One of the more lively approaches is to gather some persons of a certain age, whether those of the baby boom generation or not, and swap stories about the late night scenes along Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. GM was a big fan of Britches back in the day when a Britches Great Outdoors was at his local Connecticut mall. Mike Tramonte: The Bayou Some places, I fit right in. There are many ways to recount Georgetowns history. 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. It was the spot to be on Sunday nights. He said he comes to Mr. Henry's mainly for conversation. He taught at Duke Ellington also. But it was Clydes that the Official Preppy Handbook would list as their definitive prep bar for the DC area. Loved American Cafe. It then became a French bistro and then Five Guys and now &Pizza. Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/roberta-flack#ixzz1cew9n6YQ. Whats a Hoya with a fake ID to do these days? 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, Peter Tosh, Basia (1988, her first show in the United States), The Police, Phish, Leftover Salmon, Dave Matthews Band, Blue yster Cult, Lindsey Buckingham, The New Orleans Radiators, Hootie & the Blowfish, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Dire Straits, the Tom-Tom Club, Acoustic Junction, Steeleye Span, From Good Homes, Foreigner, The Kinks, Todd Rundgren (backed by Utopia on this stop of his 1978 Back to the Bars tour), Yellow Magic Orchestra and other artists that influenced the evolution of rock as well as rhythm and blues from the 1960s through the 1990s. The Guards: This one was more popular with the post-collegiate set, particularly in W. Bushs Washington when the formerly scuzzy basement became the still scuzzy Gryphon Room. I worked there. Now, its location is filled in with Fine Retailer (whatever that means). Roberta Flack performed more at Mr. Henrys on Capitol Hill than in Georgetown. Mike, 63, is semi-retired now. A very civil place six nights a week according to a 1978 Hoya article, the only exception being thirsty Thursdays, when the preppies would invade en masse to Carolina shag a dance descendent of the jitterbug and drop trou, a supposed mating ritual endemic to an era when sexual harassment didnt exist. Eventually, Wilkerson convinced Flack to give pop music a try. The Cellar Door was a 163-seat music club located at 34th & M Street NW in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. from 1964 through January 7, 1982. See more ideas about growing up, silver spring maryland, rockville maryland. 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. By 2002 Bebe had moved in. A shock to the guest, perhaps, but not as shocking as what Mike says once happened at Kellys Irish Times. Meanwhile, the bars upstairs, outdoor patio was a tiki bar complete with kitschy totems. Brett Kavanaughs infamous hand-scrawled calendar even detailed his goings-on during that crazy summer, when he was a year away from graduating from Georgetown Prep in nearby Bethesda. Storz said he spit beer. "I've heard something about the problem ," he said, "but I understand it's a tradition since Georgetown has had nightclubs." She also found time for a social life during this period, culminating in her 1966 marriage to Stephen Novosel, a jazz bassist. Michael OHarro: Tramps and Champions Changed to the Bayou in 1953 with Owners Mike Munley, Vince and Tony Tramonte, The Tramontes sell the Bayou to Cellar Door Productions in 1980, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 07:05. "Every time you come here you see someone you haven't seen in a long time, someone you grew up with. There was a terrific creperie nearby. And awesome. While Maryland raised its drinking age to 21 in 1982 and Virginia did the same in 1985, the District of Columbia held out, wrote Hunter Main for The Hoya Georgetown Universitys student newspaper in trying to explain the era. Spaulding said Winston's patrons are college students from George Washington and American universities, "which are considered some of the finest academic institutions. I guess it would be fairer to say she was discovered at the K St. club (the Bayou maybe?). http://www.angelfire.com/art2/delacroix_berthier/meet_de_la_croix.%20part%203.htm. Also, Nathan's an elegant Georgetown bar is real big now." But Tramps was more than a disco. The actual menu of the Bar Poliesportiu De Monserrat. 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. Georgetown Today, July 1970 The overwhelming majority of the faculty believed that we, right on the doorstep of the national government, just could not conduct business as usual. It closed two years ago and became El Centro. Third Edition: This one was legendary among GU students for its lax entry policies. A note to Jacques: Before Lucianos on the second floor was Blimpies, the original foot long sandwich shop (theres still one up in New Jersey). Fourteen years in the making, "The Bayou" is a 90-minute documentary about the legendary Georgetown nightclub, which closed in 1998. Costner yelled to a group of giggling girls, as he examined a fake I.D. In the Washington Post, January 7, 1982, there is an account of the unfathomably named Richard Hamilton Herrud Houghton III. "What a wonderful place. 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. More than 100 businesses in the area serve liquor. Sign up for InsideHook to get our best content delivered to your inbox every weekday. Closed down long ago. And remember when there was Boogeys or Boogies, where now we have the Apple Store? The event will also feature a film screening of The Bayou: DCs Killer Joint (30 min.). My friends Craig and Ardith and I would go there several times a week for happy hour, for years approx 1974 to 1977-ish. 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. American Cafe was great, a landmark endeavor for Georgetown and the food industry. 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. ", Not everyone in Mr. Henry's was as happy as the wide-eyed North Carolina visitor, though. Enjoy the seasonal outdoor pool and visit the 3 bars/lounges and poolside bar for drinks. Lets not forget Scandals which was definitely a college bar and the famous Tramps Discotheque both in the same building at corner of Wisconsin and Prospect! It offered an onyx bar top, hexagonal white tiles on the floor, checkered tablecloths, draught beer and burgers. Knew the owners Sam, Jack, Dave. [9], Though The Bayou generally attracted an older crowd, the club also featured a diverse following including college students from Georgetown University, men and women from the many military installations in the DC area and The Pentagon. Roadside Pictures. This bar (known primarily as a gay bar) was famous for being the place where Roberta Flack launched her career. This rare footage of Washington DC from the 1960s gives you more of a look into the fascinating history of the city. In the early fall of 1983, J. Pauls opened to much fanfare, a two-level bar uniquely built for preppies. The Third Edition was a Georgetown neighborhood staple, serving students, visitors and the neighborhood from 1969 to 2013. 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. [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. Its still just a drink, Mike says. And before there was an American Cafe next door there was Brits 24 hour diner where all the jazz artists from Blues Alley would go at 4 in the morning and artists from the Cellar Door would hang there, as well as most of the waiters of Georgetown after their respective restaurants closed. No one was coming to his restaurant any way, so Chin figured he had nothing to lose. Champions closed their doors in 2002. Since then the location has been a sandwich shop but currently remains for rent. Get InsideHook in your inbox. October 7, 1980. It stayed open until a few years ago when Vinyard Vines opened up. 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. They go to good colleges or have good jobs.. That didnt last long, and the old Champions returned for a little while longer before closing a few years ago. On weekends, Georgetown is Washington's front porch. . Also loved the roof deck and, Avril, who became a fast friend with the . Beer was king, specifically bottled beer. The bar was bought and converted into an upscale Belgium restaurant called The Sovereign. Yep, My one year in DC, 1983-84, Mr. Henrys in Georgetown was a favorite gay hangout. It transitioned toWinstons Pumphouse in 1972, and then in 1996 it became Rhinoa popular if not beloved Georgetown Universitybar. Photographer Michael Horsley documented the era with a fascinating series of 537 photos. It's free. Nathans, Tombs. In Nathan's, where sophisticated young professionals mingle before a backdrop of forest green walls and framed pastel hunting scenes, a lawyer explained his presence simply: "It's loneliness, the human condition. That same year, WaPo was already pointing toward Georgetowns end days, and they werent even aware of the looming crack epidemic which would cripple the city and turn it into the nations murder capital. It wasnt all preppies, of course. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. "He totally grossed her out," said Smith, with relish. 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. Not to forget Crazy Horse, Desperados, the Down Under. Worked at The Crazy Horse and The Cellar Door. If you were really classy, you drank Heineken, the green bottle telegraphing your suavity. 4.5/5 Wonderful! Pingback: From the Comments | The Georgetown Metropolitan. Spent a lot of time at the tiki bar at Third Edition. 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. Espaol . Just ten years ago, such an outcome would seem impossible, but after a few years of relentless closures, the inevitable has come about. At least one valid email address is required. . It was rite of passage. 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. 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. Mr. Smiths: This piano bar abruptly closed last year, it immediately reopened in the space that Chadwicks occupied. Now a Coach retail store, Crazy Horse was a local bar popular with both Georgetown students and young adults from the DMV area. A good percentage of the people you see here never even went to prep school.. There were family restaurants, jazz clubs, punk bars and average joe-type dives, many frequented by Marines from the nearby barracks. In my now 60 years on earth I never felt more connected to my fellow brothers then during the Sunday afternoon/evening Broadway show tune sing-a-longs with the piano player at the Mr Henrys at 1225 Wisconsin Ave from say 1977 to 1980. Above all, it was . The restaurants stayed open until sometime around 2000. 3125 Mount Pleasant St NW, Washington, D.C. 20010. In its script, St. Elmos is described as a P.J. Every Friday night, he would head to The Day Lily, a red and gold velvet-walled Chinese restaurant, a seedy spot that would seem beneath his social class. Its still a lot like a frat party, except now, because of the recent prep craze, you might see a Marine or someone from [the bar] across the street just because its cool to be prep, explained another suffixed partier, Jean-Charles Dibbs III, then a barely-legal Republican political aide. It's what they call a "listening room," with little signs on the tables firmly requesting that customers not chitchat during performances. Open in Google Maps. Just a couple doors north was E.F. Sly Clothing,where we used to buy our club wear clothes, including Nik-Nik shirts.As we were all 17 at the time,(!) (139 reviews) Can't wait to go back. I try to pick obscure ones, then they'll say, 'Really, what does she look like? Does that sound right? Drinks were different back then. Thursdays was E.J. 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. Washington, DC 20007 He draws the caricature of an attractive woman, or sometimes, he says, "I'll tell a woman she reminds me of an actress. Winstons was the go-to spot in the mid 80s. Reportedly decked in khakis and polished penny loafers, blond hair and blue eyes, he was a Georgetown junior at the time. But Winston's manager Scott Spaulding said his bar and the others are "scapegoats" for every problem that arises in the busy district. Passions can run high in the restaurant biz. Only In D.C. Facebook page for more. (202) 338-4833, Georgetown Media Group. I thought Georgetown was a pioneering neighborhood in that regard. No one was coming to his restaurant any way, so Chin figured he had nothing to lose. Peak hours are 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., during which period the D.C. Department of Transportation estimates about 10,000 cars and 6,000 pedestrians travel through the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and. While Chinese Disco had long since moved locations to Prospect Street NW, even it would close in 2018. Flickr/Hunter Desportes 2) In the early 1970s, the country embroiled in the Vietnam War. 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. Area residents complain that loud music and rowdy patrons are the bane of their lives. 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. There was high crime, a lot of drugs, prostitution Georgetown was where the going-out scene ended up being simply because the rest of the city wasnt as nice.. Have you ever heard the rumors of Georgetowns bustling nightlife and bar scene in the 1980s,1990s and early 2000s? Thursdays were the big nights Georgetown/American University nights. But those are off the main drags. Required fields are marked *. Performers included Count Basie and Woody Herman. English . If Washingtonians mostly only drank at restaurants, hotels, social clubs and high-society parties previous to 1980, that was about to change, and quickly. This establishment was a left over remanent of the 1970s disco scene. Richard Harrington: music critic, the Washington Post Garretts Restaurant and Railroad Tavern shut its doors for the last time on a Monday in 1979. 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. We're happy. Brett Kavanaughs infamous hand-scrawled calendar even detailed his goings-on during that crazy summer, when he was a year away from graduating from Georgetown Prep in nearby Bethesda. 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. In 1993, the Vinyard Vines store housed Britches Great Outdoors, a branch of the Georgetown-based Britches chain. Washingtons weird territorial placement in the American firmament also played a key role in the bar scene that emerged. The steakhouse was called Dinos Paramount steakhouse and served the best sizzling steaks in the city. 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James Muggy (Mike) Smith, a self-proclaimed "filthy rich" Indiana University student from Arlington, and Brian Storz, a Tulane University student from Savannah, Ga., met in the Third Edition this summer. (John Kelly/The Washington Post). I had many meals and drinks there. 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. Mr. Henrys Georgetown was owned by Avery Morrison and Larry Samuel. By 1967 Flack had gained a healthy local following, and was singing five nights a week at a nightclub on K Street in Washington. Mike whipped the plate of half-eaten chop from the table. A 'hip' bar scene in Towson during the 1970s. 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. What about Chinese Disco? John Dominis. The loss of a significant number of Georgetown's bars and late-night options has run contrary to the neighborhood's population growth. Tastes in mixed drinks have changed. From May 1- May 3, a series of large scale demonstrations were held in DC protesting the war. By the 21st century, Georgetown bar culture was dying as students began going out in the Adams Morgan neighborhood instead. ", "Ma'am," said the Winston's manager, gazing on the exhibition with horror, "I hope you don't think they reflect my clientele.". As for Richard Hamilton Herrud Houghton III, that original WaPo article is literally the only time his full formal name would ever be mentioned in the annals of American journalism. News, advice and insights for the most interesting man in the room. While Im sad to see eras end, Georgetown is due for another chapter, said Georgetown restaurant broker Bill Miller at the time. If the Ivy League look had been around since the early 20th century, with a true scene emerging by mid-century, it would be mainstreamed into preppy culture by the start of the 1980s. 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. Every Friday night, he would head to The Day Lily, a red and gold velvet-walled Chinese restaurant, a seedy spot that would seem beneath his social class. Topher, I hate to contradict you but there never was a Mr. Henrys at 1225 Wisconsin Ave. In the early days, all gentlemen had to wear a coat and necktie. The scene was burning so bright, however, that it couldnt possibly last forever. Or order the book at meetmeatthebarimhungry.com. Would eat some nearly every lunch. A Classic. F- Scotts just a few of the places I went to as a GU student. There were also the more restrained, upscale clubs like Pisces Club, Charlies Georgetown and F. Scotts for the preppies who had aged out of their old college favorites. Occasionally on Wednesdays and always on Saturdays, the premier preppy spot was The Third Edition, or Thirds, a casual, wood-paneled restaurant opened in 1969 that in the evenings would become a nightclub full of Georgetown and George Washington students.