a couple of well dressed gentleman no doubt in pursuit of one of their favorite beverages.
Reader Ed Notter has done us all a great service with this exhaustive survey of the many fine watering holes located within and around our two favorite communities. Here’s Ed to start us off.
Not sure if this would be of any interest to you but here’s some “tavern” history of MRH+ in my lifetime. If you don’t think it’s appropriate for 40 South you’re not gonna hurt my feelings, it was fun to put together. The numbered ones are those I frequented at some point in my life and my opinion of them. If you do see a use for it please let your readers know I concede my fallibility and memory loss. I don’t mind and would appreciate additions and corrections. I have not included recent establishments as they come and go so quickly. I did get some help from Facebook friends with this but one stands out. Pat Glaser (also a long term MRH family). If you do publish this please mention him, he was a huge help.
I do think it is appropriate, Ed. Highly so. Pat Glaser consider yourself mentioned and thanks. DH
This just like shooting fish in a barrel for me, folks. Ed, Pat and his other friends have done a lot of work to put this together. The least I can do is to find what tavern photos I have and run those.
Here’s Eddie’s. It was located at Manchester and Arthur, middle of the 7300 block on the north side. Everything was demolished for an ill-fated redevelopment project in the 1970s. Today this is the site of the Schnucks store.Many of my readers are aware that the bar called Cousin Hugo’s, a Maplewood institution, just closed… a victim of the pandemic. It was located on the west side of Hanley/Laclede Station Road adjacent to Deer Creek Park. I believe this man is Cousin Hugo.This image was made in the fall of 1940. That is Hugo behind the bar.This image was worked up for an early display of the Maplewood Historical Society. I think it was done by Mary O’Neal who I haven’t heard from in ages. Hope you’re doing well, Mary. I certainly appreciate whoever let us copy these Hugo photos even though I seem to have misplaced their name.An interior image from Mijo’s Bar which was located on the NW corner of Kensington and Oxford. My friend, Luke Havel’s garage now occupies that site.Also from Mijo’s.Saratoga Lanes, probably seen here in the early 1970s, judging from the Ford Pinto parked at the curb. This image is courtesy of Wanda Kennedy, author of Kennedy Music, a fascinating tale of her musical family. If you don’t have a copy of it, why not?Saratoga Lanes has been in operation CONTINUOUSLY since it opened in 1916!!!See what sort of bonus images you get from Maplewood History.I don’t have any images of Paul’s Maple Leaf Bar but it was in this building at 3107 Sutton Ave. The building began life as a bakery in the early 1900s. It was remodeled with a sloping floor to be the Powhatan Theater for many decades. Now it has been beautifully remodeled again and is currently for sale. Check it out. It is fabulous.The Moose Lodge still exists. It too has been beautifully remodeled.Once known as the Piccadilly Buffet, this building not only survives, it still belongs to the Collida family who have owned it since the 1920s. Long a bar and grill, it was converted into a very nice restaurant known today as the Piccadilly at Manhattan.Tony (in the striped shirt) and Niccolo Collida behind the bar. About 1950.Francesca and Paul Collida (on the right) heat the place up.A couple of well dressed gentleman no doubt in pursuit of one of their favorite beverages.Another early view of the exterior. The location is St. Elmo and Manhattan.I must remember to show this one to my neighbor, Paul Griesedieck. That’s his family business.An image of just one of the many thousands of good times at the Piccadilly. They are still happening. If you haven’t eaten there you are missing something special. My thanks to the Collida family for allowing me to copy these wonderful images.Bob Scheidt’s comment below prompted me to find this image online. I remember this picture as well. I just can’t remember where I saw it or how many times I saw it. It could be there was a copy at the Antonia Tavern. More on that later.Also inspired by Bob Scheidt’s comment, I found Johnny Ryan’s mentioned in the Post-Dispatch from 1941 to 1945.
That should hold you for awhile. Just like work, the Maplewood History blog expands to fill the time allotted for it. Much thanks to Ed Notter for his very interesting submission on the taverns.
Wasn’t there a bar in the large median of Hanley Rd. across from where Menards is today before the road was narrowed in the 199os. Believe it was called Q’s or something close to that. It was a hangout for the Blue’s players back in the day.
Boy, Uncle Jedd, I have something about a bar being there in my muddy memory lake but so far nothing is rising to the surface. I think there was a Porter-Cable store somewhere on that middle ground where I once bought a tool but even that is pretty cloudy. On the Blues players, I got nothin’.
Hawker’s then Kelley’s and I sort of remember it being The Q at the end. Frank Hawker of Cousin Hugo’s then Tom Kelley of Geisler & Kelley’s and the original Sports Attic.
Different place. The Que by Porters is a pool hall/tavern. The owner is from Kirkwood. Son in law of a guy I see often at Joe Clarks in Fenton. Same name (or similar) but no relation to the Que’s/Q’s we’re talking about.
This was a great story. My parents were from Wisconsin. Every summer we would all go back there, and usually we ate lunch in taverns just like these, where everyone knew everyone? And there were all ages. Some of my fond memories of my father have been rekindled by this story. Thank you! and p.s. I recently bought your book, Doug Houser, Vol. 2 of Maplewood history. Thank you!
You are very welcome, Patty. Thank you for sharing your memories. Let me know what you think of the book which, by-the-way, can now be easily ordered on eBay.
There was a bar on the Southwest corner of Manchester and Sutton when I was young. It had a picture of Custer’s Last Stand in the window that I always stopped to gaze upon. I believe that it was called Johnny Ryan’s at one time. Stories of my grandfather going there.
Hey Bob, Your mention of the Custer reproduction inspired me to find an example on the internet and post it above. I also found mention of Johnny Ryan’s. Good to hear from you.
The medical building at the corner of Clayton and Big Bend was not the location of Town Hall/The Ground Round. It was either where Bread Company is or just east of that. http://www.losttables.com/townhall/townhall.htm
Town Hall was at 6736 Clayton Road, the Bread Co. is at 6734 Clayton Rd. and the medical building is 6744 Clayton Rd.
I do admire his delving into all this history.
Wasn’t there a bar in a basement of a building across from Aldi’s on the west side at Laclede station and Manchester. I think it was also a boat place? Used to get carryout beer from there and was curious of the name of the place.
My Grandfather worked for the Griesediecks hence Falstaff Brewing.. he is mentioned in the book ‘The Falstaff Story.. I love old bar and their history.. thanks.
Hey Joe, Some good friends of mine and I did everything we could to keep the Falstaff Brewery operating back in the 1970s. As far as we were concerned it was “the choicest product of the brewer’s art.” Before it completely disappeared it was only available in throwaway bottles that came in a yellow, plastic case that you had to return. Remember that? There was a little puzzle on the inside of every bottle cap.
My father Alan Blood (nephew of the Wiley Blood in the Jr bowling ad) talked about a tavern on the sw corner of Sutton and Manchester. I don’t remember the name but in the 30s on Fridays he would walk up the street and get two buckets of beer for the employees at the Maplewood Mill
Those must have been two very large buckets, Scott. I like that idea of taking a bucket to the corner tavern to have it filled. Sure was a different time.
Ted’s corner. Greenwood Inn are a couple I remember from “the old days”.
I’m thinking when I was growing up Cousin Hugo’s was located across the street from where it is now.
Anyone else remember that?
This is the first I’ve heard of Hugo’s having been across the street, Don. Maybe someone else can help us with that? I’ve done several posts on Ted’s Corner. I’ll post a link in the comments. Thanks again for your comments.
Great stuff. So glad to have a written record of this local history There was a reason there was a tavern or two in every neighborhood, as they were a very important part of American life.
Doug, I asked this question to the MRH alumni a couple of years ago,,, we stopped at around 40 taverns that people could remember,,,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/492504527532921/permalink/1739066799543348/
Someone mentioned Ted’s Corner. Here is the link to my post. https://bit.ly/36A6hvX
Wasn’t there a bar in the large median of Hanley Rd. across from where Menards is today before the road was narrowed in the 199os. Believe it was called Q’s or something close to that. It was a hangout for the Blue’s players back in the day.
Boy, Uncle Jedd, I have something about a bar being there in my muddy memory lake but so far nothing is rising to the surface. I think there was a Porter-Cable store somewhere on that middle ground where I once bought a tool but even that is pretty cloudy. On the Blues players, I got nothin’.
Hawker’s then Kelley’s and I sort of remember it being The Q at the end. Frank Hawker of Cousin Hugo’s then Tom Kelley of Geisler & Kelley’s and the original Sports Attic.
Yes there was. It was called Cues (or Q’s). I think it moved over to Big Bend in the same strip mall where Porter’s Chicken is now.
Different place. The Que by Porters is a pool hall/tavern. The owner is from Kirkwood. Son in law of a guy I see often at Joe Clarks in Fenton. Same name (or similar) but no relation to the Que’s/Q’s we’re talking about.
What a wonderful share, thanks so much!
You are very welcome, CA. I’m so glad you like it.
This was a great story. My parents were from Wisconsin. Every summer we would all go back there, and usually we ate lunch in taverns just like these, where everyone knew everyone? And there were all ages. Some of my fond memories of my father have been rekindled by this story. Thank you! and p.s. I recently bought your book, Doug Houser, Vol. 2 of Maplewood history. Thank you!
You are very welcome, Patty. Thank you for sharing your memories. Let me know what you think of the book which, by-the-way, can now be easily ordered on eBay.
There was a bar on the Southwest corner of Manchester and Sutton when I was young. It had a picture of Custer’s Last Stand in the window that I always stopped to gaze upon. I believe that it was called Johnny Ryan’s at one time. Stories of my grandfather going there.
Hey Bob, Your mention of the Custer reproduction inspired me to find an example on the internet and post it above. I also found mention of Johnny Ryan’s. Good to hear from you.
The medical building at the corner of Clayton and Big Bend was not the location of Town Hall/The Ground Round. It was either where Bread Company is or just east of that. http://www.losttables.com/townhall/townhall.htm
Town Hall was at 6736 Clayton Road, the Bread Co. is at 6734 Clayton Rd. and the medical building is 6744 Clayton Rd.
I do admire his delving into all this history.
Wasn’t there a bar in a basement of a building across from Aldi’s on the west side at Laclede station and Manchester. I think it was also a boat place? Used to get carryout beer from there and was curious of the name of the place.
I remember the boat place, Charley, but that’s all. Maybe someone else can answer the rest of your question.
The boat place was Clawson Boat and Motor (Arty Boehmer worked there). The bar was The Pearl but it the bulk of it was on the same level as Clawson’s.
Thank you Mr.Notter
Love the old pics! I always enjoy the old pics and stories with them!
Donna, I appreciate your enthusiasm. Thank you for taking the time to weigh in.
My Grandfather worked for the Griesediecks hence Falstaff Brewing.. he is mentioned in the book ‘The Falstaff Story.. I love old bar and their history.. thanks.
Hey Joe, Some good friends of mine and I did everything we could to keep the Falstaff Brewery operating back in the 1970s. As far as we were concerned it was “the choicest product of the brewer’s art.” Before it completely disappeared it was only available in throwaway bottles that came in a yellow, plastic case that you had to return. Remember that? There was a little puzzle on the inside of every bottle cap.
My father Alan Blood (nephew of the Wiley Blood in the Jr bowling ad) talked about a tavern on the sw corner of Sutton and Manchester. I don’t remember the name but in the 30s on Fridays he would walk up the street and get two buckets of beer for the employees at the Maplewood Mill
Those must have been two very large buckets, Scott. I like that idea of taking a bucket to the corner tavern to have it filled. Sure was a different time.
Bob Scheidt called it. Johnny Ryans. Different time for sure!
Ted’s corner. Greenwood Inn are a couple I remember from “the old days”.
I’m thinking when I was growing up Cousin Hugo’s was located across the street from where it is now.
Anyone else remember that?
This is the first I’ve heard of Hugo’s having been across the street, Don. Maybe someone else can help us with that? I’ve done several posts on Ted’s Corner. I’ll post a link in the comments. Thanks again for your comments.
Great stuff. So glad to have a written record of this local history There was a reason there was a tavern or two in every neighborhood, as they were a very important part of American life.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Hammerhead. They were as important to the community as the pub is to an Englishman.