An old postcard shot looking south on Walker Road at Niagara Street in Walkerville. It shows what was then the Metropole Tavern, it was more recently known as Big Tony’s after a long run as California’s.
A detail shot of the great old neon sign that once graced the facade of this old watering hole.
From the back of the postcard:
- THE METROPOLE, 917 Walker Road, Windsor, Ontario
Canada. Windsor’s most fabulous Supper Club, serving
superb cuisine, dancing and floor shows nightly, featuring
stars of the show world. Reservations CL. 3-3591 or
WO. 5-4888.
It has undergone quite the transformation. And there’s the old Seagrave Building, behind it.
(I was going to post a link to a current photo, but I haven’t figured out how to do it on the Google Maps/Streetview update).
I recall back in the 60’s I worked at Canadian Bridge across the street once in awhile we would run over on our lunch break for a couple beers, I recall for a time they had female strippers there
Were those row houses on the Monmouth side? Whatever it is, it isn’t there anymore.
There were row houses like the others on Monmouth that were torn down to expand the Metropoles’ parking lot in the early 60’s.
To think of all the acts that played there over the years, it’s quite astounding. Usually they were on their way up, or down in their careers when they played the Metropole (or California’s). I’d love to see a list of some of the groups that played there. I was a little late to the party to go to California’s, but I remember my parents would go there and see bands once in a while. I went there right before it closed, and I could tell it was once a good venue. Great space, great acoustics.
I remember when Nazareth played there. The Windsor Star derided the band as “garbage can rock”. LOL.
Here’s the menu… 45 cents for a rye and coke!
http://windsorthenwindsornow.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/lounge-lizards-walkervilles-metropole-lounge-was-the-in-spot/
My mother worked for Nick Drakich when it was a supper club. They brought in entertainers and when I was a kid I saw the Diamonds do Little Darlin there and they always stuffed a hankerchief in the little tenors mouth after Ya ya ya ya. They had a large US client base at the time.
Was this built as a supper club? It looks like it has more of an industrial building look to it.
Many moons ago I can’t remember the name before The Met but it was referred to as the Farmer’s Roost The farmers delivering grain to Walkers parked in front waiting their turn to unload
I played bass in the band that was backing Larry Santos at the Metropole in 1970