801 South Clinton Avenue, The Burg
Once upon a time this was The Treasure Chest Bar. Here
is a beer doily from back in the day as well.
UPDATE
Brando says this was a biker bar when it was the
Treasure Chest in his Burg Day.
SJ Bill adds...
Before it was The Treasure Chest, this place was Gliba's
Bar - a true shot and beer joint for Hungarian workers
from Roebling's as they walked home. The front room had
a long straight bar, and about twenty or so bar stools
with red oiled canvas tops. The back room had maybe six
small tables set for four. The two rooms had no air
conditioning - only window fans that streamed mostly
cigar smoke to the neighborhood. On Hudson street,
there was a side entrance with a small arrow shaped
neon sign that blinked "LADIES". In those days ladies
were really not invited guests unless they came for
dinner or dancing. There were also some metal cellar
doors in the sidwalk that opened to a concrete stairway
and a wood ramp. Here you slid heavy wooden beer kegs
down to the cellar for keeping and tapping. As a kid I
helped the delivery guys load empties onto the truck
every now and then. Friday and Saturday was the big
attraction - Music Night! The crowd would sing and
dance to the sounds of violin, tamburica and cymbalom.
The music was just excellent: Czardas, Nóta,
Verbunkas, all serious Hungarian Folk Music. Mr. and
Mrs. Gliba lived upstairs in the big building that
stretched all the way to Hagerty Alley. They retired
in the late 50s or so to a nice home out on the
Yardville - Allentown Road, just before the Turnpike
overpass. Great folks and friends of the family. I
never had a beer in that place, but wish I did.
Thanks SJ Bill and Brando:)
2 comments:
treasure chest was a biker bar
Before Treasure Chest, this place was Gliba's Bar - a true shot and beer joint for Hungarian workers from Roebling's as they walked home. The front room had a long straight bar, and about twenty or so bar stools with red oiled canvas tops. The back room had maybe six small tables set for four.
The two rooms had no air conditioning - only window fans that streamed mostly cigar smoke to the neighborhood.
On Hudson street, there was a side entrance with a small arrow shaped neon sign that blinked "LADIES". In those days ladies were really not invited guests unless they came for dinner or dancing. There were also some metal cellar doors in the sidwalk that opened to a concrete stairway and a wood ramp. Here you slid heavy wooden beer kegs down to the cellar for keeping and tapping. As a kid I helped the delivery guys load empties onto the truck every now and then.
Friday and Saturday was the big attraction - Music Night! The crowd would sing and dance to the sounds of violin, tamburica and cymbalom. The music was just excellent: Czardas, Nóta, Verbunkas, all serious Hungarian Folk Music.
Mr. and Mrs. Gliba lived upstairs in the big building that stretchedall the way to Hagerty Alley. They retired in the late 50s or so to a nice home out on the Yardville - Allentown Road, just before the Turnpike overpass. Great folks and friends of the family. I never had a beer in that place, but wish I did.
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