ALLIGATOR JACKSON

Huntington’s nightlife was active and exciting for decades. The dance floors of Huntington night clubs boogied through the disco era and beyond. Many Marshall alumni have fond memories of a few beers after class or watching the big game with friends. A Huntington lounge even helped launch the career of a major superstar. Whatever the occasion was, there were plenty of places in Huntington to celebrate and have a good time. Rather a person liked to dance, watch a big game, listen to local bands, or just talk with friends; there has always been a lot to do at night in Huntington.

THE RAGTIME LOUNGE 
The Ragtime Lounge helped launch the career of recording star/ movie star/ and television star Billy Ray Cyrus.  The bar was dubbed “The house that Billy Ray built.” Billy Ray would play five nights a week at the Ragtime and then drive to Nashville searching for a recording contract. A standing room only audience would pack the West End club on weekends.

Owned by Bud Waugh, the Ragtime sat next to the old Pepsi warehouse and next to the West End exit of I-64.

Other talented bands like Cash, The Short Order Band, and Kenny Joe Johnson and Kentucky Rain rocked the bar.

Tragically, the club burned down in the late 90s. Bud did not let that stop him for long. The owner turned an old pizza place that sat in front of the club off of Madison Avenue into an even bigger club. In honor of the The Ragtime and his career of a championship golden glove boxer, he named it RT Champs.

THE INFERNO
The Inferno was a big white building that sat where Dot Hicks Field where Marshall University’s Lady Herd softball team plays now at 2202 3rd Avenue.

The inferno was one of the Huntington discos that had the Tri-State boogieing in the Disco era. The dance floor was huge and had mirrors on the wall. A big silver Disco ball hung over the dance floor. Donna Summer, Anita Ward, and other Disco classics were played by the live disc jockey.

What made The Inferno stand out was a gimmick that no other Huntington club had. There were telephones on each table and each table had number hanging above the table. Patrons could sit at their table and dial other tables and chat with other patrons and ask them to dance.

The Inferno also had a mechanical bull like the one featured in the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy. After The Inferno closed in the mid 80’s

JAKE’S BAR

Jake’s Bar sat on 3rd Avenue and 15th Street in the vicinity where The Grill on Third is now. John Black was the iconic owner of the bar in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.  It was the ex- Herald Dispatch sports writer and bartender from The Joker that everyone came to see, .or was it his booming, cackling laugh  that everyone came to hear?

The beer was always the coldest in town and the bartenders were quick and friendly. Jakes rocked long into the night.  Although Happy Hour brought close friends and a regular crowd, you never knew who would come drifting into Jakes in the wee hours as patrons would spill out of the other clubs around 2 and keep Jake’s rocking until 4AM.

Jake’s was the perfect place to watch Reds baseball (and hear expert though sometimes drunken commentary from John and his buddies) and Marshall football.  Marshall gameday brought tailgating and huge spreads of food.  Super Bowl was always a big day as well as past patrons always came back for the traditional Super Bowl party.

Jake's was the party home for everyone - lawyers, homeless, college students, bikers, sports enthusists, Many would gather on the deck outback to play horseshoes.

Jake’s was knocked down in the late 90s. John would later reopen Jake’s on 4th Avenue and 14th Street with Johnny “Sarge” Piepenbrink as a co-owner. They would later sell the bar. The Jake’s Sports Bar on 4th stayed open until around 2019.

Although the 4th Avenue bar was very popular through the years, it was the 3rd Avenue bar that achieved legendary status.

THE OLD LIBRARY
The Old Library was a restaurant/ nightclub opened in Downtown Huntington on 5th Avenue in 1982.

The bar was where the old Cabell County Library stood from 1903 to 1980. When the new library opened, the old library building was sold to a group of investors from Columbus, Ohio for $185,000 dollars.

The group invested $150,000 and built it into a theme restaurant/ bar. The theme, of course, was a library complete with many of the same books and fixtures that were part of the original library.

The club had a dance floor and a live dj. For a while, a weekly comedy club was featured with comics from around the country.

The building included a bar, lounge area and game room. The bar was a square island in the middle of the main floor. There sofas in the lounge area.  The restaurant served lunch and dinner.

DRIFTWOOD
The Driftwood  was a bar located 1121 7th Avenue. It was previously called The Chateau.

The Driftwood played an important role in the 70s. At that time, bars were the only place where it was acceptable for the gay, lesbian, and transgender community to gather.

The Driftwood became known for its entertainment. The club regularly had drag shows which strengthened the LGBT community and increased The Driftwood’s notoriety.

Larry Ransbottom worked there in the 70s and 80s and bought it in 1984.   Larry said, “It was a pleasure to be there each day and night. There were great patrons and it was a safe place for so many. At that time, gay people had a bad time  from so many rednecks.”

The Driftwood closed in 2008. The Driftwood left a lasting legacy of offering support, acceptance, and safety to the LGBT community at a time when there was not a lot of support or safety.

Stephanie Davis remembers The Driftwood fondly. “When you entered the Driftwood, you were usually met by a woman named Donna who would check your ID and take your cover charge to get in. The downstairs was in two sections, and if you entered the door towards the west you would see two or three pool tables in the center of the room with tables and chairs along the walls. There was an open area in the middle of the two sections, and when you walked into the eastern section you faced a long bar stretching the length of the wall. There were several small TV’s over the bar that often played male pornography. There was one unisex bathroom at the south end of the downstairs. There was one pool table at the north end, as well as another door that was used primarily for exiting at the end of the night (when Donna would be yelling, “Let’s go, folks!!”). 
Upstairs was called “The Beehive”. I don’t know why, but that’s where the magic happened. The upstairs was one large open area with a dance/show floor with a mirrored background. The upstairs also had a smaller bar on the north side (Where Jim Hobbs would be every weekend, mixing drinks and telling everyone how beautiful they were). There was another bathroom upstairs in the bac. k (south) of the building. Upstairs was all about the drag shows and people dancing.”

THE MAD HATTER

The Mad Hatter opened on 3rd Avenue just down from 20th Street in the mid  80’s, the structure had already housed several bars including The Jail, Rocker’s,Daddy’s Money, and Bachelor’s Bait.

Mad Hatter had a ladie’s night that was $3 to get in and ladies could drink free well drinks. The ladies were let in at 8. They would start drinking and would already be on the dance floor dancing when guys were let in at 9.

The bar would throw in wet T-shirt contest and male strippers occasionally to enhance its sexual reputation.

The bar was knocked  down when Marshall built the Joan Edwards Stadium. The Hatter didn’t miss a beat. It moved over on 10th Street and between 8th and 9th.

The building had held Stony room, Meadow-brook,Rocker’s, and Golden Pond but the Mad Hatter owned by Steve Newman, John Keaton, and other investors, created a lot of lasting memories and even a few marriages for those who met there.

The club restated open and popular until around 1997when it burned down on the same night as The Ragtime did.

THE DOUBLE DRIBBLE

In the early 80's, Vince and Stephanie Carter took a plain no frills bar located at 320 20th Street (part of the parking lot for the football stadium now) and packed it wall to wall every weekend with Marshall students. The students slammed down huge “Slam Dunk“ drafts for a dollar.

The “Dribble” was easily the most popular bar on campus in the early 80’s.  They sold a record 10 kegs of beer in one day-the day WVU came to Huntington to play basketball  (for the first time) to lose to The Herd.  The bar was jam packed from noon until 1-2 am when the beer finally ran out!

The “Dribble” became so crowded they had to employ 3 bouncers on weekends, mostly Marshall football players like Jim Devine, Terry Echols, Robbie Pasko and others.

The “Dribble” was the place where The Herd football and basketball players “entertained” recruits who felt right at home with former Marshall Greats pictures on the walls (like current MU basketball coach Danny D’antoni, his brother Mike, Russell Lee and football greats like All American running back Jackie Hunt, QB Ted Shoebridge, a Pike “brother of Vince, and many other greats had their names engraved on the green and white stools .  Even Head Coach Sonny Randle would stop by on occasions.

In a bit of irony, Stephanie and Vince met at another popular campus bar, “Boneys The Hole in The Wall” when Vince worked their in the mid 70’s.

Vince, from Princeton, is a MU graduate and Stephanie, a former WVU cheerleader got her undergraduate degree at WVU and her masters degree from Marshall.

MYCROFT’S BAR AND GRILL

For twenty years Mycroft’s Bar and Green stood on the corner of Third Avenue and 20th Street. It closed in 2004 when Marshall University purchased the property and demolished the building and it is currently a parking lot.

The location of the bar made it popular with Marshall sports fans due to it being close to Joan Edwards Stadium where The Thundering Herd played football and close to The Henderson Center where Marshall’s basketball team played home games. Many fans would frequent the bar before and after the games and to watch games on television when they were on the road.

Many Marshall students and professors would gather after classes. It was a popular meeting place for Marshall students.

The legend is that the bar was named after Sherlock Holmes older and smarter brother Mycroft’s. A Mycroft’s logo featured a Sherlock Holmes type hat.

The physical appearance of the bar was stunning. The outside was blue paneling and a large brown door. Inside the bar featured exposed brick walls. The bar was huge and was hand-carved out of wood. There were several wooden tables and chairs in front of the bar.

Mycroft’s served food and had a steady lunch and dinner crowd.

DESOTO’S

DeSoto’s was located in The KMart  Plaza in the Pea Ridge part of Huntington Route 60. DeSoto’s was marketed to attract a mature but nostalgic crowd.

As soon as patrons walked in the door, they were greeted by a doorman who checked their IDS and collected a cover charge. A white and light blue 58 DeSoto was the next thing a customer would see as they walked in.

As they walked ahead, there was a bar against the wall to the left. Another bar was against the wall, all the way to the right.

The carpet was burnt red and there were tables and chairs scattered throughout the club. The dance floor was in the middle of the club. It was lit up and was black and white tile. Behind it was a raised DJ booth.

The bathrooms were in the back of the bar with a pool table by the women’s bathroom.

The pictures and decor on the walls were 50s themed. The bouncers wore white tuxedo shirts and black ties.

The live DJs played dance music, disco, and old 50s dance songs like “Rock Around The Clock” and “Rockin’’ Robin”.  

DeSoto’s opened in the mid 80s and stayed open until around 2006.

THE VARSITY 
The Varsity was on 20th Street where The Joan Edwards Stadium now stands. Jack Riggs had owned The El Gato in the alley across the street. When El Gato was forced to close due to imminent domain, Jack opened The Varsity in 1964. For years it was called by both names then gradually The El Gato fell off and it just became know as The Varsity.

In 1974, the bar was bought by Dominic Sellitti. He owned it until 1983 when it was sold to a 20 year old Herb Stanley.

The Varsity, Double Dribble, and Boney’s Hole in the wall were the big Marshall University bars in the 80’s. Patrons would walk up and down the street to the three bars.

Varsity was a beautiful bar. The club actually went around the bar which was like an island. The walls were made with exposed bricks. There were two pool tables and two foosball tables.

Herb incorporated a lot of fun into the bar with plenty of promotions. On Labor Day, he had Beach Night. He brought in sand, sea shells and other decorations in and dressed the bar up like a beach.

He had a Pony Night and sold over thousands  “Pony Bottles” of beer. He laughed that he ran out of space to throw the empties and was running up and down the alley trying to find somewhere to throw the bottles.

The Varsity had to be vacated by January 1, 1990   Herb was told “ vacate it or we will bulldoze it with you inside of it.”

Herb moved to 4th Avenue and The Union was born.  It is still open in its second location at 1125 4th Avenue. 
The Varsity will always be a legend to Marshall alumni.

This was part 3 of series I wrote parts of for Huntington Quarterly 

Intro

Huntington’s nightlife was active and exciting for decades. 
The first two parts of this look at bars of Huntington’s bars of yesteryear, looked at many of the bars and clubs that brought the life to Huntington’s nightlife over the years. superstar. Whatever the occasion, there were plenty of places in Huntington to celebrate and have a good time.

There was something for everyone in Huntington. In part three, we look at different types of bars and clubs. Huntington had discos, sports bars, college bars, country bars, strip bars, and even after hours bars where blackjack and poker were played.

There has been a bar or club in Huntington to do just about whatever people liked to do.

CAROUSEL CLUB

The Carousel Club roots are deep in the West End of Huntington. The Club billed as The Best of The West started in the 60s 9n West 14th Street.

Paul Jewel was the long time owner of the club. His mother, Beatrice, operated it as a country western bar before Paul took over the reins. Before becoming a strip bar, the club featured bands. The bar had a reputation being rough and having fights.

Around 1974-75, Paul switched it to a strip bar. Featuring topless dancers, The Carousel would kept a consistent crowd over the next 3 decades.

In the 90s, Paul’s son, Clifford Jewell helped his mom and dad run the bar. It was later sold to Charlie Smith. Paul and Clifford Jewell and Charlie Smith have all passed.

After you were let in the front doors by a doorman, you would enter a large club.

The bar was directly to the left of the entrance, while the stage was slightly to the right. The stage, of course, had a stripper pole that the dancers could swing around in their dances.

The  kitchen area was very small but is also on the left, in the back left corner across from the bar. There was  a side door in the kitchen which leads to the parking lot.

The door to the right next to the stage was the dressing room, which was very small. This was where the dancer that was going on next would dress and get ready to dance. To the left was the bathroom.

When you first walked in, there was a a door to the right that leads to the apartment upstairs.

The dancers would come out in sexy gowns or clothes and gradually shed clothing as they danced to the music. By the end of their set, they would be naked. After their sets, the dancers would sit at the tables with customers. The clusters could buy dancers drinks. The girls would earn a percentage of the drink the customer bought them as a commission.

The Club closed at the end of 2015 for operating without running water, the club deteriorated before closing. The Heroin epidemic had brought drugs to the area.  Many residents in the West End said The Carousel had become a haven for drugs and prostitution.

The bar reopened  in 2017 after a major overall. It passed all inspections and opened as a bar. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams released a short statement that The Carousel Club got every permit it needed to open, but the city would monitor activity and make sure there were no illegal activities. Without any dancers, the bar eventually closed again. It is now currently up for sale.

BACHELOR’S BAIT

Bachelor's Bait was a college bar/Disco which opened in 1973 - as Disco was gaining popularity throughout the country!
It was located at 22nd Street & Third Avenue - where the softball field for Marshall's Lady Herd now plays their games. 
The "Bait" was a huge dance club with its own raised dance floor with pulsating lights keeping beat to the music through the plexiglass dance floor along with the obligatory disco ball hanging from the ceiling. 
Jeff Heath, a college student at Marshall, opened the "Bait" and it was so large that it could hold a thousand Disco crazed college students. These students could saunter up to a 75 foot long bar where they could order their favorite alcoholic beverages 
(eg. Singapore Slings, Tequila Sunrises, etc) or their favorite beer (of which the newly introduced Miller Lite was quickly discovered by the students, whereupon the "Bait" sold more Lite beer than any other club in the state)!
Jeff was well known throughout the college community and was devastated when he & his three younger siblings lost both parents on November 14, 1970 in the Marshall Football Team Plane Crash disaster. However within three years, the  "Bait" became a reality and an instant smash where dancing & alcoholic beverages could now be offered to those customers who had become 18 years of age - basically everybody at Marshall! In the beginning, waitresses were used to deliver drink orders & pitchers of Bacardi & Coke - however the crowds became so large that these waitresses quickly became bartenders and the monogramed pitchers soon ended up on the shelves in the student dorm rooms on campus!
The hottest new music (via 33LP's) was being rushed down from the discos in New York City, whereupon the students could hear & dance to the latest disco hits. Live bands were also brought in from across the country such as Detroit's Four Mints & 
NYC's Jive Time, along with the Carolina beach sounds from the Tams..! The "Bait" was also kept hoppin' by local personality, Sky Fisher, who served as the Club DJ & disco dancer extraordinaire.
On one particular wintry day during the "Blizzard of 75", Marshall had called off classes and the "Bait" had previously advertised an all day - all the beer you could drink special - for only one dollar. Obviously, the special went over exceedingly well and since there were no windows throughout the "Bait" the students were totally unaware of how bad the snow drifts had become and many a student had a cold snowy trek back to their dorm rooms and more than likely, quite a few students probably slept through their alarm clocks and missed their classes that day..!

Jeff married Sally Wolfe in 1975 and sold the legendary "Bait", which would later become the Inferno.

HARRY’S OLD COACHMAN’S CLUB

The Old Coachman’s Club, or as most people called t Harry’s stood on 1897 9th Street. The building as since been remodeled and sits next to 9th Street Diner and around the corner from the Downtown branch of Huntington Bank. The Old Coachman’s Club saw its busiest times in the mid to late 1980’s

The bar was owned by Harry Hill. Harry had just one arm. Everyone who came into the bar respected Harry. Harry’s sons helped him operate the bar.

The legend was that a trolley car was built into the back of the bar. Something else was different about the bar. Once you rang the door buzzer, you were greeted by a doorman and taken into a foyer. Once inside this locked foyer, the patron would be checked for their identification. Then, once the doorman was satisfied with the patron’s identification, he would let the patron into the bar.

The doorman would use the peep hole in the door to make sure it was not the police department at the door. The Old Coachman’s Club was called “an after hours bar”. When other bars and clubs were shutting down after 2 or 3 o’clock, Harry’s was coming to life. Partners from other Cubs would leave the closing clubs and head to Harry’s.

Harry’s would be crowded until morning. If there was a good poker game going, they may not close for a couple of days. It was not unusual for customers to leave the bar rubbing their eyes as they walked into the morning sun.

As the foyer door opened, bar patrons entered a club that was surprisingly well lit. To the right was the bar which served liquor and beer all night into the next day. To the left at the front of the club was a blackjack table. There was also often a dice game. These games were played with real money and went on all night.

In the back room was a table which featured an invitation only poker game.

The bar also had a pool table and a Juke box. For years, AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” would play several times a night and skip in the same spot.

Outside, The Huntington Police Department would regularly cruise out front of the club. They were aware of the illegal activities going on inside of the bar but rarely raid it.

In the late 80s as a new mayoral administration took over and a Herald Dispatch article chronicled the activities of several “after-hours bars, the frequency of the raids increased until Harry closed the bar.

Although there were many after hours clubs over the years, Harry’s and bars operated by Leo Combs (Leo’s) are the clubs most talked about when people talked about a time when Huntington partied all night.

HERITAGE STATION 
The Heritage Station was located in the old B&O Railroad train station which was built in 1887 by The Huntington and Big Sandy Railroad which later became the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The historic train station was preserved by a group of concerned citizens during the 1970s. The preservation was a shining example of what government can accomplish when it works together on the state, federal, and local levels. The property at the time was managed by Urban Renewal, who turned it over to The Huntington Park Board. The Cabell Wayne Historical society was also instrumental in saving the building which was going to be demolished as a common area to a new civic center project. Jim and Mickey St. Clair headed up the project to save the train station. The Hood family also provided plumbing on the project and The C&O Railroad also donated a steam engine, a Tender car, and a Pullman car. Governor Rockefeller sent a representative that provided funds for brick pavements, gazebo, and other items for preservation.

The Heritage Station Restaurant and Bar opened in April of 1978. The renovation of the interior train station was completed by Karry Harrison and family members and took two years to complete.

As you entered in Heritage Station; the first room featured a fireplace, couches, chairs, and a hostess stand with an old telephone switchboard. This was originally an old passenger waiting room. To the left was a baggage room with the old baggage scales. This became the main dining room. To the far back was The Pullman room which featured real Pullman seats for dining. Next to this room was The Backgammon Room, which was one of the most requested rooms in the station.

After entering the front door, there was a ticket room where passengers actucally purchased tickets. It became a small dining room, too. Moving to the next room to the far right, was the most popular room - the barroom.

The star of the barroom was an old twenty- foot long antique bar made by the Brunswick Collender Company in the 1880s.

It also had a solid brass bar rail, foot rail, and draft beer dispensers. Draft beers were served in frosted Mason jars. To the far right of the room we’re large double doors that led to a large outdoor bar and dining area under a large awning.

Heritage Station was sold in 1996.

Bobbie’s UL

Bobbie’s  University Lounge sat close to the Uptowner Inn on 1441 4th Avenue. Bobbie’s UL was the name of the lady who bought it from the original owner.  In the 1960, 1970, early 80s, it was owned and operated by Felix Hage and his son Ralph. It was a local neighborhood bar and the main hangout for the TKE fraternity across the alley behind the Uptowner.

Felix was a member of the prominent Hage family in Huntington.  His brother  Raymond was a well known businessman and Board of Education member.  His brother Cam owned Cam's Ham.

Linda Milum commented on Bobbie’s UL, “ Worked at Bobby’s UL. Could only sell beer at that time so she kept a bottle of bourbon hidden for me and her!  Great times there”

Bobbie’s was sold to Bob and Jane Warf  in the mid 90s. The name changed to The Stadium Lounge.

The bar hasn’t changed much over the years. Patrons ring the door bell and are let in the front door. There was a pool table in the front room. The bar sits to the left and a juke box to the right.

THE WAREHOUSE

Dirk Harrison was managing Yancy’s when he decided he would like to own his own club. Dirk and his family had previously owned Snak’s Fifth Avenue. He had also helped his brother Karry renovate Heritage Station from the B&O Railroad Train Station.  

He went out looking at buildings and came upon a huge building on 15th Street and 3rd Avenue. He went down to the courthouse and looked up the owner. Dirk discovered Tom Wolfe owned it. He called Tom and the owner agreed to rent it to him.

Someone asked Dirk why he named it the Warehouse. He said, “Look at it. It is a Warehouse. Why call it anything else?”

In 1992, The Warehouse was opened. Dirk went broke renovating the club. He did not have the money to afford a liquor license so his plan was to just sell beer until he could afford to buy the liquor license. The Warehouse sold enough beer on opening day to afford to buy the liquor license on the second day.

Right inside the front door was a three level dance floor. There was a five foot wooden Marco sign. Holes were drilled into the sign and fog for the dance floor would come out from the holes. The dance floor at The Warehouse would soon become a legend.

Behind the massive dance floor was a DJ booth.

Then to the right was a horseshoe shaped bar, They had a Lanakai frozen drink machine.There was a beer bar close to the bar that sold just beer.

The Warehouse would often feature “ The Luge Slide”. This was a five foot block of ice and carved into it was a sidewinding path. Liquor was poured down the path and into the patron’s mouth. The drinker would know the luge was over when a gummy bear popped into their mouth.

Upstairs the club had four pool tables and another bar.

There were baskets inside and outside the huge club. Volley ball games also were played and there was a horseshoe pit.

They were basketball tournaments held in the alley behind the club. Many times, customers were go outside and partake in a game of basketball.

The Warehouse was a true Huntington legend. Everyone has a happy story about the Warehouse. It closed in 1998 after a 6 year run. It later became a 7 11 convenience store. The store later closed.

TAVERN OFF THE GREEN

Tavern Off The Green or Caz’s, as it was commonly called, was a popular bar close to Marshall’s Campus in the 90s. The bar was where Now Hear This is on 14th Street and 4th Avenue. Next to it was Verb’s Dugout. Patrons would walk back and forth between the two bars.

Popular school teacher John Castlegrande was the owner. John had a New York accent but was a huge supporter of Marshall sports. Two former Marshall football players who went on to play pro football worked there. Terry Echols, Steelers, and Sam Manos, Bengals, both worked at Tavern Off The Green.

Soon as a patron walked through the glass doors, they were carded by the doorman.  There was a pool table off to the left.  Along the left side of the tavern was a long bar that stretched almost all the way to the back.  Caz had a bunch of high school and college helmets displayed behind the bar.  

Straight  back to the back of the building were the  bathrooms. To the left of the pool table there was an opening that lead to another long room that had video games with the Golden Tee being at the very back. It was also the most popular game.

Wednesday nights were dollar pitchers. It was Natty.

Van Halen’s David Lee Roth visited after a concert.

Marshall athletes regularly hung out there. Caz’s was considered a sports bar as well as a college bar. Caz’s closed in the early 2000s.

ROPER’S

Roper’s emerged on the Huntington bar scene in 1993 as the country music line dancing craze was spreading. The former home of the Inferno on 3rd Avenue became the new home of the Boot Scooting Boogie, cowboy hats, and big name country artist. The club was owned by Tom Lucas and Brett Rize.

Confederate Railroad, David Allan Coe, Mark Collie, John and Audrey Wiggins, and Johnny Wiggins performed live at the club.

Up and comer Tim McGraw also played. Roper’s manager Ronald “RT” Thomas recalls, “McGraw’s manager agreed for Tim to play for $3,600. The next day, “Indian Outlaw” hit number one and his manager said he will never play another show for under $25,000 again.”

Thomas recalled, “ McGraw came in with a bandanna on and asked if we had any of that new Bud Light Ice. We sat and drank and talked for 2 or 3 hours.

Thomas talked of another country music star that came but never played. RT and his friend Tommy Dawson were cleaning up the bar on a Sunday afternoon as the bar was closed. They had been cleaning, playing pinball, and drinking Coors Light Ponies that they had brought. They had been there for hours and were already intoxicated when the phone rang. It was Marty Stuart’s manager. Marty Stuart wanted to see the club. So Marty and his manager came to the closed bar and ended up partying until around 3 in the morning.

Toby Keith also came to Roper’s and hung out a while after playing a show at The Huntington Civic Center.

Managing Roper’s was an experience that changed RT’s life. He met his future wife there. They are still married.   His friend Shawn Fuelheart was a bartender and Brett Swingar was a DJ. They met their wives at Roper’s as well and are still married. Randy “Redwoods” Gibbs was also a bartender. Former Marshall football star Kurt Nethercutt was a bouncer and Johnny Ray Rice Jr. was head bouncer.

RT tells how Roper’s landed a mechanical bull. “Ronnie Meyers had been trying to get my gaming business but we were using a company out of Ironton. Ronnie asked me how he could get my business. I told him to get me a mechanical bull. The next day there was a mechanical bull from Gilley’s in my bar and all of the pool tables and machines were in the parking lot waiting for the company from Ironton to pick them up.”

In addition to the mechanical bull, the club also had a life sized mechanical horse. A patron could sit on the horse and a robot calf would run out and the patron could rope the calf like they were in a rodeo.

The bar also had a punching bag machine that patrons could see how hard they could punch.

The club also featured line dancing lessons.

After walking into Roper’s there was a Parquet dance floor. There was a little bar next to the dance floor and a big bar across from the floor

Roper’s closed in 1996. It was later knocked down and is the current home of The Marshall Lady Herd softball team.

The Valhalla

For decades The Valhalla Club and The Bob Ton stood side by side, basically the same building on 741 6th Avenue. Around 1984 the dividing wall was taking out and after a huge remodel, it became one bar - The Valhalla.

Bud Nichols owned both clubs and it was easier to have one club and one license.

As the Valhalla. after walking in the entrance, there was a huge U shapes bar that split the club into two sides. The were booths and tables on each side.

Walking in the front door and moving to the left, there was a dance floor where bands would play. Back against the wall to the left was an old phone booth with a pay phone. It had a seat and the person making a call could close the door and block off the music from the band playing.

In 2006, The Valhalla was sold. The club was completely remodeled and became The V Club. COVID hurt The V Club and it was sold and is now The Loud.

SATURDAY NIGHT FLASHBACK  
“DeSoto’s” 
In the 80’s and 90’s, Huntington’s nightlife thrived. Pea Ridge was often The Mecca for more mature audiences who wanted a change of pace from the college bar scene of Downtown Huntington.  

JDB’s in The old Holiday Inn was an extension of the 70s disco era. It’s ladies night on Wednesdays was packed. There was usually a line in the hall of the hotel to get in.  

Mill Run in the old Ramada Inn was a fun bar for years. I was only there a few times but it was always rocking on weekends.  

One of my favorites was Peter Outlaws in the old Econo Lodge. Peter Outlaws came alive later at night. As people came back into Huntington from the other bars, they would stop at Peter Outlaws and party until after 3.  

DeSoto’s in the Pea Ridge Plaza was try favorite Pea Ridge getaway for years. How could a bar with an old car and play dance songs from all eras not be fun.  

Us younger guys nickn it “DiVorceo’s because there always seemed to be older divorced women there having fun. The legend, although I wouldn’t know firsthand, is that those mature women were on the rebound and were looking for young guys….so many younger guys would journey u to Pea Ridge.  

The bar had a fun atmosphere and would mix in dance songs with fun oldies like Rockin’Robin and Rock Around The Clock. The decor was nostalgic and had a big dance floor. The bouncers and bartenders wore tuxedo like shirts.  

The 80’s was the golden era for Huntington nightclubs. Each weekend, I will relive some old memories of yesterday.

GATOR’S SATURDAY NIGHT FLASHBACK 

The 70s and 80’s were an era when nightlife ruled in Huntington. On weekends the bar and club scene was packed.  

Nowadays, I rarely drink or go out but there was a time when I loved the night life. It is fun to sit back in my recliner and rewind those nights from a different era.  

One of the first clubs I remember frequenting and certainly “the cheesiest” was The Inferno.  

The Inferno sat boldly on Third Avenue by the train tracks where Marshall University’s softball field now stands.  

My first experiences there were in 81 or 82 but it rose to glory in the late 80’s in the Disco era.  

The dance floor got a workout and the club quickly got a reputation as a meat  market. What made it easy to meet people and made it cheesy was that there were telephones on every table with big numbers hanging over them.  

If you saw someone at another table you wanted to talk to, you just called them.  

My friend Troy met his future wife there. She was from Columbus. Her friend liked a guy who bounced there named Tony so we all used to meet there. Some of my friends from high school also were friends with Tony and hung out there.  

After the gimmick faded the building sat empty for awhile. Then in the late 80’s, Leo Combsturned the back side into an after hours at. Patrons entered around back and it rocked all night until daylight with poker and blackjack  

After Leo’swent out, Roper’sopened in and cashed in on the lined dancing country craze. It was fun and had more cowboy hats than anywhere I ever been in.  

A young Toby Keith performed there. My friend RT managed it for awhile.  

Well, that’s enough reminiscing for me tonight. It wears me out as bad recalling those days as much as an all nighter at Leo’s used to.  

It’s rough getting old but still run recalling old times and memories. These days we have phones to take many pictures for the future but sadly I have never seen any pictures from those old bars.  

Next week….another old memory

Anyone who grew in 1980’s Huntington had to be familiar with Cruise Avenue. Cruise Avenue was essentially a strip of land in the parking lot which is now Pullman Square. Teenagers from all over the area would park and stand outside of their cars. Many others would cruise up and down on each side of the road. The cars would go slow and often talk to the car in the other lane. This was essentially the concept of an ‘outdoor teen dance.’ This gave the mostly teens and early twentysomethings somewhere to socialize. 

Cruise Avenue came as a response to the traffic problem that was caused by the teens cruising up and down Fourth Avenue. The teens would cruise up and down all weekend night long backing up the traffic downtown and creating a traffic jam. The teens would talk to cars in the other lane. The city then set up Cruise Avenue so the cruisers would have a place to go and would not clog up Fourth Avenue. 

In 1987, Huntington designated the old 2nd Avenue between 8th and 10 Streets where Delta Hotel and Pullman Square is now as Cruise Avenue.  Mayor Bobby Nelson was credited as the man who created Cruise Avenue and he took the first drive on Cruise Avenue in a police cruiser.

Cruise Avenue worked for a while but still caused traffic problems downtown. Although the teens did have somewhere to go it was not really deemed by most parents and city officials as being a proper hangout for teens. It was very hard to keep drugs and alcohol out of the area even though the police patrolled the area regularly. Occasionally fights would break out.  The drugs and increased violence helped doom Cruise Avenue.  A plainclothes police officer suffered powder burns in a scuffle when a gun discharged.  

Pullman Square as turned out to be the solution to the problem of bored teens. Teens congregate there on weekends and it is a much safer environment. As far as the traffic, well, it appears that Pullman Square ridded the tri-state of teen cruisers…either that or high gas prices, lol. Though, to many people who hung out there back in the day: hot summer nights, loud music, the opposite sex, newly found friends and old friends, and the snuck ice-cold beer were a recipe for fun and memories.

Chi Chi's had a place above Cruise Avenue.  It opened in 1991.  The restaurant was an immediate hit.  It gave Huntington's favorite Mexican restaurant Chili Willi's some competition.  

When plans were developed for Pullman Square, Chi Chi's had to go.  The company refused to sell at first but eventually did sell out.  The restaurant closed in April 2003 and was knocked down a month later.  Chi Chi's company filed for bankruptcy in 2004 .  A month later they were hit with Hepitiitis  A and 4 people died and over 600 got sick.  A month later, the company was out of business.

In November of 2004, Marquee Cinemas Pullman Square Cinema 16 was the first business at Pullman Square.  In 2005 several other businesses including restaurants Max and Erma's, Uno Pizzeria, Moe's Southwest Grill, and The Funny Bone Comedy Club opened.  Five Guys would open in 2008 and Roosters' in 2011.  

MEMORIES of HUNTINGTON  
“Hart’s Family Centers” 

Big Bear grocery stores bought Hart’s Family Centers in 1954. Although the company had a couple of Big Bears in Huntington, they did not open a Hart’s until 1975.  
In October of 1975, Hart’s was owned where Arlan’s Department Store had gone out of business on Route 60. The business today is now home of Gabe’s.  

In 1976, Big Bear and Hart’s opened a side by side combo in Ceredo.  

My family moved here in 1976. My mom and dad would shop at the Route 60 store. This was pre Walmart and Target in this area, there were plenty of options. We had Kmart, Hill’s, Heck’s, Hart’s, and Sears  

When my mom and dad discovered the Ceredo store, we would go there on a Saturday every two weeks. They would buy groceries at Big Bear and household items at Hart’s. We would eat lunch at Bowincal’s.  There was a plaster craft store they liked and I liked Opus One Records. We spent most of the day there.  

In 1981, Big Bear and Hart’s split the Sears store on 29th Street. The Ohio bridge was not yet opened so it was still a good trip from Proctorville and they still went to Ceredo some.  

I started at First Street Bog Bear in 81 and switched to 29th Street. It was just after the 31st Bridge owned and the stores were booming     

I would were night shifts on the stock crew at Big Bear. About the time Hart’s was closing for the night, we were coming in. I’d come in early and grab a few things at Hart’s.  

In 89, Penn Traffic bought Big Bear. They started combining the stores into Big Bear Plus and shitting some Hart’s down. By 1996, Hart’s was gone. Big Bear lasted into the early 2000s.  

It was a different world before Walmart took over everything. They certainly were one of the reasons for the demise of stores like Hart’s.

HUNTINGTON MALL 

The Huntington Mall opened in 1981.  I graduated high school that year and bought my first sport coat there. 

  I have many memories of the mall.  Shopping with mom and dad.  Falling in love with Chick-fil-A.  Buying albums, cassettes, magazines, clothes, tennis shoes, and everything.   

I remember when I managed Rite Aid at Hal Greer in the late 80s and helping close down the Rite Aid store at The Mall.  I remember taking my girlfriend's kids to see Santa Claus.  There were several years of back to school shopping.  I remember walking in the mall waiting on my mom while she shopped.  Then, we ate at Morrison's Cafeteria.  I remember getting hooked on Steak Escape and eating there.  I remember going to the mall to see a girl I had a crush on that worked at American Eagle and later at Camelot Records and making it looked like I accidentally just stopped in shopping. 

So many memories over the years. 

HISTORY  
From. https://evanrocks.fandom.com/wiki/History_of_Huntington_Mall 

"In the mid 70s, Tri-State shoppers appeared ready for a mall of large proportions by the mid-1970s, when everyone from families to groups trekked to large shopping malls in Lexington, Ky., Columbus, Ohio, and elsewhere. In response, three developers stepped forward with plans for a Huntington area mall. Crown American Corp. wanted to build a mall at the 29th Street interchange; Interstate Properties had its eye on land near the 16th Street interchange (now Hal Greer Boulevard); and a Youngstown, Ohio-construction company had plans for a $25 million mall at the Ona interchange. 

In 1977, the city of Huntington signed an agreement with Interstate, allowing for annexation of the site after the first store opened, delaying payment of business and occupation taxes until that time. 

But several downtown businessmen filed a suit in March 1977, challenging the agreement. The men argued that the contract violated the state uniform tax law and the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. 

The argument charged that downtown retailers paid substantial taxes as part of urban renewal, while City Council delayed annexation for the mall to allow those retailers a chance to circumvent taxation. 

Cabell County Circuit Judge Robert C. Conaty ruled in August that the agreement was valid, but those five months of turmoil caused hesitation among the large anchor stores. The Ona interchange became the prime target, with William Cafaro, a partner in the construction company, announcing the deal after commitments from anchor stores. 

“The anchor stores drove the deal. (They) are our partners,” Johnston said. “Without the anchors, there is no mall.” 

The mall was given the surname of Huntington. While it spurred animosity from the city, which desperately wanted the tax revenue that would have come with the mall, the name, Johnston said, has been crucial to its success. 

“Huntington the market is a six-county metro over three states,” he said. “When national retailers see a map, they see Huntington.”" 

The malls have been under attack by superstore discounters like Walmart and Target for several years.  Now, COVID 19 has enticed shoppers to shop online more through Amazon and others.  More and more mall stores are struggling and going out of business.  But, in my mind, it's a busy Saturday.  I'm getting a haircut (used to be 4 places, now none) picking up some CDs and waiting on my mom so we could eat.  The Huntington Mall will always have a place in my heart.

HUNTINGTON: THEN AND NOW 
“Jake’s Bar” 

Who over 50 in Huntington that doesn't have memories from the old Jake's on 3rd Avenue? 

Jake’s Bar no longer lives on in Huntington but the memories will. The second Jake’s closed down on 4th Avenue a few years ago, but it was the original Jake’s on 3rd Avenue that I’ll always remember.   

Who could ever forget John Black?  John was the iconic owner of the bar in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.  It was the ex- Herald Dispatch sports writer and bartender from The Joker that everyone came to see….or was it his booming laugh that everyone came to hear? 

The beer was always the coldest in town and the bartenders were quick and friendly (a rarity in Huntington these days it seems.)  Jakes rocked long into the night.  Although Happy Hour brought close friends and a regular crowd, you never knew who would come drifting into Jakes in the wee hours as patrons would spill out of the other clubs around 2 and keep Jake’s rocking until 4AM. 
Jake’s was the perfect place to watch Reds baseball (and hear expert though sometimes drunken commentary from John and his buddies) and Marshall football.  Marshall gameday brought tailgating and huge spreads of food.  Super Bowl was always a big day as well.   
Jake's was the party home for everyone - lawyers, homeless, college students, bikers, sports enthusists, ect. 
The patio outback featured horse shoes and the patio rocked on the closing party as karoke was featured as everyone gave Jake’s the send off it deserves. 

I first went into Jake’s in the very early 80’s. My Big Bear co-worker Brian “Beamer” Howard took me in a few times. Later in the 80s, I would go in with Ed Canterbury after he would close his bar Beau Brummell/ Marco’s.  

In the 90s, my buddy Steve Pruitt and I became regulars. Jake’s was a second home to me until they closed. Becky and Cindy were awesome bartenders. Becky and those tight shorts were legendary.  

There was a cast of characters that rivaled Cheers. Dougie, Tim Milne, Dog, Pup, Ace, Butch…too many to name. Some like Todd Wilson, Pup, and Sarge are no longer with us.  

I attended a Jake’s reunion at Bar None a few weeks ago. The bar was packed. The Bipolar Band rocked the house.  

The spirit of Jake’s is the “Now” part because 3rd Avenue building is long gone and the 4th is just a shell   

The spirit of Jake’s was certainly alive on this Spring evening. It had been over 25 years since I had seen most of these people. Some I didn’t recognize although I probably knew them well at one time. Some, like me, hadn’t changed a lot but just a little grayer. It was a great time.  

Jake’s was a classic Huntington bar. If there was a Huntington Bar Hall of Fame, Jake’s and John Black would be right up.  

Most of these pictures were borrowed from The Old Jake’s Bar Facebook page

HUNTINGTON: THEN AND NOW 
“Robby’s/ The Market 

Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Don Robinson wanted bring something to Huntington that the city had never seen before. The star pitcher had graduated at Ceredo- Kenove High School.  

Robinson told friends that his other dream besides being a Major Leaguer was to own a bar. So Donnie transformed Super Bee department store into a huge nightclub that held over 250 people. There was two huge bars and a 22 foot dance floor. Donnie spent $500,000 to create his dream. Considering it was about forty years ago when he invested the money, it is reasonable to assume it would cost much more today.  

It was truly a showplace. The doors opened in July 1984 and the club rocked until 1995 Anyone who ever went out in that era definitely walked through those doors.  

My friends and I loved the Grand Buffet Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Chef Bob carved up a beautiful roast beef and surrounded it with a tremendous amount of food.  

Robby’s had a preppier crowd at first but then became the type of club where everyone could co-exist.  

Of course, it would take something magnificent to replace Robby’s. After a few other places operated there for years, a giant transformation happened. A 7 million dollar project that involved knocking a building down to create a walkway before 3rd and 4th Avenue.  

The first store opened in 2017. Five years later, it is still rocking. AJ Dawg and I love Austin’s at The Market. They feature the homemade ice cream that made the Ceredo store a legend. They even have a few sugar free options.  

The Market features restaurants and small shops. The outside area is beautiful and there is often live entertainment. AJ Dawg and I chill out and listen to the music regularly  

It is hard to compare the two endeavors. Robby’s was certainly a legend but The Market will be a key part of Downtown Huntington for decades.
 

For decades Davis’ Place was the place to be in the Southside of Huntington. Ice cold quarts of beer, hamburgers and hotdogs, all served by an icon nicknamed Blondie for years while patrons played shuffleboard.  

The man down on his

luck and the influential lawyer could sit down and have a beer. Tailgating, weddings, and happy hours.  

I walked through those doors with literally dozens of different people. In the mid to late 80s, stockcrew workers from Big Bears all over the Tri- State would meet at 8:30 on a Monday morning for cold beer and hotdogs and hamburgers after a hard night of stocking groceries.  

Through the years, I would stop in occasionally. In the 90s, the bar would start quieting down at night after happy hour and closed around 11. When Jake’s on 3rd Avenue closed its doors for the last time, then Davis’ owners Felix and Penny Daniels eventually hired Jake’s bartender Becky and old Jake’s crowd came roaring into the bar. They began staying open until 3am    

Felix and Penny would later sell to ex Davis’ bartender Beth. Davis’ remained popular.  

Gifford Perdue bought the bar. He gave the bar a total facelift. He expanded it and added a beautiful patio. He reopened the remodeled bar in September 2011  

This was no longer your grandfather or even father’s bar. Suddenly Davis’ Place was not just a neighborhood bar but a chic, trendy nightclub.  

It is still a sports bar to watch the game but it is more. The food is top notch including a delicious brunch on weekends. It just isn’t burgers and dogs.  

The atmosphere at Davis’ is lively. They are known for their very attractive bartenders.  

Below is a link to a song I wrote in honor of the old Davis’ Place. I wrote it honor of regulars of the old bar that are no longer with us.