There has been some work going on down at 755 Ouellette Ave. lately, at the former Bentley’s Roadhouse. I noticed a dumpster outside a few weeks back, and the building is going to be converted to retail, with apartments above. The owners are the same people who own the Walkerville Business Lofts on Chilver, just south of Wyandotte.
The building was built in 1948, by local architect Garnet Andrew McElroy. G.A. McElroy was born in Sandwich in 1897, and was active as an architect from 1921 until 1969. One of the interesting facts about McElroy was that in 1923, he joined the S.S. Kresge Co. in Detroit as a staff architect, a position he held through about 1950.
His designs for Kresge stores were built in Victoria, BC, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and many other Canadian cities.
Interesting to note the residential houses still on Ouellette just north of Mario’s in this postcard. Also there used to be a Royal Bank branch on the main floor of the building, visible in this shot. The postcard dates to the late 1950’s.
The back of the postcard reads:
Windsor’s most beautiful dining lounge. Catering to banquets, weddings,
social affairs, club meetings, birthday parties, etc. The best prime rib of
red brand beef this side of the Canadian Rockies. Steaks & Chops, Sea Food
and Chicken. 30 years in the food business, in Windsor, Ontario.
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I was looking at the Windsor Star story about Bentleys Roadhouse being renovated into 16 one-bedroom apartments geared to residents with low incomes.
The article shocked me a bit. I guess I don't go downtown to much anymore. It's no surprise considering the condition of the city core. I'm not trying to be nasty, it's just a sad fact. So many grand and beautiful buildings have been lost or abandoned to rot in neglect.
I grew up in the 60's, 70's and 80's traveling from Tecumseh to the downtown core every weekend to party or work at some of the different pubs and restaurants.
Marios of Windsor was one of the restaurants I worked at when I was about 17 years old.
Kees J Roozen was the manager who interviewed me and hired me. I remember sitting in the office during the interview, me on one side of the big wooden desk and he on the other, papers piled everywhere and certificates and pictures hanging on the wall. One of the pictures caught my interest and attention and Mr. Roozen saw me staring at it. It was a large black and white photograph of a very long dining table covered with linens and fine silver and dinnerware. At the table were many apparently high ranking officers of the third Reich along with two notable and very recognizable figures. Adolf Hitler was seated at the head of the table and Mussolini at the other end. After watching my facial expressions change from interest to shock, Kees J Roozen points to the two young lads who are serving the feast to the group. They had large serving plates hoisted with one hand and balanced by the other, dressed smartly in white and black server uniforms with large linen napkins draped over their arms. "That's me and that's my friend" Kees said pointing to the servers.
Now, I know someone on here said Kees was dutch but I always thought he was Austrian. If the picture was taken where he lived and he was dutch, then I assume it was occupied Holland. I don't know what Mussolini would have been doing there though. Then again I may not know my WW2 history as well as I'd like.
I enjoyed working at the restaurant and it was very posh with a fairly wealthy clientele and a salad bar, that was a new concept at that time. I also remember similar places like Sir Williams Steak House and Ye Old Steak House, a favorite of my parents. One important thing to remember about Marios of Windsor was that it had the first outdoor patio to serve liquor and beer in the Windsor Essex County. The patio was marketed and run like a Bavarian Oktoberfest.
Does anyone know what ever happened to Kees Roozen. Did he die after Marios or did he move on to other things? Thanks for these pictures!!
I certainly do.....he was my father. he lived a very full and active life until he died in August 2000 at the age of 84. . His wife (my mother turned 90 this week, and lives here in London as do I. My sister is still in Windsor.
I can assure you that he (and the whole family) were Dutch. We have the pictures you refer to from his office and the Hiltler/Mussolini story is definitely true.
He took over the Royal bank next door in the picture and opened Little Bavaria. he also had the patio..which definitely was the first. He also did tilip and rose festivals.
If anyone has Mario's memorabilia, or stories, the family would love to hear about it.
The patio would have been marketed as a Biergarten, or Beer Garden, which was popular in Germany. I work with a lot of Germans, and we're on the road, they call the patio the Biergarten.
From the looks of the outside, I wouldn't have guessed it was so upscale. The name Tavern doesn't convey upscale to me, either.
I just looked on the google street view done in May 2014 and there doesn't seem to be much going on at that location. The former Marios/Bentley's still looks empty, no signs of life.