NEWS

The bars of Greater Gardner, Part 3

Mike Richard
Special for The Gardner News
Carbone's Cafe on Central Street.

Through the early part of the 20th century, alcoholic beverages were usually consumed on the premises of a variety of rooming houses and hotels within the city.

After the repeal of Prohibition, local bars and taverns began dotting the landscape of the city.

Thanks to the number of furniture factories within the confines of the downtown area, the working man often needed a friendly neighborhood watering hole to unwind after the work week had ended.

This is the third of a five-part series on the taverns, bars and drinking spots of the city – as well as the Greater Gardner area. While most of them are no longer in existence, many still live on in the memories of those who may have frequented them on occasion.

Here are five listed alphabetically:

Bo-Rich - opened in time for the summer of 1974 at 627 Green Street, and for several years was one of Gardner's most popular nightclubs. Named for its owners James Bourn and John Richardson, Bo-Rich was a venue for live music until 1978. It is now the site of the Covenant Evangelical Lutheran Church on Green Street.

Before that, some baby boomers may also remember a short-lived nightclub located on High Street known as The High Street Conspiracy – in the building where the present Deer Club is located.

The Bucket -  also known as the West End Café, it dates back to 1924, when Victor Helin and his wife Hilda ran the establishment as a restaurant and a rooming house at 69 West St. When Victor died in 1930, his wife continued as the proprietor. Hilda married Albin Hanninen in 1938 and the two owned the cafe until Albin's death in 1947.

She sold the place in 1948 to Armand A. Hamel, who was better known as a local boxing manager in the city and, for a time, the cafe was known as Armand's Ringside. However, its most familiar nom de plume was “The Bucket.”

Thanks to its reputation as a place where local boxers hung out, and likely engaged in an occasional boxing match in the back room of the cafe, Hamel's place was also known by the more curious name “The Bucket of Blood.”

Hamel died suddenly in 1957 and his wife Aurise continued to own the place, while Euclid “Shellac” Charland served as the bar manager. Charland became the owner in 1959 and continued to run “The Bucket” until his death in December of 1972. The bar remained in the family until his widow Helen sold it in May of 1977.

In later years, the bar became a barbershop, while the rooming house remained until a fire in September of 1988 gutted the building and it was eventually razed.

The Can-Can Room – most hotels featured a lounge in their quarters, and Gardner’s downtown gem the Colonial Hotel was no different. The hotel opened in 1922, and there was a lounge in its basement. However, it wasn’t until 1951 when the hotel was revamped with a café lounge occupying the site of the old bar and grille, while a “men’s bar” filled the space formerly occupied by the Palmer Jewelry Co.

A stairway inside the hotel lead to the lower level, and back then there was also a stairway outside at street level on the corner of Pleasant Street and City Hall Avenue that also led downstairs. That outside stairway is now filled in and a handicapped accessible ramp is in its place.

A “Gay Nineties” theme was depicted in the area of the men’s bar, and it became known as The Can-Can Room. A sign at street level above the descending stairway provided a bit of intrigue and mystery.

The Can-Can Room was closed sometime in the late 1970s.

Carbone’s Cafe – originally opened at 248 Central Street as a confectionery store, it was owned by Pietro Luigi Carbone. In 1933, shortly after Prohibition, his son Edward P. Carbone opened a café on the other side of the building. Carbone owned the business until 1977, when it was purchased by Lee Gavin. Over the course time, it became known as DJ’s Pub (1985-86), Jennifer’s Pub (1987-88), Champion’s Tavern (1989-95) and finally Character’s Pub

The last tavern vacated the building in 2003 and the century-old block was remodeled to become home to the present Greater Gardner Community Development Corporation.

Hi-Hat Café – was another confectionery store at 124 Main Street in the early 30s, owned by Italian immigrant Amedeo Sbrega. In 1936, Edward J. Bernard operated a restaurant at the site before Sbrega opened the Hi-Hat Café in 1938, which he owned until 1955 when it was taken over by his son John.

In 1964, Christos Sharos operated the Hi-Hat until 1979 when it was taken over by Alan Rouleau, who operated it as Alan’s Pub. In 1987 the establishment became known as Joanne’s Pub, and in 2004 became Our Place Pub.

Over the past decade, the building was razed along with several other Main Street buildings along that stretch for the new Cumberland Farms.

Next Week: Johnny’s Spa, Lafayette Lounge, the Palms and more.

Comments and suggestions for The Gardner Scene can be sent to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing to Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Road, Sandwich, MA 02563.

Amedeo Sbrega (center) and his family members pictured outside the Hi-Hat Cafe on Parker Street.