Old Detroit Bars

[Fury13]

Hey Dookie, did the Willis Show Bar have a big neon lighted sign and marquee that curved around the corner above the entrance [[like the old Flame Show Bar did)? If not, what kind of sign did it have? I've looked for period pics of the place and have been unable to find any.

[dookie joe]

Hey Dookie, did the Willis Show Bar have a big neon lighted sign and marquee that curved around the corner above the entrance [[like the old Flame Show Bar did)? If not, what kind of sign did it have? I've looked for period pics of the place and have been unable to find any.

I'm trying to remember. I know there was a painted sign on the Willis side of the bar depicting curvy silhouettes and bearing the words "Strip-O-Rama! Girls * Girls * Girls!" Someone was selling tee-shirts awhile back which had the old Willis Show Bar sign; I bought one but it's way too small for me now -- for some reason when my wife washes my clothes, she keeps shrinking them, since nothing fits any more!

I never understood the "Strip-O-Rama" part, since I don't recall the Show Bar being a strip club, per se. What I remember was that it was just a bar where a lot of hookers hung out. Maybe at one time it had been a strip club. In fact, given the sign, I guess it's likely.

But I honestly don't remember whether there was a neon sign there or not.

[RickBeall]

Throwing oranges! Oh my gosh I've been outed!

[dookie joe]

Throwing oranges! Oh my gosh I've been outed!

I would ridicule you and call you names but you'd probably only get off on it!!!

[RickBeall]

Just be sure to throw the oranges too and I'm cool with it. Ha ha ha Ha.


I could go off on a tangent about new ways of making orange juice, but I'll have mercy on you guys.

[RickBeall]

On a sad note, I wanted to mention that BJ passed away this last weekend. She was the mother of bodybagging who started this thread.

I did not know BJ, but from what bodybagging has told me, she provided tough love and spot of sanity in a corridor that often needed both. In the 1970's, everyone in the corridor called her Mom.

I hope I am not being presumptuous in passing on this information, but I thought bodybagging might appreciate some kind thoughts.

[ptero]

Sorry to hear about BJ.

In high school [[CassTech) we went to the Snug, which was in the actual corner of the bldg where Traffic Jam was and completely separated physically from TJ's. The Snug was non-alcohol for the younger crowd. Hey. It was a start! Later, we went to TJ's a LOT. Twas a dive, smoky, darkish, w/pool tables and fights on weekends. I remember the traffic light in there with the working lights. Nowadays the area that was the Snug is the corner with dining booths pretty much as you walk in. WAY too upscale!

The Bronx of course had more pool tables and fights, but George was pretty good at containing it. While at Wayne I lived on West Canfield and used to go around the corner to Anderson's Garden to play the shuffleboard table - the long table with sawdust for lube... The hookers hated us - no we're not looking for a date! Then a cop was shot in there and they were all over the neighborhood looking for the bad guy - helicopters with searchlights - the whole nine yards.

Spent a lot of time at Verne's, too - behind the gas station at Forest and Woodward. That drew mainly Wayne students and wasn't really a corridor bar.

The wildest times were at the Vietnam Vets Chapter 9 place [[in the old Greenfield's restaurant on Woodward). It was mainly a bar. They had public times - and private, by invite only, times. I'm not a vet but knew some of the guys and got invites. The decor included some wild stuff [[pix from Nam mainly) unless it was cleaned up for public 'visitation'. They used to have outdoor parties with a band on the roof and m/c burnouts right at the side door.

And LOVED that pizza joint in the old house. MMmmmm great stuff.

[dookie joe]

O.K. Dookie Joe....try this one .Do you remember "Our Place Bar"
S.W.corner ,Third street,1 block south of Canfield ? I'm not positive,I think it's Calumet.
That aint to close to Wayne. in fact, it's across from the old Andersons Gardens.

I remember a bar being over there, but I don't recall the name of it. [[I didn't start hanging out in bars until I was 13-14 years old! By that time, a lot of the old places had closed or changed their names [[The Red Dog to the Corner Pub, for instance).

[mrfinewine]

Great stuff, everybody! I can confirm that there was one taxi-dancing joint still operating on Woodward as late as 1982, and quite possibly even later than that. I went there twice with buddies from high school. As I recall, it was around $4 for two [[or three?) songs worth of slow dancing and small talk with a woman who would latch on to you when you walked in. No hanky panky or offers thereof in my experience, though one friend did report a whispered proposition from his dance partner.

[MvGuy]

Sorry to hear about BJ.

In high school [[CassTech) we went to the Snug, which was in the actual corner of the bldg where Traffic Jam was and completely separated physically from TJ's. The Snug was non-alcohol for the younger crowd. Hey. It was a start! Later, we went to TJ's a LOT. Twas a dive, smoky, darkish, w/pool tables and fights on weekends. I remember the traffic light in there with the working lights. Nowadays the area that was the Snug is the corner with dining booths pretty much as you walk in. WAY too upscale!

The Bronx of course had more pool tables and fights, but George was pretty good at containing it. While at Wayne I lived on West Canfield and used to go around the corner to Anderson's Garden to play the shuffleboard table - the long table with sawdust for lube... The hookers hated us - no we're not looking for a date! Then a cop was shot in there and they were all over the neighborhood looking for the bad guy - helicopters with searchlights - the whole nine yards.

Spent a lot of time at Verne's, too - behind the gas station at Forest and Woodward. That drew mainly Wayne students and wasn't really a corridor bar.

The wildest times were at the Vietnam Vets Chapter 9 place [[in the old Greenfield's restaurant on Woodward). It was mainly a bar. They had public times - and private, by invite only, times. I'm not a vet but knew some of the guys and got invites. The decor included some wild stuff [[pix from Nam mainly) unless it was cleaned up for public 'visitation'. They used to have outdoor parties with a band on the roof and m/c burnouts right at the side door.

And LOVED that pizza joint in the old house. MMmmmm great stuff.

===============================

I spent time at Verns too, tryin to pick up those coeds... I don't remember doin very well, but sometimes on my way back home to [at that time] Royal Oak I'd take a lil love with some of the workin girls.. I remember Johnny Walkers on Woodward by ?? Warren..?? Small place on the West side of Woodward.. Is Danny on this forum, the Danny D. who I knew that lived in a garage on?? Hancock?, or Canfield? a few blocks West of Woodward...Had a banana tree in the place...right across from the campus as I remember it... A really great guy to me.... Later in the 70's I'd show up in Detroit with a load or a bag of gold and Dan D, would put me up at his place. Later, as I remember It, his daughter showed up one day [out of nowhere] and soon he moved to the berbs....6 years ago..?? 8, 10..?? I saw a post here with someone saying to Danny, something about coming back.... Wonderin if it's him...

[Henry Whalley]

I believe the guy's name was Danny Dickerhof [[sp?) and he was a sculptor or painter IIRC.

===============================

I spent time at Verns too, tryin to pick up those coeds... I don't remember doin very well, but sometimes on my way back home to [at that time] Royal Oak I'd take a lil love with some of the workin girls.. I remember Johnny Walkers on Woodward by ?? Warren..?? Small place on the West side of Woodward.. Is Danny on this forum, the Danny D. who I knew that lived in a garage on?? Hancock?, or Canfield? a few blocks West of Woodward...Had a banana tree in the place...right across from the campus as I remember it... A really great guy to me.... Later in the 70's I'd show up in Detroit with a load or a bag of gold and Dan D, would put me up at his place. Later, as I remember It, his daughter showed up one day [out of nowhere] and soon he moved to the berbs....6 years ago..?? 8, 10..?? I saw a post here with someone saying to Danny, something about coming back.... Wonderin if it's him...

[Henry Whalley]

I knew Danny Dickerhof [sp?] who lived on W. Canfield where the street was red brick. IIRC he was a sculptor or welder. Visited his studio with the banana tree several times. Don't know where he moved after that.

[RickBeall]

Okay, here's a dumb question. How do you pronounce "Sabbs"? Is it like sobbing, crying, or is it like Sabbs like Dad's?

[softailrider]

Okay, here's a dumb question. How do you pronounce "Sabbs"? Is it like sobbing, crying, or is it like Sabbs like Dad's?

I always heard it pronounced like the car " Saab" Of course, that doesn't mean it's correct.

[dookie joe]

Okay, here's a dumb question. How do you pronounce "Sabbs"? Is it like sobbing, crying, or is it like Sabbs like Dad's?

We always called it Sabbs, as in "Dad's" -- not "sob's."

And, btw, we always pronounced the Golden Ducat Bar as "doo-cat," not "duh-ket." Why, I don't know. Probably because we was stoopid.

[RickBeall]

Okay, so sob like in crying. . That was my first guess. ;-)

[RickBeall]

Dookie Joe has a Ph.D in Cass Corridor lore. So Sabbs like "Dads" and "doo-cat" it is!

[dookie joe]

Dookie Joe has a Ph.D in Cass Corridor lore. So Sabbs like "Dads" and "doo-cat" it is!

Nah, no PhD here. I flunked because I spent too much time sniffing glue in Brainard Park instead of going to class.

[Bodybagging]

Dookies pronunciations of Sabbs and the Ducat, are how we always said it.
LOL Dookie at Brainard Park, I once had a gang of older girls, hold me down in the large wood playscape thing and play with my nono parts... they then sent me home smeared in lipstick....
I think I was 7 or 8.......

[dookie joe]

Dookies pronunciations of Sabbs and the Ducat, are how we always said it.
LOL Dookie at Brainard Park, I once had a gang of older girls, hold me down in the large wood playscape thing and play with my nono parts... they then sent me home smeared in lipstick....
I think I was 7 or 8.......

That's hilarious. You know, tricks would pay good money to have that done to them!

I, too, was jumped by a gang of girls. It was 6th grade at Pelham Middle School, and a bunch of girls chased me to the bus, hitting me with their book bags, most of which had Master Locks attached to the end. Those things hurt! I don't recall exactly why they were chasing me, but I vividly remember the chase itself!

Ah, girls. Don'tcha just love 'em?

[RickBeall]

Ha ha ha. ... smeared in lipstick.

[Bodybagging]

Sure now its funny, but you try explaining it to your 70 year old grandparents...., add in the fact that I had skipped sunday school to be there....

[RickBeall]

And I can imagine how a 7 year old boy would feel with "GIRLS" lipstick all over him. A little skinny boy madder than a wet cat. Ha ha ha. Ooops, did I laugh again? ;-)

[RickBeall]

So you were hit with Master Locks by Goldie Locks! Lucky you were not pelted with oranges man, it might have ruined you for life. ;-)

[RickBeall]

That is excellent! Dookie Joe I didn't know you were a musician. Very funky! The vocals are great. Excellent! Do you play the funky keyboards? Or is a MIDI file? It's so hard to tell nowadays.

Man, you make me embarrassed about when I finally trot out my song. Your song is much more polished than mine will be. My songs also tend to be a little rhymically challenged.