Huron had its beloved
Showboat nightclub; Lorain had one with the same name at 766 Broadway. Both are long gone but continue to churn the muddy waters of our memories.
I've written about Lorain's Showboat many times, with a three-part history of the place beginning here. And seventy-one years ago this week, the nightclub unveiled its brand new remodeled decor. Above is the ad that ran in the Lorain Journal back on January 26, 1955. Here's the full page (below) so you can see the ad in context (and poke around the rest of the page).
On January 27, 1955 the ad below appeared in the paper on the day of the grand re-opening.
Alas, as noted in previous posts, a pair of fires in the same year that gutted the nightclub convinced owner Gus Atthanasoff to cut bait and run. He would start a brand new business – with a new name, Colony Bar – at the corner of Colorado and Kansas Avenues.
Fortunately, although the Showboat name was abandoned, its pizza (some of the earliest pizza in Lorain) was not. It made the move over to the new location.
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| Sept. 18, 1958 ad |
I seem to remember the tavern on Kansas and Colorado as being called "The Corner", "Denny's" and "The Office" between the 70's and 90's. I don't remember it being "Colony Bar". I do, however, remember the square bar with booths around it as described in the article. I believe the second business at the rear of the building was a hair salon or barber shop. Unfortunately, the tavern is now a place that frequently has trouble and the police seem to be there often. Times have changed.
ReplyDeleteI remember frequenting The Colony bar with my uncle several times for lunch. We would always get the open faced steak sandwich. I remember it was very good and a great spot for lunch…never had their pizza.
ReplyDeleteThat was back when that area was hopping…Kaminski Cadillac,
Ace car wash, American Ship building, coal and ore docks etc.
Todd
So, this was the future location of the Huddle and Ghoulardi's, wot?
ReplyDeleteI went a 'lookin' for the earliest Pizza Place I could find in the Elyria papers. ETC, Mar 28, 1952. "Pizza Served Every Friday Night" at The Olympic, 223 Lodi Street, 42-552. There were references to it a few years earlier in newspaper article, usually and unsurprisingly, describing Italians. In 1950, Lil' Abner had a series of painfully racist strips in which the Dogpatchers were visiting a "Justice of the Pizza."
ReplyDeleteI remember my father talking about The Colony Bar and Showboat pizza as he loved their pizza and would get it regularly.Then he would always mention that the owner of it committed suicide off of Rte 2 in one of the roadside rest areas that are situated between Rte 60 and Baumhart Road.I have tried to research and look it up but I have found nothing.Maybe you can find something on it Dan?Or have you posted on this sad story before?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Nov 8, 1965, Chronicle Telegram, Gust Atthanasoff death, at 42 y.o., was ruled accidental. He was found floating in Lake Erie by a pier near Century Park. He had gone for a drive when he was unable to sleep (not unusual for the man).
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