A recent addition to the collection… This postcard is one I hadn’t seen before…
From the back of the card:
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COMMODORE
SUPPER CLUB
25 Chatham St., East
Downtown Windsor, Canada
Tel. CL 3-0427
Famous for Steaks, Chops & Sea Food
Featuring Dancing and Top Flight Entertain-
ment Nightly. Business men’s luncheon served
from noon daily.
The building still stands, and is today better known as the former home of Jason’s, currently home to Danny’s strip club. The building has a long history as an entertainment venue. Some history can be found here in this post from July, 2007.
Looking at the current photos of the place, it looks like the frame around the “Commodore” sign in the 1950’s postcard is still there today, as the frame around the giant ugly awning.
It’s a shame that the 1950’s design didn’t survive, with the window and planter on the main floor tavern space… today the building is just an ugly mishmash of crap.In my opinion it is tired looking and a bit of an eyesore. There’s not must much that is visually pleasing on the Chatham St. facade.
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too bad we can’t tear all that chit off the place and restore the home. what a beauty she used to be *sigh*
that awning IS hideous, not to mention it shelters noone from the elements.
thanks Andrew!
I never noticed the “house” in the back before!
I think Danny’s (former Jason’s) is one of the dumpiest buildings in downtown. It is ugly in every way.
Since the house will never come back it would be great to see the 1950s look come around again.
So many of the downtown buildings have gone from bright and neat to dark and depressing. A recent example was you post on Mario’s Restaurant. From bright and neat to dark and depressing characterizes Windsor’s whole downtown. It’s disgusting what has become of the heart of the city!
Its such a shame that this is what this classy building has become today.
It was the original Vitale Ouellette house. I lived in an apartment above the Commodore for a few months back in the 70’s, it was gorgeous inside!
great photo, thanks for posting Andrew
Yes,Andrew,
A great find, and neat addition.
It’s truly amazing as venues change their names, how hard it becomes to remember the former names of the establishment.
If you can get a view in town from up a little bit, you can see the other main entrance behind the cigar shop(from before the building was moved/turned 90 degrees I think)
John, it wasn’t turned just moved over from the corner. That put the front door in the alley.
The Commodore! The first place I got asked for proof when I was 19 years old (drinking age was 21 back then). I remember the classy tub chairs and subdued lighting and especially the great casual entertainment. They had local jazz talent and lounge singers. What a great place to spend a few hours with a date and good friends. Truely missed today. I know things never stand still or stay the same but it is a shame that places like the Commodore, Kozaks,the Radio Tavern and Whites Elbow Room are gone. Sure hope some enterprizing entrepeneur brings back some of these places …….exactly as they were. I’m sure they would be welcomed by the people.
I remember as a kid of 18 going downstairs at the commodore it had the aire of a dive but it was one of the cheaper places in town to drink 20 cent drafts and pickled eggs i recall one time a sloppy looking woman approached me while i was sitting having a beer and inquired if i was interested in a date she then proceeded to pull a mickey of cheap rye and a clean pair of draws out of her purse i delined the offer
I also drank there at 19…..the downstairs bar was a bit of a “dive” but we sure had fun. Does anyone remember Dolly???…..she played piano and sang(usually for just a draft she’d take requests)…..she also sang at Lee’s Imperial………..just wondered what ever happened to her
does anybody have any info or photos of the old top hat supper club at univercity and military???
Gary – Several posts about the Top Hat here:
http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=364
http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=473
http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=474
http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=789
I remember going to the Commodore many weekends to hear Jack Genero Band ( Wayne Boismoir, Richard Ciamaga, Alex Zonjic, Marg Hughes) – and for a very long time Judy Quick was the bartender!