Historic Houston Clubs

[inquiringminds]

Anyone know of a DJ that worked there named Sam? He was mesmerizing. 

[Steve Sternberger]

On 9/9/2019 at 5:17 PM, mollusk said:

Barbary Coast... Bonaparte's Retreat...

 

It's a very good thing that there are no photos of skinny, long haired me in my disco era finery pounding down tequila sunrises at those places. 🕺

 

On 12/6/2013 at 11:46 PM, Mar Michael said:

My favourite bar and dancle club of the 70's was Gilley's

 

On 8/12/2019 at 8:12 AM, Gloria Clark said:

 

I was a bartender in the late 70’s at The Woodhollow Club, Cooter’s, and Lord Jim’s. The Woodhollow Club was disco, and Randy was the DJ. Fond memories! 

I remember Randy. He worked at the fueling Station also. I worked quite a few bars. From Jet Set to Barberry Coast and a lot in between.  

[Steve Sternberger]

On 9/9/2019 at 5:17 PM, mollusk said:

Barbary Coast... Bonaparte's Retreat...

 

It's a very good thing that there are no photos of skinny, long haired me in my disco era finery pounding down tequila sunrises at those places. 🕺

I lived their, danced their and streaked the Barbary Coast. I went to a lot of discos in the 70s

[Steve Sternberger]

On 10/2/2017 at 1:34 PM, msteele6 said:

 

Maybe Napoleon's Retreat at the West Point Apartments??

No, it was the Barberry Coast. I danced and worked  at least at 10 Discos. Owned part of Crazy Banana.

[philoritx]

On 8/11/2021 at 9:49 AM, Steve Sternberger said:

Their was Jet Set club for the swinging couple. I worked for Benard Wishnow.

Barberry Coast I worked at and danced. Napoleon Square. Disco. Bonapartes Retreat disco. I could tell you a lot more.

Bernard was a good friend of mine.  And golf buddy.  I was introduced to my wife by Faye who was a bartender at his "Wish's Club".

[Steve Sternberger]

14 hours ago, philoritx said:

Bernard was a good friend of mine.  And golf buddy.  I was introduced to my wife by Faye who was a bartender at his "Wish's Club".

I worked at Jet Set for about 1 year. I had one of the best times of my life. There were John and ken who use to have wild parties after the club closed

[Wesley]

What about dance Town USA the Vagabond Club the aquarium Club the grand finale Wild West cotton eyed Joe's the bullwhip Silver Wings 10 hullabaloos Hall

[Steve Sternberger]

I did not go to c&w. I was strictly into disco. I owned part of The Crazy Banana, with pete Billac. 

[Suzanne Smith]

Drank a few drinks at Boccaccio 2000 in the 1970s. Did not know it was named after a Fellini movie.  Must have missed that movie. Think this is the bar at which my male drinking companion picked up a transvestite. (Against all my warnings/admonitions that it was a man in those very female clothes.  My drinking companion was so drunk he did not heed my warning.  He left with the transvestite.  I guess my companion found out that she was a he.  I never did inquire of my drinking companion about his experience.  Did not want to embarrass him)

Edited September 26, 2021 by Suzanne Smith
Additional memory of Boccaccio 2000 in early 1970s

[Steve Sternberger]

On 9/9/2019 at 1:23 PM, TerryB007 said:

The club close to Fondren on Westheimer was called the Barbary Coast, I think the apartment complex was the Westpoint Apartments....owned by Harold Farb....Another complex he had in Southwest Houston was Napoleon Square and it had a club called Bonaparte's Retreat....both were great clubs and I spent a lot of time in my early twenties in both clubs..There was also a club in the Galleria area called Foxhunter, a very upscale club that was also very cool, I used to take my girlfriend there and we would dance and have a great time!

 

[Steve Sternberger]

I lived at WestPoint Apartments. Danced at the Barbary Coast and Bonaparte's retreat. A guy and I streaked the Barbary Coast.

[Keith Sample]

I am really enjoying this trip down memory lane. Does anyone remember a little honky Tonk called Champions Ballroom. 

[Steve Sternberger]

No, I was very much into disco in the early to mid 70s. I love going back too. Orchard club, Crazy Banana. Jet

Set club. Bonaparte's Retreat etc.

[S. Stark]

Why in the world has no one mentioned the hottest dance club/ disco Houston had ever seen ?

After Dark @ 6500 Westpark Dr near Hillcroft was simply unmatched in all area.....clientele [ best dancers ], DJ...Ray Rameriz, bartenders.....Bob Hartley, Bruce Glass, Michael Max.

Fashion Shows put together by Tootsie’s Mickey Rosmarin, and top drawer owners Vernon Young & Ben Gentry along with managers and door and floor managers Randy Taylor & Stan Stark. Above all the most beautiful customer women/dancers there every night......Donna Hill, Regina Flores, Scarlet Maegel, Cindy Eisenhauer, Linda Smith, Janice Carbon + + +. 
Regulars had their own reserved parking, reserved tables & assigned waitresses. Parking lot was filled to the max nightly with Corvettes, Jags, Caddies, Lamborginis, Panteras, Aston Martins, etc.

The club dominated other clubs so outlandishly that it was firebombed TWICE by another club’s [ Genesis ]
owners. They were caught after 2nd event & got 30 years !

Hope to hear feedback from anyone lucky enough to have experienced the After Dark phenomenon right here in this column....Best to all ! S Stark

[Steve Sternberger]

After dark opened, I think around late 70s early 80s. I went a few times, but was much more active in the early and mid 70s. I was part owner of Crazy Banana with Pete Billac.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

there was a different club called After Dark in the late 80's/early 90's. It moved 3 times. One location was on Antione just north of Little York, their next was on Dyna Drive where the Pontiac dealer used to be. I think their third was on Mangum near Dacoma, or on Dacoma near Mangum. The guy who owned that one was a Middle Eastern guy named Alex, his monthly UAE oil royalties floated the club

[Steve Sternberger]

We moved from Houston to San Antonio in 83. But I vaguely remember After Dark, the one you were talking about. Did you go to any other discos and did you dance. Houston had a bump contest and I came in second. I can brag about the past, for now I am 73. I moved from Atlanta to Houston in 71. 

 

[dkt]

On 8/26/2014 at 10:13 AM, Purpledevil said:

That's the way I've always heard it too. Another "pressure cooker" club like this is the old "Name Dropper" on Yale, just before Parker Rd. We used to live two blocks away from this little doozy, and our neighbor catty corner from us used to get dressed up in her little tight pants and heels, sache down the street around 11am, then come running back home around 3:30-4, ditch the get up, and be outside to greet her husband in the driveway donning a pair of sweat pants and tennis shoes, when he inevitably showed up at home around 5. My wife caught this going on daily, after we first moved to Parkway in the 90s, got me to start paying attention, then it continued until they subsequently divorced and moved out of the house. Gee, I wonder why?

You never have to worry about the Name Dropper wrecking any more marriages, though. Caught fire and burned to the ground in the early 2000's, only the neon sign remained afterwards. With the widening of Yale last year, even that relic has been removed. There's very little trace of the ol' Dropper left now.

I hung out there also, but I wasn't married. The Oilers hung there for a while also, that is where I met the love of my life.

[Hey Bartender]

I have collection of most of these clubs matchbooks, including Todd's, Elan, Ciao, Rodeo, Cody's Corky's, Cooters etc. Message me if you would like a copy. 

[Hey Bartender]

Blast from the past. I worked for McFadden. Todd's for 5 years. 

[Steve Sternberger]

I remember Elans. I think we use to play backgammon in their.

[Jenny Bechtel]

Moved to Houston right after college in 1980 and my first memory of clubbing was the San Antone Rose located in a strip center at the SE corner of Voss and San Felipe.

[roadkingdude]

On 5/14/2021 at 10:54 AM, E Baron said:

It was Bonaparte's Retreat at the Napolean Square Apartments. I lived there for a year. 1979.  It was across the street from The Orchard Club at the Orchard Apartments. 

Anyone know the recipe for their Singapore Slings, my future wife and I used to drink those there all the time ($1.00) ea 72-73

[annamaniac99]

anyone remember a place called Judges in 70s or early 80s? Where was it and what kind of crowd?

[G.Bridges]

Back in the late 1980's and early 90's we trucked Oklahoma wheat to Houston. Channel view and Galena Park. I was very young but remember the Harbor Lights on McCarty st. Pretty rough area. And I remember the Vagabond motel and lounge north of Houston on I-45. Those were some wild times.

[Mary McPherson]

Anybody know Michael's last name owner of the Pink puppy Cat in 1973

[Mary McPherson]

The Pink puppy Cat is the name I meant.  Need the owners last name in 1973

It won't let me spell it right pussycat

[Steve Sternberger]

I was very active in the 70s club business and I never heard of it in Houston.

 

[Terranova]

On 4/30/2016 at 8:48 PM, belmontdrew said:

My mom was telling me about a disco club that was on West Alabama Street near the Galleria and she and my dad can't remember the name of it.  Anyone remember?  Please help us solve this mystery..haha!  Thanks!

 

Oh yeah, and does anyone know where the 80's club called "Wave's" was?  I am thinking it may have been somewhere on/near the Richmond strip.  
YES IT WAS ON WESTHEIMER NEAR CHIMMY ROCK. My band played there back in the 80’s

 

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

10 hours ago, Terranova said:

Oh yeah, and does anyone know where the 80's club called "Wave's" was?  I am thinking it may have been somewhere on/near the Richmond strip.  
YES IT WAS ON WESTHEIMER NEAR CHIMMY ROCK. My band played there back in the 80’s

Yep, it was near Cardi's, and didn't last nearly as long.

 

Your band played everywhere.
I miss Brad.