The Forgotten Heyday of Athlete-Owned Bars and Restaurants

February 18, 1935. A star-studded crowd including singer Rudy Vallée, famed defense attorney Edward J. Reilly, and actor William Gaxton, along with 600 eager diners, gathered at a new two-story restaurant on 50th Street and Eighth Avenue, just opposite of the then-location of Madison Square Garden. Guests dined on beluga caviar and Joan Delight, the restaurant’s house dessert, while slugging Gin Rickeys, Clover Clubs, and the Jack Dempsey Knockout, a specialty cocktail served in a souvenir coconut. The article The Forgotten Heyday of Athlete-Owned Bars and Restaurants appeared first on VinePair.