Kovacs Bar: 'There's a lot of history here'

[RealityCheck]

That quote from owner Bob Evans, 72, is in the latest Detroit Blog jewel -- an evocative, poignant look at a West Jefferson business that opened in 1889.

The extensively researched essay glides through 120 years of Detroit and Delray history . . . accompanied by six vivid images -- four more than accompany his version in Metro Times today.

Their stunning bar, two stories of bricks and old wood, is 120 years old. Back then, Delray was an independent village growing through a steady inflow of Poles, Armenians and Hungarians. West Jefferson was still River Road, lined with tall maples and small businesses end to end. Dense housing sprang up to accommodate the immigrants.

The Solvay Process Co. opened a chemical plant here in 1894 and provided the village with jobs, paved streets, sewers, and a horse-drawn, four-wheeled fire truck manned by company employees, who also built the neighborhood’s first hospital. In 1901, Detroit Iron Works built two blast furnaces for iron-making on nearby Zug Island, added to later by Great Lakes Steel Corp.

Detroit annexed the village in 1905. By then, companies were flocking here, drawn by the access to river transportation and natural resources. The small town gave way to factories and chemical plants.

[jams]

Ahh yes dear Bob, fired me because I was a liberal.

[Ray1936]

Nice article, if a bit depressing. Just wanted to note here that the anonymous DetroitBlog guy has my everlasting admiration for his writing ability. He can write circles around the idiot Mitch Albom, IMHO.

[Jimg]

Many memories of Kovac's...early 80's. Every Saturday a group of WDET folks would hit Kovac's about 11pm to hear the fabulous sounds of Shandor and his Gypsies: Alex Shandor, violin Norman and Robert Goldie, guitars Jimmy Kovacs, cymbalom Marty ?, bass. What a band, those guys could swing their ass off, when they played jazz they sounded like the Hot Club of France. Alex had recorded with Eddie South in 1944, and he made that violin talk. What a friendly place. Rose, always smiling as she served up Kielbasa sandwiches and cold Stroh's....mmmmhmmm. One night we were diggin' the band, place was packed, and Shandor played a traditional Hungarian melody [[he knew a million songs) and suddenly it seemed like the entire room, save for our table, started to sing along. Not only that but they sounded really good! We were impressed...come to find out it was a choir on tour....

[kathy2trips]

The Solvay Process Co. opened a chemical plant here in 1894 and provided the village with jobs, paved streets, sewers, and a horse-drawn, four-wheeled fire truck manned by company employees, who also built the neighborhood’s first hospital........

Does anyone know what hospital that was?

[EastsideAl]

Probably Delray General Hospital, which opened in 1904.

[EastsideAl]

My step-grandfather, who was Hungarian-American, used to love to go to Kovac's to see Shandor and the other musicians who played there. He would actually cry when certain songs were played. He really loved the Kovacs family, who had come from Ohio just as he had, and really liked the food they served.

My grandmother worked at the local telephone exchange in Delray and lived there for several years when she first came over from Ontario in the early 1920s. The family whose house she boarded in were Hungarian and she stayed in touch with them for years after. She even used to go down there to buy homemade yogurt from one of their family members. Whenever grandma would return to Detroit in later years, long after she had moved to Florida, she would take us to go visit them. On a couple of our visits to the strange, mysterious, smoky place called Delray, one of the sons took all of us down to Kovacs for dinner and some music, which was exotic and exciting. So my first memories of the place are all from a child's perspective circa 1970 or so.

[kryptonite]

I used to go to Kovacs for lunch in the late 80's early 90's when I worked Downtown. They had sandwiches and a daily soup which was always excellent. Steve ? Kovacs worked the bar and his mother was the cook. The place was so spotless you could eat off the floor.

Is Kovacs still open? The last few times I was there it was not terribly clean but the place is still a gem. it has been over a year since I was there last I think, maybe not that long.

[ordinary]

I drive by there all the time and always tell myself I'm going to stop in and check it out. Is it still a good place to have lunch?

[davemarc]

I've been by there a few times this week,and the open sign was lit.Seems like some sort of construction/renovation,lots of trucks,workers. D

[ordinary]

Maybe workers and others from the refinery expansion project.

[RealityCheck]

Gracious gesture: Time's Detroit Blog links to "this great story" in MetTimes and suggests Kovacs is "one more reason to come downtown -- and raise a glass to those who still work there every day."

Who knows if they get the irony yet of a shout-out on Detroit Blog #2 about a story by the creator of the original Detroit Blog. Darrell Dawsey also gave him a hat tip 3 weeks ago.

[EastsideAl]

Gracious gesture: Time's Detroit Blog links to "this great story" in MetTimes and suggests Kovacs is "one more reason to come downtown -- and raise a glass to those who still work there every day."

Ummm, "come downtown"? Maybe they mean "downtown" Delray.

[Fury13]

Ummm, "come downtown"? Maybe they mean "downtown" Delray.

Well, if you live in Auburn Hills or Chesterfield, you think Delray is "downtown."

[Fury13]

Wonder how expensive it would be to move that whole building somewhere where it wouldn't be threatened by demolition? Seems like it's worth saving. You don't see that many intact '30s-'40s bars anymore. Most have been horrendously remodeled and have lost their charm.

[lpg]

My father worked at Michigan Malleable Iron Company on Crossley 1927-55. A lot of employees would go there for lunch.

[detroitsgwenivere]

I went to that bar today with another bar owner to take a look, and the men out front with the power saws said they're getting ready to film a movie there.

[1KielsonDrive]

EastsideAl, post #6 is correct - Delray General Hospital. Spent a fair amount of time in there, not including birth. It was the 'family' hospital, so to speak. The Solvay plant was known as Semet Solvay in my lifetime. It was on the site of the Detroit ,something or other, world exposition of the late 1890's?? I don't remember exactly. I'm sure others here will catch us up to speed. It's also where I witnessed the armed camp in the parking lot at the outset of the Detroit riots of 1967. Much military hardware in that lot. It later became a trucking terminal. I'd like to thank posters for names and information about the gypsy musicians, whom I've seen many times over the years, but hardly remembered their names. They often played along the avenue, including Joey's Stables, other bars and restaurants, as well as Al's Lounge on West End at the tracks and Hungarian Village on Springwell off of I-75. I certainly remember the Bella's - Alex and Ziggy. Also a sax player from Detroit by the name of Randy or Rick. He changed his last name. He's from a prominent Delray gypsy musician family, maybe the Bella's, and was well known in Detroit and NYC music cicles in the 80's. Made a big splash. I worked a few gigs with him and his cousins. I'm rambling. It's time ........zzzzzzzzzz. Maybe I'll remember more clearly tommorrow.

[1KielsonDrive]

Another quick note ; Bob and Dolores had plenty of opportunities to sell Kovac's for a decent price. It's been listed by numerous brokers and in plenty of publications including an attempt to market it to a gay crowd. I may still have that one. They aren't hurting - just stubborn. I also knew and spoke to some of the brokers thay had it listed with, including the son [[or his girlfriend) of a mutual childhood friend. They're in the same situation as Les from the Delray Cafe - they held out waiting for the big bucks, they're getting old, tired and impatient, and want their money now. But, only their asking price. That's the breaks. I wish them well. But they did have their chances.

[kryptonite]

When Kovacs was living the bar was a showplace and would have been a real prize for a potential buyer who wanted to take on the risk of buying in such a questionable location to have a genuine Detroit gem.

But for the last few years the bar has gotten shabby and pretty much is just a routine SW Detroit neighborhood bar with an interesting exterior. Not that there is anything wrong with neighborhood bars, I love them. But Kovacs is definitely not the spotless showplace it was before it changed owners.

Nowadays when i go to Kovacs I only stay for a beer, two at the most and then mosy on.

[1KielsonDrive]

kryptonite, I think you said it well. Thank you. My sentiments exactly.

[1KielsonDrive]

Jams said it right on. I don't doubt him at all.

[Jimg]

Rick Margitza

[EastsideAl]

Margitza is a monster player, as anyone whose heard him will attest. I knew him through my cousin, who knew him at Wayne, but didn't realize he was from Delray. Last I heard he was playing in France with the Moutin brothers. They made an appearance about 4 years ago at the jazz festival in Hart Plaza and Rick just killed it.

[JLeurck]

Played with Rick in the MSBOA All-State Jazz Band in 1979. He went by "Rich" then. He was light years ahead of any of the rest of us in the sax section. Kind of a baby-faced assassin. We even performed one of his compositions. You can also hear recent Rick with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. He is a truly fabulous musician.