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Storz, in Kelly green bermuda shorts, planted a noisy smooch on Smith's lips. Costner yelled to a group of giggling girls, as he examined a fake I.D. Wasnt there a regular Britches a little further up Wisconsin, like around where Polo is now? But he didnt fall off the face of the earth. It wasnt cool to drink draft beer, Mike said. Elmos Fire Now it is an upscale Mexican restaurant called El Centro. There was definitely a Mr. Henrys at 1225. I was a waiter at tended bar at Winstons in 78-80 glory days. "I'm getting disillusioned with gay life," said the 39-year-old man. Reportedly decked in khakis and polished penny loafers, blond hair and blue eyes, he was a Georgetown junior at the time. Remember in the 1980s, DC wasnt doing well, says Alana McGovern, a Georgetown alum who wrote about the neighborhoods bar scene over the years for a project entitled Booze to Bougie. There are out-of-town families trying to decide where to eat: "But I don't want steak" went the refrain recently outside Dino's Steakhouse. Unfortunately, in 1982 it stopped Staying Alive and closed its doors. The space next door was Britches Great Outdoors, Britches of Georgetownwhich sold mens suitswas where Ralph Lauren currently is. Though Lisa Birnbachs iconic 1980 Official Preppy Handbook was meant to lampoon the aesthetic, it instead galvanized it, and, just like the early-aughts Brooklyn hipster movement, all irony was soon stripped away. This bar (known primarily as a gay bar) was famous for being the place where Roberta Flack launched her career. This really does cap a disturbing trend in the Wisconsin/M area. 293 views, 6 likes, 4 loves, 2 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Preserving LGBT Sites in Metro DC: The Georgetown Grill, from 1948 to 1977, became a popular gay male hangout, especially. Go down the hill on Wisconsin, pass the Church, turn left and there it was. One of the premier music spots in Washington, D.C., the small club served as the genesis for entertainers and as a tryout venue for larger markets. In the early fall of 1983, J. Pauls opened to much fanfare, a two-level bar uniquely built for preppies. Panelists include: I think the infamous Maximilian Rochambeau had a club in that building back in the early Nineties. This location was first the Carriage House, a dining room frequented by many important social and political figures of the District. [5], The club was owned from 1953 to 1980 by the Tramonte family who designed it to have an intimate atmosphere like a family. Winstons, Pall Mall, Pierce Street Annex, Numbers, The Bayou, Bojangles, Windsor McKays, Abbey Road and Pattons, Pingback: ANC Signals End to Moratorium But Delays Decision | The Georgetown Metropolitan, Pingback: The Georgetown Metropolitan Forgets its Birthday Again | The Georgetown Metropolitan. The following 13 vintage photos showcase different areas throughout Ohio during the 1970s: 1. [My friends] and I were pretty upset about it closing, noted one Georgetown junior in reference to Chadwicks, which shuttered before the new school year of 2014, by now famous for its cheap and unlimited champagne brunches, a preppy mecca until its final days. The population was shrinking, wealth flowed out to the suburbs, and you could buy a Northwest rowhouse for five figures. we found that we could get into clubs if we dressed up! I worked in a candy/gift store (Sharons Mom and Dad owned it) right across the street from Mr. Henrys,and I also worked just down M Street at Clothes Circuit, so Henrys was a very convenient destination. There were lines of boat shoes out the door every Friday night. This is the scrappy old lesbian bar Coconuts, converted last year into Waterstone -- a pretty tavern for the under-served western edge of Mount Vernon . Our guests praise the bar in our reviews. [citation needed], The Bayou was a stop on the national tours of musical groups and solo artists. At first she considered the suggestion an insult, but over time she began making appearances at local clubs, both as a pop singer and as a piano accompanist for others. Have you ever heard the rumors of Georgetowns bustling nightlife and bar scene in the 1980s,1990s and early 2000s? Does that sound right? According to Salon, the American diplomat now sported short trousers, a large tattoo and spoke Arabic he was anything but a preppy. Nightlife. Night falls on Georgetown like a sable cape, lights begin to flicker and suddenly people are everywhere. Yep, My one year in DC, 1983-84, Mr. Henrys in Georgetown was a favorite gay hangout. It was a refuge for long-haired psychedelic groups as well as oddballs like Sun Country, a local garage act led by a female drummer. Been to them all, Lets not forget The Cellar Door, The Bayou, The M club, oh my I know theres a few I left out. ", But Bruce Norris, cartoonist for The Georgetowner newspaper and a Nathan's regular, goes about finding a companion creatively. Theres a lot of booze in the book. Only In D.C. Facebook page for more. It wasnt all preppies, of course. During the Tramonte's ownership of the club, Paul Wolff was the front of house engineer. "This is like being at home almost, like your own neighborhood," said Gary Smithwick, a 25-year-old resident of Southeast Washington who said he comes to Georgetown almost every Saturday night. Then Hugh tossed the meat back onto the plates and said it was probably plenty tender now. Log In. In 1985, The Third Edition exterior acted as the stand-in for the titular St. Elmos Fire bar in the Joel Schumacher film about recent Georgetown graduates. She directed church choirs and began taking voice lessons, concentrating primarily on opera, with Frederick Wilkie Wilkerson. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Clarke-like bar/restaurant, a reference to Manhattans iconic preppy paradise. This is an Appalachian family in Eastern Kentucky, circa 1964. Revisiting the 1980s Heyday of Georgetown's Fabled Preppy Bars - Yahoo! type); blond, dirty blond or light brown hair; a polo shirt with some sort of animal or mammal applique; a pair of madras pants or Bermuda shorts; and your name on the Britches mailing list for its new fall collection.. . There was another room in back down a hallway,which had a bar and piano. Popular attractions . John Thompson's teams made it to the Final Four three times in the 1980s and won the National Championship in 1984. One of D.C.'s ultimate dive bars, The Raven has been tucked away in Mount Pleasant since 1935. "We want to be free to live as a community and not some kind of glorified freak show," said Paul Chadwell, a resident of Potomac Street NW, who, like many Georgetowners, says he is fed up with the traffic, noise and vandalism that are the byproducts of nearby discos. On weekends, Georgetown is Washingtons front porch, wrote Leslie Berger in yet one more 1982 WaPo nightlife article. This bar created Georgetowns punk rock scene. Were not splitting the atom here.. 10. An American Bar, according to its marquees subtitle, it opened in 1963 in a former motorcycle hangout as the first full-sized bar in the District since Prohibition. Back in the day Georgetown was the groove, and way out in front, too. [4] The main floor bars were fed bottled liquor from a "tap" room that was situated above the entrance. Luciano was quite a character, but he didnt seem to have the business sense to make it there long-term, especially with the added challenge of not being on the street. Born in Washington, John started at The Post in 1989 as deputy editor in the Weekend section. Music of Washington, D.C. - Wikipedia Two recent college grads, Nicky Williams and Buff McDonald, asked The Day Lilys aging owner, Jim Chin, if they could start renting his restaurant for Friday night parties. He later moved over to M Street. ", "Ma'am," said the Winston's manager, gazing on the exhibition with horror, "I hope you don't think they reflect my clientele.". Reportedly decked in khakis and polished penny loafers, blond hair and blue eyes, he was a Georgetown junior at the time. That didnt last long, and the old Champions returned for a little while longer before closing a few years ago. Revisiting the 1980s Heyday of Georgteown's Fabled Preppy Bars In the Washington Post, January 7, 1982, there is an account of the unfathomably named Richard Hamilton Herrud Houghton III.. Had no regard for my coworkers. Perspective Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events. Just ten years ago, such an outcome would seem impossible, but after a few years of relentless closures, the inevitable has come about. Yes, a locals place had a great time. John Dominis. Meanwhile, the bars upstairs, outdoor patio was a tiki bar complete with kitschy totems. Admittedly, the quiet Wendy Beamish (Mare Winningham) is the only real preppy in St. Elmos Fire (described as a sweet-faced, insecure preppy in the script) as Alec Newbury (Judd Nelson) has advanced into more of a mid-1980s yuppie with his slick hair and Gordon Gekko-esque contrast-collar dress shirts. "It's okay for young people in their twenties. The club opened in September 1953 on the site of a former Dixieland nightclub called The Pirates Den which featured Dixieland jazz until the early 1960s when the format changed to rock and roll. All rights reserved. But I'm not interested in going to discos and taking drugs. What started out as a trip to bid on a collection of antique beer steins at a tax auction for the oldest saloon in the city, resulted in Stuart and John becoming its new owners. For example, did you know that restaurant workers love it when tiny women order big club sandwiches? You can meet a lot of women if you want but I got a girl back home.". Her date swallowed hard on his fried fish. Before Il Pane, there was a very tasty Italian sandwich shop up on the second floor called Lucianos Cafe. And remember when there was Boogeys or Boogies, where now we have the Apple Store? English . She noted that by now the 100-plus bars in the neighborhood were starting to rankle the older, upper-crust residents with to their boisterous partying. The Boy-Whore World - The Washington Post Yes, definitely Mr. Henrys (Georgetown) was just above M street on Wisconsin Avenue, I think it was #1225. Mr. Henrys was rollicking, but it was Mr. Henrys on Capitol Hill, Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., where Roberta Flack performed and from which she became a hit. He got a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service at Georgetown and a law degree from Catholic University. The Bayou was strictly a rock and blues venue, and it was UNDER K st. on Water St. down by the river. Some of the best years of my early life were spent within those walls. The spacious bar offered martinis and Sinatra music, while a preppy look acted as the cover charge. This building used to house The Cellar Door, a live music club thatplayed host to famous artists such as Jimmy Buffet, Patti Smith, Carole King and manymore from1965-1981. And there was nothing gay about Dinos. Upstairs was a deli/market called Il Pane (thats Italian for bread). He's the author of a new memoir, "Meet Me at the Bar, I'm Hungry." The scene was burning so bright, however, that it couldnt possibly last forever. And I'll go down the list and that gets them talking.". In 2014, The Third Edition became El Centro, an upscale Mexican restaurant. Georgetown was getting overrun by high-end national retailers, movie theater chains, luxury hotels and cupcake shops, though a few bars had managed to hang on into this century. For one, its geographic location straddled the line between the prep schools and Ivy League institutions of the northeast, while also having a foot in the South with its fratty gentlemen and sorority belles. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. [3], The club included a balcony level, with tables and chairs, and two standing room only bars. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly. [My friends] and I were pretty upset about it closing, noted one Georgetown junior in reference to Chadwicks, which shuttered before the new school year of 2014, by now famous for its cheap and unlimited champagne brunches, a preppy mecca until its final days. (139 reviews) Can't wait to go back. I worked there. 3135 K Street, Georgetown, Washington DC. We talked for a bit and then I went on my way. Use to work for Britches Great Outdoors. But those are off the main drags. But it was Clydes that the Official Preppy Handbook would list as their definitive prep bar for the DC area. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. By 1982, preppy partying in our nations capital was reaching a fever pitch, with limousines crawling down M Street and bars packed eight-deep as people queued up for drinks. [4] The sound system mixing console was located on the second floor balcony, overlooking the stage. Past Bars in Georgetown | Facebook (John Kelly/The Washington Post). The announcement yesterday of the imminent closure of the Rhino Bar means that come March, there will be no more "college bars" left in the heart of Georgetown. Passions can run high in the restaurant biz. The Bayou was a music venue and nightclub located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.[1][2] The club occupied an old building at 3135 K Street, NW, in Georgetown, under the Whitehurst Freeway for forty-six years. I personally took comedians Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor to Brits. It closed in 1989 and is now the Running Company. Washingtons weird territorial placement in the American firmament also played a key role in the bar scene that emerged. [10], The Bayou was the subject of a documentary produced by Metro Teleproductions, Inc. Maryland Public Television aired the program on February 25, 2013. In my day. Beer was king, specifically bottled beer. Then it was taken over by the famous disco club Tramps, run by Washington Playboy Mike O'Harro. Your email address will not be published. Likewise, if in the 1970s, Georgetown was mostly known for its thrift stores (such as Commander Salamander), record shops and even a disco bar called Tramps, that too was in flux. Georgetown Most things at The Tombs aren't older than a college senior today. Georgetown is a multicultural and international hub now which I think is a positive thing.. That would be the Class of 1972 at Georgetown University, although, in the end, Mike wouldnt graduate with it. 1. Thursdays was E.J. But it was Clydes that the Official Preppy Handbook would list as their definitive prep bar for the DC area. Spilling over from sidewalks onto jammed streets, strolling in cosmopolitan chic or tour-bus casual, they stake out the shops, restaurants and nightclubs and claim the elite, historic district as their own. By the 1990s, Georgetown had, like most of America, entered into a grunge period, with alternative music blasting out of the doors at rock clubs like Poseurs. The 9:30 club . Winstons was the go-to spot in the mid 80s. This week for Not So Long Ago, GM stops by Wisconsin Ave. just above M St. where the Vinyard Vines and Bebe shops now sit. Here at 4E we asked these questions and did the research into Georgetowns bar history, and no this is not a shameless plug for my final research project. "Wally, you can punch me in the face five times and I'd still look better than you," said a tall, lanky fellow as he pulled out his wallet. The Bayou backed up to another famed D.C. music institution, Blues Alley, located down the alley behind the Bayou. It was a dubbed the original sports bar and was a favorite with the Georgetown student body, visiting college students, tourists and residents of the DMV area. USA Distributor of MCM Equipment georgetown bars 1970s By the 21st century, Georgetown bar culture was dying as students began going out in the Adams Morgan neighborhood instead. Free Cancellation. But 1225 Wisconsin definitely housed the American Cafe during the 1970s and early 1980s. The article Revisiting the 1980s Heyday of Georgetowns Fabled Preppy Bars by Aaron Goldfarb was originally published on InsideHook. ORileys Pub, opened in the late-1970s by two Georgetown alums one who owned an old warehouse, the other who simply had a catchy Irish name. If by the 1980s New York was going new wave and hip-hop, club kids and cokeheads, in Washington, DC, a melting pot of fledgling lawyers, bankers and politicos still enjoyed dressing up in boat shoes, blue blazers and Brooks Brothers button-downs to hit the town. ", "Actually, Georgetown is my neighborhood," Smith said. The chain went bankrupt in 2002. Some places, I fit right in. Bros in polos and hungry clubbers start the night with massive plates of Irish nachos before climbing the stairs to the hot and heavy dance floor, wrote one review. Likewise, if in the 1970s, Georgetown was mostly known for its thrift stores (such as Commander Salamander), record shops and even a disco bar called Tramps, that too was in flux. Honestly, I thought it was going to be very preppy [before I moved there] and I had my Lily Pulitzer skirts ready, but no one was really preppy any more, says McGovern, who started at the university in 2013. One amorous pair -- a man and woman -- eating dinner and oblivious to their surroundings, was asked, "Did you know this is considered a gay bar?". Above all, it was . Mr. Henrys was absolutely 1225 Wisc. Over the years, it has moved to a few different locations in the downtown area. Roadside Pictures. A one-square-mile neighborhood of cobble-stone streets and stately, federal-style homes centered around the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Georgetown nonetheless boasted more than 115 liquor licenses in an approximately 10-block area. Co-proprietor Hugh Kelly was relaxing after the kitchen had closed for the night only to be asked if he could cook up a pair of steaks for some late travelers. F- Scotts just a few of the places I went to as a GU student. In the late 1960s and early 1970s there were so many Georgetown undergrads streaming down the hill to work at the neighborhoods bars, nightclubs and eateries that Mike and his friends had another name for the elite Jesuit university: the Georgetown Restaurant School. Nor the fact that an endorsement from then-Mayor Marion Berry would make September 30, 1986 the final day 18-year-olds could legally drink in Washington. Espaol . Channeling the immense popularity of Chidi, a so-called circuit of preppy bars soon dotted the neighborhood, giving the pastel-clad a place to party virtually every single night of the week. Cerphe Colwell: musicplanetradio.com. Have you wondered where these bars went? Jammed upstairs and down. According to Salon, the American diplomat now sported short trousers, a large tattoo and spoke Arabic he was anything but a preppy. "I spend a lot of time here. [14], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}385409N 770343W / 38.9024N 77.0619W / 38.9024; -77.0619, "Music returns to The Bayou, one night only", "Let the Good Times Roll Historical Marker", "Value Added: A 'passion project' leads to documentary on the Bayou", "Montgomery filmmakers see the finish line with the Bayou odyssey", "The Bayou Doc is About To Go International | MTITV Video Production DC", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Bayou&oldid=1125111874. October 7, 1980. J. Pauls would close a few months after that, marking the end of an era, according to Eater. If you were really classy, you drank Heineken, the green bottle telegraphing your suavity. Is everyone forgetting the Library? "We wear our boxer shorts and some say 'Oh, my God, who are these guys?' Rhino Bar is the old Winstons, which I agree was a staple for years. He taught at Duke Ellington also. http://www.angelfire.com/art2/delacroix_berthier/meet_de_la_croix.%20part%203.htm. The club, which was a regular stop on East Coast tours by UK bands from the late 1970s on, featured artists including U2 (their second show in the United States), Kiss, Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers (performing twice in 1988 which would be their final DC shows with founding members Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons ), The Only Ones, Squeeze, Thursdays was E.J. Currently the AMC Theatre, the Bayou was the go-to music scene from 1953 to 1998. This site seems to confirm that there was a Mr. Henrys at 1225 Wisconsin Ave.: Meanwhile, music remained a central part of Flacks life outside of the workplace. It was closed in 2015 due to high rent and is now Club Monaco, a clothing store. . Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It was the first bar in Georgetown that integrated music videos into the bar! I don't think I'll every be able to live with anyone, although I get very lonely sometimes. From May 1- May 3, a series of large scale demonstrations were held in DC protesting the war. Mr. Smiths: This piano bar abruptly closed last year, it immediately reopened in the space that Chadwicks occupied. Chidi had been opened as this youthful preppy scene was just beginning to emerge, in 1976. The interior, meanwhile, was more inspired by another preppy haven popular with college kids, an underground spot called The Tombs. If by the 1980s New York was going new wave and hip-hop, club kids and cokeheads, in Washington, DC, a melting pot of fledgling lawyers, bankers and politicos still enjoyed dressing up in boat shoes, blue blazers and Brooks Brothers button-downs to hit the town. It was buy 2 cocktails and the 3rd was free (so we just had to) and we would order onion rings,salads,burgers,and mainly light meals,then catch a cab for nights out dancing at The Pier 9. We always sat in the front room and played Barry White,(and Pier songs,) on the jukebox which was located up front at the north window. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 12. Modeled after turn-of-the-century Chicago taverns, it offered a 50-foot-long bar, gold-painted ceiling, solid oak floor and elevator doors repurposed from Manhattans Waldorf-Astoria. It was kind of like Tuscany in that everyone had to go there at least once.. News, advice and insights for the most interesting man in the room. It was rite of passage. Reserve now, pay when you stay. No one was coming to his restaurant any way, so Chin figured he had nothing to lose. If Washingtonians mostly only drank at restaurants, hotels, social clubs and high-society parties previous to 1980, that was about to change, and quickly. It would become gridlocked with cars as far as the eye can see, according to the New York Times, each and every Saturday night. Also loved the roof deck and, Avril, who became a fast friend with the . Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae994b54ef062d4461bc2a54018d3062" );document.getElementById("gab125c3ec").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Everybody went there. Outside Winston's rock 'n' roll cave, jean-clad youths wait impatiently to show identification to bouncer Wally Costner, whose 21 years of living are distributed through a 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame. ", The need for human contact draws many to bars in Georgetown. On weekends, Georgetown is Washington's front porch. 537 incredible photos of 1980s & '90s DC - Greater Greater Washington Third edition was my go to spot from 92-96. This establishment was a left over remanent of the 1970s disco scene. He draws the caricature of an attractive woman, or sometimes, he says, "I'll tell a woman she reminds me of an actress. It offered an onyx bar top, hexagonal white tiles on the floor, checkered tablecloths, draught beer and burgers. Photographer Michael Horsley documented the era with a fascinating series of 537 photos. "I've heard something about the problem ," he said, "but I understand it's a tradition since Georgetown has had nightclubs." By 1982, preppy partying in our nations capital was reaching a fever pitch, with limousines crawling down M Street and bars packed eight-deep as people queued up for drinks. By the aughts, now known simply as Richard H. Houghton III, he was serving as Acting Country Director of the International Republican Institute in Baghdad. In 1985, The Third Edition exterior acted as the stand-in for the titular St. Elmos Fire bar in the Joel Schumacher film about recent Georgetown graduates. Champions closed their doors in 2002. self-published memoir: Meet Me at the Bar, Im Hungry. I guess it would be fairer to say she was discovered at the K St. club (the Bayou maybe?). Would eat some nearly every lunch. Or order the book at meetmeatthebarimhungry.com. They go to good colleges or have good jobs.. Great music! Started my bouncing career in that joint. By 1967 Flack had gained a healthy local following, and was singing five nights a week at a nightclub on K Street in Washington. "Now which one of y'all is going to tell me that's her?" For the two spines of Georgetown-M and Wisconsin-the era of college bars is now closed. When he wasnt pounding keg beer on the Maryland shore, the future Supreme Court Justice could be found pounding [brew]skis at underage bars and house parties, according to his handwritten notations. Quickly, Williams and McDonalds bashes, based on a Myrtle Beach frat-boy aesthetic they had grown up on in the South, were a sensation, packed with men in blazers and women, according to WaPo, who pronounced daddy as a three-syllable word. While in a restaurant the bar is a small part of the overall seating, in a saloon the bar might represent a third to a half of the total seats. "My dog's better'n that," replied Costner. At one point, every place on M Street had a manager or chef who was someone from my class, Mike Soper says as I tuck into my oyster poboy at Bobby Vans downtown.