After the 400 Bridge Club closed, but before Penny Morgan's Place opened, yet another night club called that location home. The Country Gardens opened on December 19, 1935. The night club took out ads in both the Lorain and Elyria newspapers that day.
The ads, designed by two different newspaper art departments, have entirely different personalities. The Lorain Journal ad is pretty cut and dry (below). In this ad, the squab or chicken dinner seems to be the main feature.
On the other hand, the ad that ran in the Chronicle-Telegram (below) has some clip art (for some sex appeal) to stress the dining and dancing. Plus, there are two things that aren't in the Journal ad: the address (which is always handy) and Confetti (which I am assume is the name of the band).
Newspaper ads continued to appear for Country Gardens well into 1936, with a 25 cent spaghetti and meatballs dinner featured in a November 21, 1936 ad.
Unfortunately it is difficult to determine exactly when Country Gardens closed and Penny Morgan opened her business there. The fact that the location was outside Lorain city limits in Black River Township makes it hard to research, as it was not included in the older city directories. Newspapers are probably the only source for information.
Nevertheless, it's fascinating for me to sit in Mutt & Jeff's every Saturday with the spouse and think about the history of the place and all that went on there down through the years – both legal and illegal.
It's amazing how far folks would travel for a chicken dinner! Myself, I would settle for the stuffed roasted pig any day, maybe a dollars worth, and a schooner, bock if they had it.
ReplyDeleteThe 'squab' dinner threw me a bit; I had only heard that term before in Sylvester and Tweety cartoons.
ReplyDeletethquab.
ReplyDelete