Anyone Remember The Snow Owl Bar on Gratiot?

[polaar]

My grandpa used to have a drink at the German "Snow Owl" on his way back home from the Chrysler Mack plant back in the 60s, possibly earlier. I found this site describing what it is today. Does anyone have memories of this place from back then?

http://www.detroitblog.org/?p=495

[pgn421]

That is Dyers Bar now,I believe

[eno]

Yeah, I went there a couple of times when I lived on Sanford, between Gunston and Conner. Had a white owl mounted in a glass box on a beam in the middle of the room, if I recall.

[Stinger4me]

Eno;

When did you live on Sanford between Gunston and Conner? I lived on that street as well, lived near someone named George Bowen.

Stinger

[eno]

Eno;

When did you live on Sanford between Gunston and Conner? I lived on that street as well, lived near someone named George Bowen.

Stinger

Stinger, My address was 11485 Sanford. I lived there from October '76 to spring '82. The name George Bowen doesn't ring a bell. Years later, I was reading Land Of Opportunity about the Chambers family involvement in the crack trade in Detroit and came across a lot of addresses from that area, south of E. McNichols/Conner/ Gunston/Gratiot. The 'hood was great while I was there tho' there was a New Years Eve murder near Gunston and a double homicide of a couple involved in fencing stolen goods a couple house down from me. A Hmong family moved into my former flat.

[Stinger4me]

George lived across the street from me, my address was 11464 and I moved away in '75. You probably lived about three houses down on the north side of the street. Many of those neighborhoods were decent 'til some pont when lower life forms moved in. It was reasonably quiet except for the planes.

[eno]

The owners of the house that I rented a lower flat from was the Finazzo's. Tony was the father of the family and he had a daughter who lived in the upstairs flat. Tony's son, Charlie, may have had a room upstairs too. Pepe, an emigre from Italy, lived next door. Chad, a biker, lived on the other side. You're right, I lived on the north side of Sanford. I missed the Famous bakery and it's excellent pizza after leaving.

I know what you mean about the planes. It sure seemed like they lacked any form of muffler. There was also a small jet that took off twice a day and you could hear it increase it's torque in prep for takeoff.

[PaulTHowell]

I worked with my brother on the upper flats above the Snow Owl in the early '80s. We installed furnaces since the boiler went kaput. The proprietor was name Margie Dyer. The job was a can of worms, though.

[IrishSpartan]

I worked with my brother on the upper flats above the Snow Owl in the early '80s. We installed furnaces since the boiler went kaput. The proprietor was name Margie Dyer. The job was a can of worms, though.

The Dyer family has a diner on the other side of Gratiot from the bar for awhile. They were not the original owners of the Snow Owl. I heard that the white owl that was in the bar for decades is at some bar up north.

However, most everything changes especially around there. The area of Gratiot & Whithorn is far different today then 40 years ago.