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Old restaurants, pubs, nightclubs in Victoria


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#301 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 11 May 2017 - 02:08 PM

Bounced at Merlin's periodically; a fun club in its heyday. Bit of a s*** show though since the manager was one of Duncan Morrison's close cronies, and involved in various activities of dubious legality. We definitely experienced a few interesting late nights there when certain unsavory elements showed up at closing one night in particular - 6 guys in a van, baseball bats in hand - looking for the manager and, indirectly, Morrison. Fun times!

 

Guy called Louie, right?  Was the manager there forever.  Moved to Quesnel.


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#302 AllseeingEye

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Posted 11 May 2017 - 02:51 PM

/\....no not Louie, although I knew him well.

 

Not going to name the individual inasmuch as far as I am aware he was never formally charged with anything in spite of the fact he dabbled in and had more illicit "pharmaceuticals" at his disposal than Roche, Novartis or Pfizer. That - the supposed "non-payment for goods received" - was what prompted the visit in the wee hours by the boys in the van.

 

He was Morrison's Number Two way back when DM was still controlling the old Dominion Hotel and actively knee deep partying weekends away at New York, New York in the 'guest room' upstairs.


Edited by AllseeingEye, 11 May 2017 - 02:54 PM.

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#303 Mike K.

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Posted 21 October 2017 - 11:10 AM

The Cambie in Esquimalt will shut down this Sunday - http://victoria.citi...ts-this-sunday/


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#304 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 18 April 2018 - 03:15 PM

1975, Monday Magazine.

 

30739316_10155238050395894_1342109178998


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<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#305 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 19 April 2018 - 05:57 PM

30740429_1882760385076958_32786895832099


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#306 Serena1999

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Posted 06 June 2018 - 08:10 AM

If my memory serves me correctly there were two clubs. One was the Tillicum Club located upstairs on the south side of Johnson Street in the 600 block not far from Douglas Street. I think there was a men's clothing store (edit added Dorman's) ........memory flash.......on the ground floor. I knew the manager there and was able to get a membership with my medical card that had my birth date altered. These were the days when 21 was the age of majority.

The other club was on Langley street in what is now part of Bastion Square. It was officially called the "British Public Schools" club. Also nicknamed "The Jokers Club" I am a bit fuzzy here. (too much liquor at a young age) I obtained a membership there also while underage as the bartender used to live behind the gas station where I worked on Cordova Bay at Parker Avenue. His name was Ted Floor. Hell of a guy.

So, after hours of drinking illegally, we used to go the the basement of the Royal Olympic hotel and play pool. This place looked like it came out of an old movie. Cigars and Fedoras, with tiled walls.

The only "Bicycle Club" that I remember was "The Birmingham Bicycle Club" which was located in a corner of the Old Forge, where the slot car track used to be.

I probably have some of this wrong, but it might be pretty close. Anyone care to add some accuracy?

Hello! (If anyone is still posting or reading here) First post, and first time ever reading anything about the 'British Public Schools Club.' Two uncles of mine, owned this club, so I was told many years ago. My mother was involved in the club as well. I remember the stories about the bottle holders underneath the tables. I was also told that they owned the Sirocco club.  I'm looking for any information, as the family has all passed on, and I have an interest in this history. I'm thinking it would be in the 1940's and / or later when my mother was involved in the club. Uncles would be around that time and beyond.  My grandfather has his address listed in the old online phone book as 1218 Langley Street, which is the British Public Schools Club. Could someone live in that building as well? Finding his address, somehow got me to this forum yesterday.  Why was it called the British Public Schools Club?  Odd name isn't it for a club?? If anyone has any info on the Sirocco Club, I'd be interested in that as well, or if you can point me in the right direction. Its been an interesting read here.  Thanks if anyone can provide any info on those two clubs, and old, old past ownership. Cheers all!


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#307 Rob Randall

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Posted 06 June 2018 - 04:25 PM

In 1965 a fellow named Kenneth was the proprietor of the British Public Schools Club on Langley Street. It seems to have been a popular meeting place for various local clubs and societies from the 40s to the 60s.

 

Capture.JPG

 

 

 


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#308 Sparky

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Posted 06 June 2018 - 05:34 PM

^^ Firstly welcome to VibrantVictoria Serena1999. The club you are searching for was called "Club Sirocco". I used to play in a couple of bands there over the years as it morphed into Club Tango and the Stardust Caberet.

Here is a little history on the place.

http://livevictoria....urce/14582/view

Rob you are quite the sleuth with finding old articles aren't you. I hope you can't find my train robbery story.

#309 Love the rock

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Posted 06 June 2018 - 10:39 PM

^^ Firstly welcome to VibrantVictoria Serena1999. The club you are searching for was called "Club Sirocco". I used to play in a couple of bands there over the years as it morphed into Club Tango and the Stardust Caberet.
Here is a little history on the place.
http://livevictoria....urce/14582/view
Rob you are quite the sleuth with finding old articles aren't you. I hope you can't find my train robbery story.

Is this the same place they called the purple onion ?

#310 Sparky

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Posted 07 June 2018 - 04:47 AM

^ Yes

http://livevictoria....urce/14575/view

#311 Rob Randall

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Posted 07 June 2018 - 06:05 AM

 I hope you can't find my train robbery story.

 

The archives only go back to 1865.


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#312 Love the rock

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Posted 07 June 2018 - 07:48 AM

So I’m a little confused first club tango then a name change to purple onion ?
Did it change ownership ?
The print add you posted seemed to have both names on the same page .
I can’t seem to make out much in the article.
What years was this ?

#313 Sparky

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Posted 07 June 2018 - 08:57 AM

^ Too much drugs and alcohol to remember.

Those of us that were there at the time are lucky to still be here. Those that aren’t..... don’t care.

Clubs in those days came, went, changed hands, changed operators, changed names, changed banks, and god knows what else.

Some of my favorite memories were around the time that the Mafia showed up in Victoria when they were building Central Station.

That club eventually secumbed to a bad case of economic combustion.
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#314 Rob Randall

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Posted 02 October 2018 - 06:01 PM

This classic Strathcona Hotel stained glass sign is in the Lunds auction tonight:

 

sting.jpg


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#315 AllseeingEye

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Posted 02 October 2018 - 06:58 PM

If that old pane of glass could only talk. Boy this brings back some memories (also more than a few nights where its a very good thing where certain memory cells are long_gone & fried).


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#316 Rob Randall

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Posted 03 October 2018 - 12:56 PM

Glen Moffard on the bars of the Strath, including The Sting:

 

https://vibrantvicto...ctoria/?p=99052

 

TC story on the time Paul Newman went to see what the deal was with a club named after the movie he did with Robert Redford:

 

https://www.pressrea...281981783406434



#317 AllseeingEye

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Posted 03 October 2018 - 04:40 PM

/\.....any idea how much $$$ the old thing fetched at the auction??



#318 Sparky

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Posted 03 October 2018 - 04:49 PM

If that old pane of glass could only talk. Boy this brings back some memories (also more than a few nights where its a very good thing where certain memory cells are long_gone & fried).

 

You'll have to speak up!


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#319 Victoria Memories

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Posted 06 October 2018 - 12:45 AM

This site has been a great find, bringing back a ton of memories.   Victoria in the mid-late '70s was a lively place for those who enjoyed the music/dance scene as I did.  My friends and I were young then and enjoyed our nights on the town. 

 

The Strathcona Hotel was a regular haunt . . . 

  • The Old Forge with the Brothers Forbes was the first place I attended when I moved to Victoria at 18years old.  I would go there after an evening shift of work and dance the night away with my friends. 
  • The Sting - good music  - it later became known as a bit of a "meat market" 
  • Cuckoo's Nest was fun (we got the whole dance floor doing high kicks one night - just for laughs) 
  • Big Bad John's - one had to be on guard as spiders or other plastic bugs may suddenly descend on you while you were in deep conversation.   All were great fun - each had a different vibe.
  • Surfside Cabaret brought in live bands - I knew most of the operatives at the time . . . , though I was too naive to be truly aware of what was going on at the time, there were some dubious characters - it makes sense to learn the club was owned by the "Bounty Hunters" . . .  the local motorcycle gang.  
  • The Red Lion Pub is a place I haven't yet seen mentioned.  It had canned music and a DJ -   I can't recall his name but he was tall (very tall), dark and handsome.  Fun but there could be trouble as well.  Fights.  They were very popular at one point however with lineups waiting to get in and a small cover fee. 
  • The Paint Cellar was fun (in the basement of the Empress). . . disco (Saturday Night Fever was just out) was big at the time and the entire crowd would all fall in line with the appropriate dance moves.  Ha ha. 
  • The Sherwood Pub was popular.  Nurses from the Gorge Road Hospital would go after work on occasion, and sometimes even take a (geriatric) patient to break their boredom of hospital living. 
  • I recall going to New York New York when I was 23 and feeling like an old lady . . . the majority of its clientele was around 19/20  at that time  -  the one and only time I went.  
  • Friends worked and managed "The Crown and I"  so it became a great place to sit and socialize with friends.
  • Bartholomew's,  was on Courtenay Street I believe and a great place where the girls and I would meet after work on occasion.  

There was also a place in the Ingraham Hotel though I can't recall the name. Just a big room with tables from what I can recall. . .  Not a place I visited more than a couple of times over a space of several years - not my taste. 

 

Crazy when one thinks back to all the places one attended over the course of the 70s. . . it was quite the decade. 


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#320 Mike K.

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Posted 07 October 2018 - 02:56 PM

Fantastic first post, VM!


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