timber Inn, Pierce, ID</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>2 S Main St, Pierce, ID 83546 - (208) 464-2736</div><div>Bar Est. ? - Building constructed: 1926
<br />
Previous bars in this location: None known <br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.idahotimberinn.com/" target="_blank">idahotimberinn.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Timber-Inn-Bar-and-Grill/100063572138802/" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Reviews: <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35567-d7697073-Reviews-TImber_Inn_Bar_Grill-Pierce_Idaho.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/timber-inn-pierce" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://maps.roadtrippers.com/us/pierce-id/food-drink/timber-inn" target="_blank">roadtrippers</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-24845257344281246402023-02-05T17:02:00.002-08:002023-03-04T16:37:04.992-08:00 #4678 - Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA - 7/13/2022<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjQICVede2VjU-9sSsidkVuiOYGZHWtq2g9UPqvpOfraVoET_pQKEYo3TwcZwskP9E_NF6uuSr8qVdvKQ-FkLtM2z18cfbW_FaUH1V9FTkSq0uMrd2k1FcNUkHn8_ksQk-opb0Yj_5QfqWzooTc8meRBgouc8B-M_lWQHev8rVlWyCG2x0w/s4032/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-192.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjQICVede2VjU-9sSsidkVuiOYGZHWtq2g9UPqvpOfraVoET_pQKEYo3TwcZwskP9E_NF6uuSr8qVdvKQ-FkLtM2z18cfbW_FaUH1V9FTkSq0uMrd2k1FcNUkHn8_ksQk-opb0Yj_5QfqWzooTc8meRBgouc8B-M_lWQHev8rVlWyCG2x0w/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-192.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Bass Hotel Tavern<br />Lumberville, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>After a gorgeous drive from the Continental Tavern in Yardley, it might have been disappointing if the Black Bass Hotel Tavern was fairly pedestrian in appearance. But not to worry, as the historical site is currently a stunning setting and at its peak in the late afternoon sun and shadows. The tavern is set in the tiny village of Lumberville, a village in Solebury Township first settled by Revolutionary War veteran Colonel George Wall, and hence first known as "Wall's Landing."</div><div><br /></div><div>My plan is usually to sit at the bar, but the beauty of the hour and the setting on the Delaware River demanded a patio seat. There I enjoyed some fine small dishes, while the family across from me discoursed in French. It seemed appropriate in this setting, as the weather, the water, the view made me feel this must feel somewhat like sitting on the French Riviera.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6IB1Y4LeuWF7IVidSJ42CXDm5vkXMZmJs9IrSNeitfjgAB00-lOjLURA19t1Uumn8wQzcP64z28oRmZ4sVTwGDt6tmJRm8WzUfJMwfY0G1wyojXcwpAr7vB5OUxWcz9WyXm1uJ5FZ9JfkicGuTdPnHIrWBWFvoxfxn8_PXvIdDMxRaJAQw/s4032/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-171.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6IB1Y4LeuWF7IVidSJ42CXDm5vkXMZmJs9IrSNeitfjgAB00-lOjLURA19t1Uumn8wQzcP64z28oRmZ4sVTwGDt6tmJRm8WzUfJMwfY0G1wyojXcwpAr7vB5OUxWcz9WyXm1uJ5FZ9JfkicGuTdPnHIrWBWFvoxfxn8_PXvIdDMxRaJAQw/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-171.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Bass Hotel Tavern<br />Lumberville, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A snippet of the history from the tavern's own <a href="https://www.blackbasshotel.com/history/" target="_blank">web site</a>: “Built in the 1740s, the Black Bass Hotel served as a haven for travelers, traders, and sportsmen. The famous tavern had many names through the years including Wall’s Tavern, Lumberville Hotel, Temple Bar, The Rising Sun and finally The Black Bass Hotel. As one of the oldest inns in the country, we are proud to be included in the National Register of Historic Places.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bass seeps with a rich history. One of the most notable documents that while George Washington is known to have slept in several historic properties throughout the Delaware Valley, he notably did not stay at the Bass. As Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Washington was turned away by the innkeeper of the Bass who was a Tory and loyal to the British Crown. He made it clear that Washington was not welcome to stay. Shortly thereafter, just 14 miles south, George Washington organized the first move in a surprise attack against the Hessian forces. He and his troops crossed the Delaware River to Trenton, NJ on the morning of December 26, 1776. This proved a decisive victory in the American Revolutionary War that helped turn the tides in American’s favor."</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmxmnsiZ_h7CPs6mSh3FXJBK6YRlqx4XcRey1408ndBMvUisHjUwS2m2ZKh6TeOf7tRYlQHqVYmzg-O7l5LI-7m9o7NEKd0x3ap7W9W-iKNzEj2DlGe0P6lejPrBg22KHEuMeMQ_BZCny9rpATcrQ8IFaS_jjhk7W4UqQ7LFUf3njSZknjw/s4032/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-189.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmxmnsiZ_h7CPs6mSh3FXJBK6YRlqx4XcRey1408ndBMvUisHjUwS2m2ZKh6TeOf7tRYlQHqVYmzg-O7l5LI-7m9o7NEKd0x3ap7W9W-iKNzEj2DlGe0P6lejPrBg22KHEuMeMQ_BZCny9rpATcrQ8IFaS_jjhk7W4UqQ7LFUf3njSZknjw/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-189.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A hotel is said to have first opened here in 1745, as a tavern under the name of the "Temple Bar."</div><div><br /></div><div>More recently, the site notes:</div><div><br /></div><div><div>"In 1833 a fire broke out in the Tavern resulting in extensive damage. Major Anthony Fry, the proprietor at the time, broke open the cellar doors and, at the risk of his own life, carried out a huge quantity of gunpowder that was being stored there. This stopped an inevitable explosion and saved the Bass from total destruction. We thought this feat worthy of naming one of our suites after him!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmKPvgV4F8hcwBejbnKXvGvZhdIAurD0v-EdsbeSOdFJrRPU1loLEjmHd8u8ad81ooYeVhhGjI76uSKIe0a6j2VHiLDqiETTdXz30dtmWeFEW6YtbAGbdyoeYdFlvTq-sWoMIwHSBG1GWjgsctCkRqQ8MNlQruGlgwRIUGVbOkS377qNwgA/s3528/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-176.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2838" data-original-width="3528" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmKPvgV4F8hcwBejbnKXvGvZhdIAurD0v-EdsbeSOdFJrRPU1loLEjmHd8u8ad81ooYeVhhGjI76uSKIe0a6j2VHiLDqiETTdXz30dtmWeFEW6YtbAGbdyoeYdFlvTq-sWoMIwHSBG1GWjgsctCkRqQ8MNlQruGlgwRIUGVbOkS377qNwgA/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-176.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In the late nineteenth century, the Black Bass fell into decline and passed through several owners until it was purchased in 1949 by Herbert Ward. Herbie, as he was fondly known, rescued the Bass and ran it until just before his death 54 years later. He was passionate about history and was a devoted Anglophile. His expansive collection of British memorabilia, as well as hundreds of antiques and notable artwork, were lovingly restored under the guidance of the Thompson family. Herbie purchased the famed pewter bar in the Tavern at <br />auction which originally resided in Maxim's of Paris."</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjRgVHqSU8m-MSWB08UWMyBEagb848v04jz2I4Ed19AQ78UdsMbTn7vr4AVTh3ta2chS5s6hsONofNOd2RaeDdXj9NHAaZu26ta1qhwh5Q7RAK7UnixGZCbMh3WPN1LD20_CSHkODeG2YdBUzd-Wm98jzFxgBjt5L0BXKF3irJKlkHzKYrg/s3863/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-182.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2729" data-original-width="3863" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjRgVHqSU8m-MSWB08UWMyBEagb848v04jz2I4Ed19AQ78UdsMbTn7vr4AVTh3ta2chS5s6hsONofNOd2RaeDdXj9NHAaZu26ta1qhwh5Q7RAK7UnixGZCbMh3WPN1LD20_CSHkODeG2YdBUzd-Wm98jzFxgBjt5L0BXKF3irJKlkHzKYrg/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />When exactly the tavern was first known as the "Black Bass" is not clear to me. In J.H. Battle's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/History-Bucks-County-Pennsylvania-Exploration/dp/0332241114/ref=sr_1_2?crid=PK69DKQZ9LJ3" target="_blank">History of Bucks County</a>, it is described by as such by the time that W. Horace Fell took ownership in in 1887. <a href="https://buckscountymag.com/what-to-do/our-towns/historic-lumberville/" target="_blank">Bucks County Magazine</a> cites a January 18, 1837 edition of the Bucks County Intelligencer that includes an advertisement for the Rising Sun Tavern operated by Anthony Ely in Lumberville, likely the same tavern in this tiny town. The same article also notes that it was long known as Lumberville Inn, and that an 1863 ad describes it as the estate of Jesse P. Forker.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWZmh1UonbS3Pya9p1XJ3t9lnwDxsGjFeDB700959gjSEgGoQuKJsYmP04ahUHzfwZzZWkgE6ZF_tBtN_NH7mNK-9fDpUFiZE5qvQ2YBTuI9MXHI2bG3Y63-99pyefLq7t3k4IcBWIvGSuunE3rSClU9xN6g-vsbO6ms7DprcLKASVkDHKA/s4032/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-185.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWZmh1UonbS3Pya9p1XJ3t9lnwDxsGjFeDB700959gjSEgGoQuKJsYmP04ahUHzfwZzZWkgE6ZF_tBtN_NH7mNK-9fDpUFiZE5qvQ2YBTuI9MXHI2bG3Y63-99pyefLq7t3k4IcBWIvGSuunE3rSClU9xN6g-vsbO6ms7DprcLKASVkDHKA/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-185.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In addition to the river view, the hotel includes some beautiful grounds, which make it an attractive selection for wedding ceremonies. And, of course, as with any building of such antiquity and history, it is widely believed to host a number of <a href="http://hauntedhouses.com/pennsylvania/black-bass-hotel/" target="_blank">ghosts</a>, including <a href="https://www.blackbasshotel.com/history/" target="_blank">old Hans</a>, one-time owner of the tavern, who was stabbed to death in the early 1800s.</div><div><br /></div><div>While its Tory past may have precluded certain claims to history with General Washington and the founding fathers, today's Black Bass Hotel is probably the most pleasant dining and visiting experience of any of the historical taverns I have yet visited.</div> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR68nfZjWv8ptCqniATBe5kUuJN6WnmSjjntX9HwgHkyinu2gjY3VEr697LFq66cKtAYnyD0LmMKUjgFrwQQAI9tg-Jv96CflYRaR1BrjklF4kzLwEBDjMGEIql1FrDxKiuPTguz9p26ZlSc5lCHS16uUdSaEsY5teXhhxKwl2umxpd-fHsQ/s1621/Blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-1800s-02-fromhotel.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1621" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR68nfZjWv8ptCqniATBe5kUuJN6WnmSjjntX9HwgHkyinu2gjY3VEr697LFq66cKtAYnyD0LmMKUjgFrwQQAI9tg-Jv96CflYRaR1BrjklF4kzLwEBDjMGEIql1FrDxKiuPTguz9p26ZlSc5lCHS16uUdSaEsY5teXhhxKwl2umxpd-fHsQ/s320/Blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-1800s-02-fromhotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old photo of the now Black Bass Hotel<br />(Photo from hotel's web site)</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CKo5yY781Cgkzp0G72fv4Z0iwFEh65yTn49p5G7r7F1Yr1vhZr122YDCLqmO0q9V5V1_rxAYkubwKttTEpL0o7K0JPpfXDv8P3VqvbOtuFQmKVfqT7UcH2r00CK_5icp8dhj_qvE__wOBHnVwpOpzv2Y206NO1sRlaESz5Sd6P2jXFOdJA/s3896/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-193.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3896" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CKo5yY781Cgkzp0G72fv4Z0iwFEh65yTn49p5G7r7F1Yr1vhZr122YDCLqmO0q9V5V1_rxAYkubwKttTEpL0o7K0JPpfXDv8P3VqvbOtuFQmKVfqT7UcH2r00CK_5icp8dhj_qvE__wOBHnVwpOpzv2Y206NO1sRlaESz5Sd6P2jXFOdJA/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-2022-07-13p-193.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYogf3p3nktRFaZr9SbVNsrkwDGeQvyZl6JI2fh6lSORvJ-8XQCD94d2EB0KYOeZAc2R2daV7FMW2Pjeq5ISv1P8q49tl7NM3bEMVqjVGp0fILZTiTy6g5V9bpkAMcdSdqxIJpSpiY3O1cnG0HZV6vpPMJVpq3wDZhv2W1BfEiXW1SOPVvxw/s2000/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-postcard-03-hotel.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYogf3p3nktRFaZr9SbVNsrkwDGeQvyZl6JI2fh6lSORvJ-8XQCD94d2EB0KYOeZAc2R2daV7FMW2Pjeq5ISv1P8q49tl7NM3bEMVqjVGp0fILZTiTy6g5V9bpkAMcdSdqxIJpSpiY3O1cnG0HZV6vpPMJVpq3wDZhv2W1BfEiXW1SOPVvxw/s320/blackbasshotel-lumberville-pa-postcard-03-hotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA<br />(photo from hotel web site)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Est. 1887 or earlier as "Black Bass Hotel," 1745 as a tavern (Temple Bar) - Building constructed: 1745</div><div>Previous bars in this location: Temple Bar, Wall’s Tavern, Lumberville Hotel, The Rising Sun<br />Web site: <a href="https://www.blackbasshotel.com" target="_blank">blackbasshotel.com</a> <br />
Articles: <a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/pennsylvania/black-bass-hotel-pa/" target="_blank">onlyinyourstate</a> - <a href="https://nepascene.com/2018/10/new-book-well-behaved-taverns-seldom-make-history-tours-pennsylvania-pubs-rebellious-histories/" target="_blank">nepascene</a> - <a href="http://hauntedhouses.com/pennsylvania/black-bass-hotel/" target="_blank">hauntedhouses</a> - <a href="https://bucks.happeningmag.com/lumbering-through-lumberville/" target="_blank">happeningmag</a> - <a href="https://www.visitbuckscounty.com/blog/post/behind-the-scenes-from-the-locals-podcast-black-bass-hotel/" target="_blank">visitbuckscounty</a> - <a href="https://americanpublichousereview.com/2007.10/black_bass_hotel_lumberville_pa/index.html" target="_blank">americanpublichousereview</a> - <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1978/04/09/archives/a-quiet-corner-of-springtime-in-eastern-pennsylvania-a-quiet-corner.html" target="_blank">nytimes</a> - <a href="https://www.thereporteronline.com/2005/11/22/black-bass-good-as-gold/" target="_blank">thereporteronline</a> - <a href="https://original.newsbreak.com/@travel-maven-561551/2865632606042-this-pennsylvania-restaurant-serves-some-of-the-best-brunch-in-the-country-according-to-survey" target="_blank">travelmaven</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g53072-d872536-Reviews-Black_Bass_Hotel_Restaurant-Lumberville_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> - <a href="http://www.thenewyorkoptimist.com/BlackBassHotelJune15_2011.html" target="_blank">newyorkoptimist</a> </div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-73574925706521182012023-02-05T09:50:00.000-08:002023-02-05T09:50:00.449-08:00 #4677 - The Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA - 7/13/2022<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQieFex-ofcyNf0uMYRKKQ1kgwSmylZXYvhPDzO4cJihghbbsZS5xNUIutAcAd_YVVHwuvS2d-koJU-urInkIgHR_uSqMy8mkBc0bLwWcOI_8vWGkRqv0GcJJIe8Mqkk869x0t8NTKNJAOwEExmzfoE6aIIOyd7nRUN-QzwuwOFw0DmNDP1g/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQieFex-ofcyNf0uMYRKKQ1kgwSmylZXYvhPDzO4cJihghbbsZS5xNUIutAcAd_YVVHwuvS2d-koJU-urInkIgHR_uSqMy8mkBc0bLwWcOI_8vWGkRqv0GcJJIe8Mqkk869x0t8NTKNJAOwEExmzfoE6aIIOyd7nRUN-QzwuwOFw0DmNDP1g/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-113.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA</td></tr></tbody></table>Yardley Borough, Pennsylvania was incorporated in 1895, but the Yardleys first started settling in the area in 1682, originally with a purchase agreement for 500 acres from William Penn himself. The community of about 2,500 today, located just across the Delaware from New Jersey, has long been known to be a major stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. But it would be a century and a half after that war before some history buff new owners of a local hotel and tavern would unearth a motherload of artifacts from a long inaccessible chamber below the kitchen, to help flesh out their route and story.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpu9MSCggR6f-3xeGRqXlUzqkYdBoljxoNHUelV7Y1PxK04fric96e3DXJf_C2wjxXWDTonH-3GbQwAK6zisMqAJhJ9qqwcnC3B1xTSf2nu-N3BqHBHfgNpJSXmqklLY23_UX2Hbv7L-2QmB4nLYOl90fa1_GZAvoIcViA7nGAwh8Ghlcng/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-120-franklyons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpu9MSCggR6f-3xeGRqXlUzqkYdBoljxoNHUelV7Y1PxK04fric96e3DXJf_C2wjxXWDTonH-3GbQwAK6zisMqAJhJ9qqwcnC3B1xTSf2nu-N3BqHBHfgNpJSXmqklLY23_UX2Hbv7L-2QmB4nLYOl90fa1_GZAvoIcViA7nGAwh8Ghlcng/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-120-franklyons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank Lyons, owner, Continental Tavern<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />When I asked a few questions at the Continental Tavern in Yardley, PA in the summer of 2022, the staff there told me it was unfortunate that Frank wasn't there, as he was the main source of that sort of history. Frank Lyons, I would find out, was a retired commercial airline captain and partner in a small investment banking business before purchasing the Tavern in 2007, along with his wife Patty and daughter Kelly Lyons Vliet and her husband Sean. Frank was a revolutionary period history buff who had already participated with 15 to 20 people to annually re-enact the roles of the Massachusetts regiment that rowed the boats during Washington's crossing of the Delaware, just three miles down the road from the Tavern. (Frank plays the role of Colonel John Glover of the Marblehead, MA.)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooVCpDNUSKylyd1j7A1AqVFtuDF4SCURnPaiRw2MgvJuBv1H4e1AP9jC95CNgzA3a41p3_XxNwhm9-sGHSkM2j6JgZFKCIowV6bxq2FCDp5UJYoL0NThOdJWT50Pgz9JRrswb8SW7yYQtdcvNoCemwlok_TKK2LdVg3w4zIRhiirgSprddg/s3576/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3576" data-original-width="2895" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooVCpDNUSKylyd1j7A1AqVFtuDF4SCURnPaiRw2MgvJuBv1H4e1AP9jC95CNgzA3a41p3_XxNwhm9-sGHSkM2j6JgZFKCIowV6bxq2FCDp5UJYoL0NThOdJWT50Pgz9JRrswb8SW7yYQtdcvNoCemwlok_TKK2LdVg3w4zIRhiirgSprddg/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-129.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br />Fortunately Frank arrived before I left, and informed of my questions, quite generously gave me a very interesting tour of the place. With Frank leading, the history reveals itself floor by floor, starting with the large number of artifacts on display in the bar itself. From there we went upstairs to some event spaces, displaying paintings and artifacts from the revolutionary war period, with much explanatory commentary from Frank, as well as many more artifacts from the tavern itself. On the third floor, which Frank has described as "the laboratory," one sees the cleaning and organizing process, complete with autoclave and rack after rack of antique items -- more than many historical museums. Finally, through a new, more accessible opening created just three weeks earlier, we entered the once hidden room which was slowly revealing its history and layer after layer of artifacts.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMSezv4a0u0iNY0kyyBmuHZiIRiu7YPjC7vUewfUJgSr1i5_jFP2b-7urAoDuB3C_Wy7AuP7LBL7QBevt1_AchelcnlEgtV5g-19E7JGx5RCcBX1MbtbdcY_e4YXFbQu3WkwvSXhhuQzuGKrOYmci21aWqUJqQCZuZj9nXmgwq8W2aVUm_A/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMSezv4a0u0iNY0kyyBmuHZiIRiu7YPjC7vUewfUJgSr1i5_jFP2b-7urAoDuB3C_Wy7AuP7LBL7QBevt1_AchelcnlEgtV5g-19E7JGx5RCcBX1MbtbdcY_e4YXFbQu3WkwvSXhhuQzuGKrOYmci21aWqUJqQCZuZj9nXmgwq8W2aVUm_A/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-152.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Though this chamber was a surprise to everyone, Frank and family knew the historical relevance of the hotel, and insisted on the means to restore it as part of the purchase. "Frank ... said the family has traced the property’s history back to the late 1700s, when it was an outbuilding of the Thomas Yardley estate. In 1808, it was sold as a shop and residence. By the 1840s, a town library occupied the second floor and the unlicensed tavern space functioned as a Temperance House. In the 1850s, the building also served boarders." (<a href="https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/2014/05/08/yardley-s-continental-tavern-turns/17690033007/" target="_blank">phillyburbs</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan Taylor, President of the Yardley Historical Association, added "The initial structure was built in 1845 as a temperance house and store. Then, in 1866 the proprietor received a license to operate a hotel with 18 rooms. A fierce blaze destroyed the building in 1876. The following year, it was rebuilt." (<a href="https://buckscountyintime.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/continental-tavern-yardleys-dirty-little-secret/" target="_blank">buckscountyintime</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa6kyqTWRZTzYREZTYHX84YFd1pYsazCoaVWywxTFzzcoiTfpkASsT18d8I8s7QZ_wIOxCfxNL95NbaxbSFkbzaDUoDeo8e4980UAGbtRT6YbyA0ErfKJ0kaC89bm23dGwNJ1VicjEwT7CxqNGKIg2Rh2aFAjNuTkV3emUpWuphb3-W8tFg/s3380/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3380" data-original-width="2890" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa6kyqTWRZTzYREZTYHX84YFd1pYsazCoaVWywxTFzzcoiTfpkASsT18d8I8s7QZ_wIOxCfxNL95NbaxbSFkbzaDUoDeo8e4980UAGbtRT6YbyA0ErfKJ0kaC89bm23dGwNJ1VicjEwT7CxqNGKIg2Rh2aFAjNuTkV3emUpWuphb3-W8tFg/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-137.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank Lyons, re-enactment of <br />the Delaware Crossing<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Frank explained how, in the mid 1800s, owner Samuel Slack sought repeatedly to obtain a liquor license, over the fierce opposition of local women's temperance group in the Quaker town. He was finally successful in 1864, and said license is, of course, proudly displayed in the tavern today.</div><div><br /></div><div>The transition to both a structure more true to its 19th century origins and to an attractive, viable business was described in <a href="https://www.suburbanlifemagazine.com/article/1712/History-in-the-ReMaking" target="_blank">Suburban Life Magazine</a>: </div><div><br /></div><div><div>'Prior to settlement, the family presented their four-phase restoration plan to the Yardley Borough Planning Commission. The plan called for a total renovation of the three-story building, an upgrade to meet modern code standards, redesign of the entire first floor of the Tavern, and lastly, the reconstruction of a wrap-around porch to replicate the precise façade fashioned in 1877. The proposed plan sought to revive the building’s remarkable charm and revitalize the center of Yardley.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95SLVinbwLKMCr-47OqEiPbqCmVcF9ABRFxaJnxg8kR1cBLrLATgOFt4bIiyzgFG3831S62MxT4hxH2j3ViJmxH50nlQ6a0ric9N1V2CPXjUvnPabRylN6cPVGrX-83YGr-7zf9IgvbLcPGstnGyaVR4YK_HiJt_DRNvuyiZLbJ6x8tKqXg/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95SLVinbwLKMCr-47OqEiPbqCmVcF9ABRFxaJnxg8kR1cBLrLATgOFt4bIiyzgFG3831S62MxT4hxH2j3ViJmxH50nlQ6a0ric9N1V2CPXjUvnPabRylN6cPVGrX-83YGr-7zf9IgvbLcPGstnGyaVR4YK_HiJt_DRNvuyiZLbJ6x8tKqXg/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />“In 1876, a fire destroyed the two story structure and it was rebuilt in 1877 on the same foundation in its current three-story configuration,” Frank says. “During our renovations, which began in late 2007, an inaccessible chamber was discovered under the kitchen … in the corner of the chamber was a stone tunnel, which ran deep into the ground. We began an archeological dig looking for evidence of the Underground Railroad. What we found so far is over 10,000 empty whiskey bottles from the Prohibition Era, as well as a number of artifacts from Yardley’s past.” Many of those bottles and artifacts are on display around the building.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbwdXv2w-9TjLzJoutwM5BqiHnIyQ0HjVtZiujxWvCe7uHZjzHK1f38mwYgBKlGSODahopMLVYIhcrzsmPEgCVFFvjAozxosweyZZE2CemQgYZIh4p7AWU0PKyAmGwf3pZNLDxVUrJ6u28Q6NcIL8iQ54Hhx4vn4dd_PlZ33OGN8xqCBQCg/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbwdXv2w-9TjLzJoutwM5BqiHnIyQ0HjVtZiujxWvCe7uHZjzHK1f38mwYgBKlGSODahopMLVYIhcrzsmPEgCVFFvjAozxosweyZZE2CemQgYZIh4p7AWU0PKyAmGwf3pZNLDxVUrJ6u28Q6NcIL8iQ54Hhx4vn4dd_PlZ33OGN8xqCBQCg/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Frank notes at the time of purchase, the Tavern’s first floor was a 116 seat bar and restaurant. On the second and third floors, however, were 18 small hotel rooms which had gone unused since the 1950’s. In April of 2008, Vliet and the Lyons’ reopened the Tavern with 110 seats in the first floor bar and restaurant. In 2011 the second floor reopened to feature a 60-seat special purpose room designed for catered events and overflow dining, in addition to a small meeting room and office. A new efficient kitchen “line” was designed by Ken Fuller—one of Eastern Pennsylvania’s most prominent kitchen engineers — to offer modern equipment, and productive work areas. The last of the renovations were completed in the spring of 2012 with the reconstruction of the exterior wrap-around porch containing 22 seats for outdoor dining. Today, the Continental Tavern remains a successful and vibrant local dining destination.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsElGB7ssIV5FmFXviWwMNi_cZcunK3zWwxsQqRo7xloo6b60x7QUwAndpwKe_JeTd5bD3-1N8UAgd9JQLFEV7xQDcHcjNznOZ954_rKoleDr8ARtWNXBWl5t-J3ZmS9NQAD2pS_NJ2TzpFIuwiK9ncR5gwExnUb6WYNGEkvR7OGdINhxPoQ/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsElGB7ssIV5FmFXviWwMNi_cZcunK3zWwxsQqRo7xloo6b60x7QUwAndpwKe_JeTd5bD3-1N8UAgd9JQLFEV7xQDcHcjNznOZ954_rKoleDr8ARtWNXBWl5t-J3ZmS9NQAD2pS_NJ2TzpFIuwiK9ncR5gwExnUb6WYNGEkvR7OGdINhxPoQ/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />“In a soundbite, the Tavern serves ‘old fashioned American tavern fare with a curiously modern accent,’” Frank says. “We have a robust selection of standard tavern comfort foods, such as ribs, burgers, steaks and pot pies, which are prepared in our kitchen with the finest ingredients. Each week however, our chefs plan unique specials which rival the best fine dining establishments in the county. There’s something for everyone.”'</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Frank described the careful process of the dig with a number of family members and employees dedicating their time to the efforts, each additional each downward going a bit further back in time. He told of local historians and Underground Railroad buffs believed there must have been just such a stop on their road to freedom.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaDVbNzHZyP_hwYKm5BiPVp25x4gsPdkq__FA3vh0kKvMxLwqn0qyhH1AtHE9R7Al1rFFnzv1XQHfcJFijwOuVJ_X7_dWaS5M2mHm4vO9fM9VDxTDFxo0qJRYo6ED_70loj4WtluRb46mLDQmF6JKkO7_oA-bncMMVAmfc0hKqp22uFBdGg/s4032/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaDVbNzHZyP_hwYKm5BiPVp25x4gsPdkq__FA3vh0kKvMxLwqn0qyhH1AtHE9R7Al1rFFnzv1XQHfcJFijwOuVJ_X7_dWaS5M2mHm4vO9fM9VDxTDFxo0qJRYo6ED_70loj4WtluRb46mLDQmF6JKkO7_oA-bncMMVAmfc0hKqp22uFBdGg/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-127.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA<br />First liquor license, 1864<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />'Millard Mitchell, the late grandson of a slave, was astounded when he visited the excavation in 2008. As a descendant of the borough’s African American community, he beamed, “This is what I’ve been looking for my whole life.” It confirmed childhood stories about the Continental.' <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 16px;"> (</span><a href="https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/2014/05/08/yardley-s-continental-tavern-turns/17690033007/" target="_blank">phillyburbs</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="https://contav.com/" target="_blank">tavern's website</a> describes the early process in more detail:</div><div><br /></div><div><div>"During construction, a large chamber was found in the basement below the kitchen. The chamber was approximately 15 feet by 15 feet with 18 inch stone walls. There was no entrance into the chamber from the outside or from the rest of the basement, which means that there had to have been a trap door from above.</div><div><br /></div><div>Construction workers had to enter the chamber to run mechanical systems through it. What they found inside was starling. One corner of the chamber contained a mysterious quarter circle stone wall. The chamber was 4 feet from floor to ceiling. As crews began to dig every shovelful of dirt contained unusual artifacts — alcohol bottles, apothecary items, figurines, personal care products, tungsten light bulbs, an enigmatic weapon, and numerous other items pictured here on the website.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few stones were removed from the quarter circle stone wall to reveal a 5 foot diameter cylindrical stone tunnel which went deep into the ground. Local Underground Railroad historians indicated that the tunnel was connected to a series of tunnels which came up from the canal and connected the Tavern with 2 other Yardley structures. These buildings were way stations on the Underground Railroad which was in operation from the early 1800’s through the Civil War."</div></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-yP6Qo-06GqxGiy0cWLNvhDxHUNwdN4kDfrMr2JXKgAtfQAWJqMJK-wK_adOKt2avJQj5_gDQtZdjO-oFlBL29QQr3J-0XtUYpB_zWw3Gm0i5rkVwOfiBegaetXisHX3l1WbBCvDmLL_zqwIKHB1PP4HOt7zxnpRtOEkyYBBMdeG7u7fJQ/s3753/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2013" data-original-width="3753" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-yP6Qo-06GqxGiy0cWLNvhDxHUNwdN4kDfrMr2JXKgAtfQAWJqMJK-wK_adOKt2avJQj5_gDQtZdjO-oFlBL29QQr3J-0XtUYpB_zWw3Gm0i5rkVwOfiBegaetXisHX3l1WbBCvDmLL_zqwIKHB1PP4HOt7zxnpRtOEkyYBBMdeG7u7fJQ/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-135.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remnants of the madam?<br />Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Finally there are, of course, the ghosts. One of these, Frank believes, is related to some artifacts found crammed into one the walls. He showed me a silver handle of an old purse, a bloodied corset, and the rusted remains of a revolver that would appear to confirm a story of a beautiful madam murdered during the tavern's time as a brothel. There's even a painting that is said to resemble the woman, and some confirmatory "evidence" of the story and artifacts from local paranormal experts. In general the building is said to be one of the most haunted in the area, with the ghost stories being one of the largest attractions for visitors.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjsvVwegCPz_xfkDwTe4-ZEVs_eWU7QryaUpPN3qDmuT1JVAXfJVGySWEpgOMWMD-7dwew0xVvCzyimg5fTgWuB4JKW7DmrGUQKYA90qDYC1ynEfEYYv-bkfi4w8t8Q30sc0gaIgtvdwS88gazta_WlVBf1DbiAylPhKChQ0ZqwCMKm_p4g/s3835/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3835" data-original-width="2933" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjsvVwegCPz_xfkDwTe4-ZEVs_eWU7QryaUpPN3qDmuT1JVAXfJVGySWEpgOMWMD-7dwew0xVvCzyimg5fTgWuB4JKW7DmrGUQKYA90qDYC1ynEfEYYv-bkfi4w8t8Q30sc0gaIgtvdwS88gazta_WlVBf1DbiAylPhKChQ0ZqwCMKm_p4g/s320/continentaltavern-yardley-pa-2022-07-13p-132.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br />I enjoy hearing the stories, but being the stodgy sort, most interested in the more tangible aspects of history, I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to see all the artifacts and operations, and to collect the historical commentary from Frank. I am so pleased to find people with a love of history investing their time and effort into preserving great locations like this, and keeping them alive for the public. Finally, having finished my meal ahead of this, Frank sent me on my way to my next historical tavern, asking a question the Yardley bar for which he already knew the answer. "Is that enough history for you?"</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div> <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
2 N Main St, Yardley, PA 19067 - (215) 493-9191
<br />
Est. 1864 (first bar), 1877 (current building) - Building constructed: 1877<br />Web site: <a href="https://contav.com/" target="_blank">contav.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ContinentalTavern/" target="_blank">facebook</a><br />
Reviews: <a href="http://buckscountyadventures.org/going-underground-in-yardley/" target="_blank">buckscountyadventures</a> - <a href="http://partingglassmedia.com/pubs/continental_yardley_pa/index.html" target="_blank">paintingglassmedia</a> - <a href="https://www.suburbanlifemagazine.com/article/1712/History-in-the-ReMaking" target="_blank">suburbanlifemagazine</a> - <a href="https://www.nj.com/times-opinion/2012/01/bill_of_fare_building_and_menu.html" target="_blank">nj.com</a> - <a href="https://buckscountyintime.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/continental-tavern-yardleys-dirty-little-secret/" target="_blank">buckscountyintime</a> - <a href="https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/2014/05/08/yardley-s-continental-tavern-turns/17690033007/" target="_blank">phillyburbs</a> - <a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/pennsylvania/continental-tavern-pa/" target="_blank">onlyinyourstate</a> - <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/continental-tavern-yardley" target="_blank">yelp</a> - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g54042-d3225296-Reviews-Continental_Tavern-Yardley_Pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">tripadvisor</a> </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-85925619400543594712023-02-01T11:29:00.002-08:002023-02-01T11:29:38.558-08:00Historical Note: Red Robin<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFe76PqRV_JhQuHP4rzQdR0BE9-WI0sFmQKZWGEF0CB_XyKfnxncAx_E-e6UFBRgF567FGfJaqQWuYChWovjwUzOy4PreMPm0z-OIaDl1uoMhIkUU227Xl4cPzzLy3xsTHpqz_Km_iibkfG-3kO02nETBDyCO_numNddEH5fEKy3b4CnDLA/s3975/redrobin-robinson-pa-2023-01-27p-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3975" data-original-width="2307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFe76PqRV_JhQuHP4rzQdR0BE9-WI0sFmQKZWGEF0CB_XyKfnxncAx_E-e6UFBRgF567FGfJaqQWuYChWovjwUzOy4PreMPm0z-OIaDl1uoMhIkUU227Xl4cPzzLy3xsTHpqz_Km_iibkfG-3kO02nETBDyCO_numNddEH5fEKy3b4CnDLA/w233-h400/redrobin-robinson-pa-2023-01-27p-009.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Robin origin story<br />as posted in Robinson, PA </td></tr></tbody></table>When we moved to Pittsburgh in the spring of 2022 I was pleased to find a Red Robin Gourmet Burgers restaurant less than 3 minutes from our new home, and indeed I just enjoyed a Banzai Burger just a couple days ago. They may be a large, nation-wide chain now (some 500 restaurants), but any long-time Seattlelite will tell you that it started from one joint perched across Portage Bay from the University of Washington, beside a sharply sloping parking lot that made one wonder if their vehicle might tumble into the bay. Some older residents will even recall that before it was purchased by local restauranteur Gerry Kingen, the place was a pot-soaked hippy and biker dive, with a Red Robin mascot that was quite obviously stoned.</div><div><br /></div><div>Parts of this story (eliding the pot smoking) were enthusiastically adopted by the current Red Robin corporation, and indeed, a version of the story greeted me on the wall of our restaurant in Pittsburgh -- and, one presumes, across the country. Part of the origin story on the company web site, repeated in Wikipedia, and now in plexiglass within the restaurants themselves reads:<br /><br /><blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxk0n-5p0axfNPt4CovsrpDknRPQev5SXuRFlHM9834hvX0JLbHF6RH32pd5qid19MdKga5C4e3h8tuM_AQKh5ue3BJJ9Qu7ibYXLwY2ZkX23MWiA6VngJgxeCXWIqIkK5RXbx1zRT4JI9_rbUGcTmTOpNjvx6EVpdmoAHkznikaO4_uEmg/s480/redrobin-originallogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxk0n-5p0axfNPt4CovsrpDknRPQev5SXuRFlHM9834hvX0JLbHF6RH32pd5qid19MdKga5C4e3h8tuM_AQKh5ue3BJJ9Qu7ibYXLwY2ZkX23MWiA6VngJgxeCXWIqIkK5RXbx1zRT4JI9_rbUGcTmTOpNjvx6EVpdmoAHkznikaO4_uEmg/w400-h300/redrobin-originallogo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Robin mascot c. 1960s-1970s<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>"This building dated from 1940 and was first called Sam's Tavern. The owner, Sam, sang in a barbershop quartet and could frequently be heard singing the song "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)." He liked the song so much that he eventually changed the name to Sam's Red Robin." -- <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Robin" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> </p></div><div>I really appreciate it when bars include documentation on their origins, and this is a nice story. However, when one reviews primary sources it does not appear to be true. For starters, the place appears to have been constructed in 1916 rather than 1940, and to have been named "Red Robin" for several years and multiple owners before Sam [Caston]. Polk directories begin listing Red Robin at the address in 1942 under owner H.M. McDonald and later J.R. Raymond. Even earlier it is listed under bars from 1940 to 1942 with just the name of owner Glenn McCall. Sam Caston appears to have taken ownership sometime between 1951 and 1953 (inclusive), and one guesses that he simply changed Red Robin to "Sam's Red Robin." </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU9_EwIHOz501s1Ni9MyKFDJ6olrNqIp0qtDGA4cG60ecC74HnwMaibVkBQg3r5YYYooIsp5PilsECzoi71O2CfTX2TqDwYJMyMGwW_pt5g7KEB6Tc1cQflPnQ4d205sO21EtefrZiCfJ7Blkg59wNRbqVJabkHG5dw3KkCSIqh5XozbGGQ/s1392/redrobin-fb-PaulGillingham-Courtesy%20Ron%20Edge%20via%20Seattle%20Times.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1392" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU9_EwIHOz501s1Ni9MyKFDJ6olrNqIp0qtDGA4cG60ecC74HnwMaibVkBQg3r5YYYooIsp5PilsECzoi71O2CfTX2TqDwYJMyMGwW_pt5g7KEB6Tc1cQflPnQ4d205sO21EtefrZiCfJ7Blkg59wNRbqVJabkHG5dw3KkCSIqh5XozbGGQ/w400-h248/redrobin-fb-PaulGillingham-Courtesy%20Ron%20Edge%20via%20Seattle%20Times.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Red Robin location c.1969<br />Paul Gillingham photo<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>In addition to Sam not starting the business or originating the Red Robin name, the location on Fuhrman Road above the UW would appear to not be the original location. There is a "Red Robin" bar listed at 1319 3rd Avenue in downtown Seattle in 1935 and 1936, and closing or moving shortly before the place of the same name happened to open across from the university.</div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to the hippy/biker/student era a few decades later, we have the benefit of having many old patrons still around, including local historians Paul Dorpat and Roger Wheeling. I'm taking the liberty of adding a few comments from locals about those times, taken from a Facebook conversation and a great <a href="https://pauldorpat.com/2022/11/10/seattle-now-then-original-red-robin-1969/" target="_blank">Clay Eals article</a>, to help capture the flavor:</div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEJ21-_bpzUCRdixS-j6FuKaLHsMweA0KFJc-d8VZy1dg9q_DDCNmztTetapGJryYz7q-Sf7P5bY6oEGfWyuRxbAgouo_wQP4jy_tnhdBtaud9KNpu1FvfOUg-Fphpa3PN-QMLLlICd87nRk44wmvru7SNlmhlia2q9mKXRkNcc5NXUYOjQ/s600/redrobin-beescornercafe-b.1916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEJ21-_bpzUCRdixS-j6FuKaLHsMweA0KFJc-d8VZy1dg9q_DDCNmztTetapGJryYz7q-Sf7P5bY6oEGfWyuRxbAgouo_wQP4jy_tnhdBtaud9KNpu1FvfOUg-Fphpa3PN-QMLLlICd87nRk44wmvru7SNlmhlia2q9mKXRkNcc5NXUYOjQ/w400-h241/redrobin-beescornercafe-b.1916.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1937 view of building that would become Red Robin<br />(Building constructed in 1916)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"I had friends down the street. We went there often. I remember peanut shells all over the floor. '69 '70 maybe '71." Gary H.</li><li>"Friday was $.10 beer night, with $1.25 burger baskets. Usually got there early and bought $2.00 worth of beer, filling the table. By 9pm, we were relieving ourselves off the back deck. Great times. That's the Red Robin I know." David M. </li><li>"During the ‘60’s I lived a little south of the Red Robin. When me and my young buddies walked by we made sure to walk on the sidewalk across the street out of fear of the bikers out front. We had heard stories." Kim S.</li><li> "In the old Robin, if they’d passed a pool cue around, someone would have smoked it." Seattle Times restaurant columnist John Hinterberger</li><li>"Had my first legal beer there in 1957. Was there quite a bit. My favorite Tavern and in those days a hangout for the poets and artist colony in the houseboats below. Sam, the then owner was encyclopedic in his knowledge of Pacific Coast League baseball and the Seattle Rainiers. Seattle lost a great institution when Sam sold it." Stan W.</li><li>'The original was the best. I had short hair because I was in the service. 1967. So I would hear , “narc. Narc”. When I’d go in. Until the regulars go to know me.' Don M.</li><li>"I am a vendor for Red Robin and supply all 535 stores. last time I was at corporate (in Denver Colorado now) they said they just couldn’t keep the property because it was literally falling apart and slipping down the hill. I don’t think they really had a choice whether to keep it or dump it from their portfolio." Carol D.</li><li>"Did a lot of etched glass work for RR, and other Kingen establishments when working for Trade*Marx Sign Co early '80s." Ryan C.</li></ul></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EG_CEUXVffz00JYgeNkWYBSsKeEa79d51zyHir4q2VJNUhzqEFf9R9F_Vob2hiXF1W2mM7c0qs0vgfoe6k2cMRT-MnnJfTWZt2vZSnckq9Jf88znzRDEZyw02cbVuoryOwJlTpFhzJ1EToySI6QFVCVn9JUnzT_nvc6PzQEtEBmBHkgpQQ/s1024/redrobin-original-1973-facebook-chuckgould.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="634" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EG_CEUXVffz00JYgeNkWYBSsKeEa79d51zyHir4q2VJNUhzqEFf9R9F_Vob2hiXF1W2mM7c0qs0vgfoe6k2cMRT-MnnJfTWZt2vZSnckq9Jf88znzRDEZyw02cbVuoryOwJlTpFhzJ1EToySI6QFVCVn9JUnzT_nvc6PzQEtEBmBHkgpQQ/w248-h400/redrobin-original-1973-facebook-chuckgould.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior view of Red Robin c.1973<br />Photo via Chuck Gould<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The evolution from ramshackle student hangout to corporate gourmet burger chain began in 1969 when the restaurant was purchased by Gerry Kingen. Kingen grew up working in his parents' restaurant while attending Renton High, and after purchasing the Red Robin would also become known to Seattlelites for establishing its first fern bar " Boondock's, Sundecker's & Greenthumb's," the steak and lobster house "Lion O'Reilly's & B.J. Monkeyshine's," singing waiter location "The Great American Food & Beverage Company," legendary dive "Blue Moon Tavern," music venue "Warehouse Tavern and Nightclub," and iconic Seattle seafood brunch home "Salty's."</div><div><br /></div><div>Over the next few years Kingen would expand and remodel the Robin location and revamp the menu. He added a strip steak based on the one served in the train cars of "Andy's Diner," and 28 different kinds of burgers, creating what he would describe as a "burgers and booze" model, and "a McDonalds for adults." (<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/original-red-robin-restaurant-to-close-march-21/" target="_blank">Seattle Times</a>) The concept worked, and he would soon open a second location in Northgate Mall. Although Kingen says he considered franchising at the time, that phase was actually kicked off in 1979 when Mike and Steve Snyder convinced him to allow them to become a franchisee of the concept. Mike Snyder's restaurants were a success, and he quickly expanded to 14 locations. (<a href="https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/84/Red-Robin-Gourmet-Burgers-Inc.html" target="_blank">Yakima Herald</a>) The expansion into a nationwide chain of hundreds would come after the franchise was purchased by Japanese corporation Skylark.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctCzm2b6xKwXP-S5Wm5R5tdKPMIt-VEIE6R0rG0bVHQ6JE7i0ECTtocUJbw6HPv39Q3tceAoeLBD3Kl-JeRjUrsA4XR_f3L6-2TFePdNJ3LQYx1RRMol2fsxD_EmDC8fWxEKkdVX8CfzOd0pScXMBGk-yyw37BcVE2afpnt9i71koLJ5JVQ/s472/redrobin1970remodel-fuhrman-facebook-taylorward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="472" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctCzm2b6xKwXP-S5Wm5R5tdKPMIt-VEIE6R0rG0bVHQ6JE7i0ECTtocUJbw6HPv39Q3tceAoeLBD3Kl-JeRjUrsA4XR_f3L6-2TFePdNJ3LQYx1RRMol2fsxD_EmDC8fWxEKkdVX8CfzOd0pScXMBGk-yyw37BcVE2afpnt9i71koLJ5JVQ/w400-h296/redrobin1970remodel-fuhrman-facebook-taylorward.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large deck and parking lot expansion<br />Original Red Robin, c.1970<br />Photo via Taylor Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Kingen sold a 30% share to Skylark in 1985, and a total of 90% by 1987. Expansion continued but by 1995 sales were slumping in the corporate owned restaurants. Skylark turned to Mike Snyder, whose 14 franchises were thriving by comparison, as well as asking Kingen to return. Snyder would be named President and CEO in 1996. Under Snyder's leadership, the fortunes of the chain would turn around. and merge with Snyder's franchise units in 2000. Later, with approximately 200 restaurants in place, the company would go public in July 2002. (<a href="https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/84/Red-Robin-Gourmet-Burgers-Inc.html#ixzz7s5dF5Bqx" target="_blank">referenceforbusiness</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>Originally planning to expand to 850 restaurants, reaching at least as high as 572 in 2019, and with the stock peaking in 2015, the brand has struggled a bit, decided in 2018 to halt expansion (<a href="https://www.nrn.com/finance/red-robin-pause-unit-growth-end-2018" target="_blank">nrn</a>), and settled back down to around 500 locations at this writing. In the meantime, the original location above Portage Bay closed its doors in March 2010, citing high maintenance costs. Although there followed rumors of a new restaurant in the old building, it remained empty until it was razed in 2014. A new 3-story mixed use building took its place, with the bottom floor hosting Johnny Mo's Pizzeria, a joint effort of buddies Johnny from New York and Mo from Chicago.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKQSR2VKhKbO0IvSao3A-Qd8FuqjDMhBv-R_7lHHcfYiT3jYLFBhgzHIQ4-0yQcXWifzWS-cuc2R2RncT9aXRgYuF0Nv3Y_YdouzfTOUvw5OiRSqbz78W3JA5L6K5DuC2epi2F6ezmUEYyilHjI58IIvd2bDEbTYoOmaFdRxx3kJHowWXyw/s916/redrobintavern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="337" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKQSR2VKhKbO0IvSao3A-Qd8FuqjDMhBv-R_7lHHcfYiT3jYLFBhgzHIQ4-0yQcXWifzWS-cuc2R2RncT9aXRgYuF0Nv3Y_YdouzfTOUvw5OiRSqbz78W3JA5L6K5DuC2epi2F6ezmUEYyilHjI58IIvd2bDEbTYoOmaFdRxx3kJHowWXyw/w148-h400/redrobintavern.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br />Re. the two great characters behind the modern franchise, Gerry Kingen carries on, currently working on expanding Seattle's Pecos Pit BBQ (local sports fans recognize its first location south of the baseball stadium). (<a href="https://www.pecospit.com/our-story" target="_blank">pecospit</a>) Mike Snyder, whose son Graham started two restaurants of his own in Yakima -- Cowiche Canyon Kitchen & Icehouse and the E.Z. Tiger -- tragically died of a self-inflicted gun wound in Dec 2018. (<a href="https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/bigger-than-life-friends-family-remember-businessman-who-became-red-robin-ceo/article_875437fc-fd12-11e8-837d-eb0d0622580d.html" target="_blank">yakimaherald</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <br />
3272 Fuhrman Ave. E., Seattle WA
<br />
Est. 1940? - Closed March 21, 2020 - Building constructed: 1916<br />Web site: <a href="https://www.redrobin.com/" target="_blank">redrobin.com</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RedRobinBurgers" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br />
Articles: <a href="https://pauldorpat.com/2022/11/10/seattle-now-then-original-red-robin-1969/" target="_blank">pauldorpat</a> - <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/original-red-robin-restaurant-to-close-march-21/" target="_blank">seattletimes</a> - <a href="https://www.mashed.com/386403/why-youll-never-be-able-to-eat-at-the-original-red-robin/" target="_blank">mashed</a> - <a href="https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/84/Red-Robin-Gourmet-Burgers-Inc.html#ixzz7s5dF5Bqx" target="_blank">referenceforbusiness</a> - <a href="https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/bigger-than-life-friends-family-remember-businessman-who-became-red-robin-ceo/article_875437fc-fd12-11e8-837d-eb0d0622580d.html" target="_blank">yakimaherald</a> - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Robin" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> - </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23563760.post-23143623369670858852022-10-02T12:41:00.001-07:002022-10-02T12:41:29.179-07:00#4821 - Hy-Hat Tavern, Steubenville, OH - 10/1/2022<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrVa8O2DEU6YLRAJkD7XY67P8luwTx1ju0ux5_2B3cMT_yYMbjXHUnF78I2AlzWsIWVe28Cyst0HN3ZGlWUpEt9HrYOcWbiy5nEaJ0XsAUHIL0-rA4oO1oTLDFqwNfm3ZcQSSXCM-FbtV-vJiVz_MHASNRr5dejiiQfPAqY8nLWvhN7AwqA/s3466/hyhat-steubenville-oh-2022-10-01p-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3466" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrVa8O2DEU6YLRAJkD7XY67P8luwTx1ju0ux5_2B3cMT_yYMbjXHUnF78I2AlzWsIWVe28Cyst0HN3ZGlWUpEt9HrYOcWbiy5nEaJ0XsAUHIL0-rA4oO1oTLDFqwNfm3ZcQSSXCM-FbtV-vJiVz_MHASNRr5dejiiQfPAqY8nLWvhN7AwqA/w349-h400/hyhat-steubenville-oh-2022-10-01p-006.jpg" width="349" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hy-Hat Tavern, Steubenville, OH<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Hy-Hat Tavern in downtown Steubenville, Ohio has been run for the last several years by brothers Chris and Charlie Dipalma. It is an homage to Tony Lamantia's Hy-Hat which was located right next door in the 40s, and which hosted musical acts including local talent Dino Crocetti, later better known as Dean Martin. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the location of the current Hy Hat was the Federal Terrace Bar, another swanky nightclub -- this one established in 1937 by Albert "Blue" Ricci. The "Fed" can still be clearly red on the awning of today's Hy-Hat. On the flip side of the old Hy-Hat is the abandoned "Colonial Supper Club," once owned by Andy Dipalma, father of the current Hy Hat owners. It is unclear to me how much of these three structures actually comprised the Hy Hat -- while an old matchbook pins the address at 167 N 4th, which is the middle building, the grandson of the owner of the Federal <a href="https://unearthedohio.com/2016/07/08/excursion-50-part-3-steubenville-at-dusk/" target="_blank">claims</a> that his grandfather split the business with his partner Flossie Tortorice, who converted it to a successful restaurant called Colonial Supper Club.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGoZIc57d74ai0Cjr6xc7BCloDmpaSzemliNXr8tdSu4C5DrS2zBW6QgqZeDtngUiX_ZSoCByLLfkUWzbentj7VuZwkaGP-F6CRSVBL6kDVLQ_krQh-yAQZYVDIRzf0qqhDIvUyult1ggtQ-ymstQFIjfg1TY39arpsojVOJy_SHD1Us_Kg/s4032/hyhattavern-steubenville-oh-2022-10-01p-011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGoZIc57d74ai0Cjr6xc7BCloDmpaSzemliNXr8tdSu4C5DrS2zBW6QgqZeDtngUiX_ZSoCByLLfkUWzbentj7VuZwkaGP-F6CRSVBL6kDVLQ_krQh-yAQZYVDIRzf0qqhDIvUyult1ggtQ-ymstQFIjfg1TY39arpsojVOJy_SHD1Us_Kg/w400-h300/hyhattavern-steubenville-oh-2022-10-01p-011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Whatever the exact division of the physical structures, a young Dino Crocetti would become increasingly known to local bandleaders at clubs like the Federal and the Hy Hat, and welcomed on stage to sing a song or two. Before catching on as a crooner, Dino dropped out of high school to become a boxer, gathering a nickname of "Punchy" for being knocked out by a first punch, and establishing a short career in which he said of his 12 fights "I won all by 11." (<a href="https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2019/06/how-dino-crocetti-of-steubenville-became-pop-singer-dean-martin.html" target="_blank">appalachianhistory.net</a>) His singing appearances increased as he took on stints at the Wierton Steel mill and as a dealing in local backroom gambling parlors.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>One other performer who honed their skills at the old Hy Hat was Dottie Sloop, a jazz singer and pianist known as "Sloopy," and about whom the song "Hang on Sloopy" was penned. In addition to becoming a huge hit sung by dozens of of performers, the song would later be named the "official rock song of the state of Ohio."</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIneEFFqoAdxlgPGZiP3rtK5bU-gWtEWEDJlxD6j0WW0ABQfACRXP1AynXVjMRekrr1ifMcxX7noF8pVEfWyv7eBo5ibs4wRZVlTH5TK33Z3pWzPruRk9Oazd8667q3Hk4o4AQiB2KIIhmMI4nFlHKVEOmea6gv4W3s4vpjiiaUvHTtL4UQ/s1061/hyhat-steubenville-oh-matchbook-ebay-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="867" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIneEFFqoAdxlgPGZiP3rtK5bU-gWtEWEDJlxD6j0WW0ABQfACRXP1AynXVjMRekrr1ifMcxX7noF8pVEfWyv7eBo5ibs4wRZVlTH5TK33Z3pWzPruRk9Oazd8667q3Hk4o4AQiB2KIIhmMI4nFlHKVEOmea6gv4W3s4vpjiiaUvHTtL4UQ/w326-h400/hyhat-steubenville-oh-matchbook-ebay-01.jpg" width="326" /></a></div></div><div>Today's Hy-Hat tavern is a comfortable dive, with the old Hy-Hat logo framed by stage curtains, and a sizable collection of sports memorabilia, old photos, and knick-knacks giving it a homey, personalized feel. The booze selection seems to be fairly typical for a neighborhood dive, and they offer home-made meatballs and various other comfort foods.</div><div><br /></div><div>As always, if anyone has additional information about the current bar and owners or about the history of the space and nearby, I'd love to hear from you.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2v5ygtkvYiGprv5IPgrgjFMUtKaVsfaWfeIEt0hYRfL77Qa7zsbOqY9TMBnqWRncbOnid9GouwrslL1irv7jBmZy2suExIZlaDg_Pkk65KdZ4CElSfn1DNSYGr3GIE8-QBS9pSuq4wcZNySWUB7VDVvrG3iLQjNyoyJQNv3SMS8W2etc9kw/s3811/hyhattavern-steubenville-oh-2022-10-01p-013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3811" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2v5ygtkvYiGprv5IPgrgjFMUtKaVsfaWfeIEt0hYRfL77Qa7zsbOqY9TMBnqWRncbOnid9GouwrslL1irv7jBmZy2suExIZlaDg_Pkk65KdZ4CElSfn1DNSYGr3GIE8-QBS9pSuq4wcZNySWUB7VDVvrG3iLQjNyoyJQNv3SMS8W2etc9kw/w400-h318/hyhattavern-steubenville-oh-2022-10-01p-013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>169 N 4th St, Steubenville, OH 43952 - (740) 424-1154</div><div>Previous bars in this location: The Federal <br />
Web site: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HyHat169" target="_blank">facebook</a> <br /><br /></div>petergahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15157426996448419793noreply@blogger.com0