Another Oberlin Avenue Mystery Restaurant

Diso's Bistro at All Nations

A few months ago, my realtor, Jenae Pavlich was telling me how excited she was that she was going to be having dinner at Diso's Bistro at All Nations that evening.

I hadn't had the pleasure of eating there yet, but I knew where it was located: right in that ever-changing restaurant row on Oberlin Avenue, south of Tower Boulevard, that I mentioned yesterday. I've driven by the building many times; it had been the All Nations Social Club since around 1974.

But what was it before that? I had to hit the Lorain City Directories and phone books to find out.

To my surprise, 4286 Oberlin Avenue had started out with a double listing as Olde English Fish 'n Chips and Olde English Ice Cream Shoppe in the Lorain Phone Book in 1970. At first I assumed it was a branch of the well-remembered Old English Parlour restaurant which was part of Lorain Creamery (that I discussed way back here and here). But it didn't seem to be, with different owners – and a different spelling.

The restaurant showed up in the 1971 and 1972 phone books as well. But it was in the 1973 directory that an ice cream - loving Lorainite had a confusing choice: the Olde English Ice Cream Shoppe at 4286 Oberlin Avenue or the Old English Parlour on 14th Street.

Apparently, thar was only room for one Old English-themed ice cream in Lorain – one of them had to git outta town!

When the smoke cleared in the 1974 phone book, the Olde English Ice Cream Shoppe had apparently packed up its extra e's and skedaddled – leaving the Old English Parlour as the winner.

The Old English Parlour (a favorite of our family) continued on until the mid 1990's.

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I don't remember eating fish 'n chips at the Olde English restaurant either; we preferred Arthur Treacher's on W. 21st Street. By the way, Arthur Treacher's is still around! Click here for details!