My 2008 memoir, "On Harrisonville Avenue" contained a short tribute to the American Restaurant. Here is the excerpt on the occasion of this icon's closing; the year is 1955.
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In the mail was my class schedule for th
e 8th Grade. It showed the classes I would be taking and the teacher for each class. A printed note showed Holidays, Christmas and Easter breaks and non-school days. There were no School Buses because we all walked to school. High School kids with Driver’s Licenses could drive to school or you could bring your bike. There was one bike rack and there was no school parking lot, so you had to park your overflow bike or your car on the street. This produced a battle between the residents of Glenwood Avenue and Glenwood High School for parking.Nearby, Joe’s American Restaurant had a small parking lot, but everyone knew not to park there because you would get towed.
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I don’t remember ever meeting "Joe" or hearing anything about him, but his establishment was “the” place for Glenwood Jr. Sr. High students. Since the School had no cafeteria, Joe’s benefited from all those hungry mouths – donuts or toast at breakfast or a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup for lunch or French fires with cheese or gravy and a soda fountain coke after school – all waiting for the energetic, always hungry teenage crowd.
And, there was the Juke Box which could be played from each of the booths or from the main box. It was a Rock-Ola Comet Juke Box with rounded glass columns that you stood between to make your selection. The columns had illuminated glass of various colors and caught your attention with their flashiness. Although there were three record formats – the older 78 rpm, the 45 rpm and the long playing (LP) 33-1/3 which contained multiple cuts and was called an “Album”, like a photo album -- the Rock-Ola only played 45’s; it held 80 of them. You could watch the mechanics of the machine through the large clear cover.
Each week, the Juke Box Company would come by and refresh the machine, taking out older records getting less play and adding new “Hits” by new stars – Pat Boone, The Coasters, Fats Domino, and Perez Prado. Sometimes, new dances would sweep through like the Cha-Cha Cha to “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.” Most kids, though, danced what was called the “Bop,” which had replaced the Jitter-bug of the 1940’s.
One girl, Tina, always attracted a lot of attention. She was a 7th Grader, a year behind me. Only a few boys would ever dance with her – she was too good. Maybe Dick or Gary, but everyone else shied away from Tina. She didn’t need a partner. She “interpreted” the music with her nimble and elastic body.
Small and slim, Tina often waved her body, like a snake, or would swirl like a skater. Sometimes her hips moved in ways that caused gasping from some and whistles from others. Tina was a free spirit in her dancing and dress and attitude.
And, there was the Juke Box which could be played from each of the booths or from the main box. It was a Rock-Ola Comet Juke Box with rounded glass columns that you stood between to make your selection. The columns had illuminated glass of various colors and caught your attention with their flashiness. Although there were three record formats – the older 78 rpm, the 45 rpm and the long playing (LP) 33-1/3 which contained multiple cuts and was called an “Album”, like a photo album -- the Rock-Ola only played 45’s; it held 80 of them. You could watch the mechanics of the machine through the large clear cover.
Each week, the Juke Box Company would come by and refresh the machine, taking out older records getting less play and adding new “Hits” by new stars – Pat Boone, The Coasters, Fats Domino, and Perez Prado. Sometimes, new dances would sweep through like the Cha-Cha Cha to “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.” Most kids, though, danced what was called the “Bop,” which had replaced the Jitter-bug of the 1940’s.
One girl, Tina, always attracted a lot of attention. She was a 7th Grader, a year behind me. Only a few boys would ever dance with her – she was too good. Maybe Dick or Gary, but everyone else shied away from Tina. She didn’t need a partner. She “interpreted” the music with her nimble and elastic body.
Small and slim, Tina often waved her body, like a snake, or would swirl like a skater. Sometimes her hips moved in ways that caused gasping from some and whistles from others. Tina was a free spirit in her dancing and dress and attitude.
But when somebody punched B-6 – “When You Dance” by the Turbans -- and Tina took the floor, the crowd at Joe’s circled around to see what she would do.
It was always a show at Joe’s American Restaurant, across the street from the high school.
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Cheers !!!
Ron Giles
Hi Ron,
ReplyDeleteOne American memory that stays with me concerns our pal Mick Sturgill. Mick had a standard line whenever we would return to "Joe's" in the AM, having been out somewhere without him. As soon as we rolled in, Mick would jump up from his booth and say "the cops just left, they're after you guys". Punishment I guess, for leaving him behind.
It worked because we had usually done at least one thing that would merit the cops being after us.
Ron
ReplyDeleteIt could have been West Homestead, Pa or The South Park Inn, South Park, Pa- That excerpt was timeless and priceless- Thanks
When I was in High School - We (friends) used to hang out at the South Park skating/roller rink- it had a balcony whereas we could watch the skaters ...
We would "hang" for a little while and then be on our way- Very similiar - friends, cute girls, and great memories.