Throwback: Club Charles revisited
Cheryl from Cleveland read my blog about the Club Charles and sent me a couple cool photos. She writes:
I have a photo in a paper frame from Club Charles of my grandparents. It has an interesting scantily clad woman on the front holding a martini.
It looks like it's 1940's. Pretty risque for those times.
Your article will be printed and kept with the photo. My grandparents did live in Baltimore for a time.
I've attached a scanned photo if you're interested ...
The woman in the middle is my grandmother, Virginia MacDonald, and the gentleman on the right (her left) is my grandfather, Donald (both gone now).
I don't know who the dark-haired gentleman is.
Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!
I've been The Baltimore Sun's nightlife and local entertainment reporter for a couple years, and it's surprising how much the scene has grown in that time. Most of Baltimore's bars and clubs are unpretentious places with fairly cheap drinks and plenty of character. I like dancing and think this city needs more clubs, but nothing beats having a cold, locally brewed beer with friends in a comfortably full corner bar.
Comments
That isn't the same club charles. You can see on the card it said charles and preston. Originally club chuck in station north was called the wigwam when joy's mother esther owned it. After the other club charles closed they renamed the wigwam the club charles (i forgot the exact reason or what year they switched). Howver, the two never actually had anything to do with each other.
Posted by: Mike | April 28, 2009 11:16 AM
No offense, but your grandma looks to be getting more cozy with the unidentified dark-haired gentleman
Posted by: Dave the wave | April 28, 2009 3:15 PM
That's some serious history Mike. Good job. When was it called the Wigmwam?
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy – B>) | April 28, 2009 3:53 PM
It was the Wigwam in the 60's I suppose. The next time I go down and see Joy I'll ask her for more specifics. I used to work there and the zodiac for years. Before Esther bought the club it was a crab house. The upper level was where the people would eat on paper covered tables. The zodiac was a paint store and before that it was a dairy or creamery of some sort. Supposedly the window that you see when you're going up the steps towards the bathrooms/kitchen is where the driver of the horse-drawn milk carts would pull to get their delivery tickets.
Posted by: Mike | April 29, 2009 11:07 AM
I believe the one connection between the two CCs was that Esther worked at the Charles and Preston club as a hatcheck girl once upon a time. I guess she liked the name ...
Posted by: Eric | April 29, 2009 11:04 PM