In a small house on the edge of town, up on the Weaverville Highway, there was a place called Margaret’s Steakhouse that operated from the 1940s until sometime in the ’70s. Margaret and her husband, Fleming, had converted their living room and dining room into an unbelievable little restaurant/club complete with a jukebox.
Now, Margaret knew how to cook a steak, and the world lusted for her complete recipe, which she never gave away. What I do know is that she first pan-seared the steak and then baked it in the oven. One of her key spices was nutmeg, and the final product made Ruth’s Chris steaks taste like they came from McDonald’s.
If you were a regular, you could also get a cocktail from the back room. The most exciting beverage sold there was Flem’s Cherry Bounce, made from pure corn whiskey and some combination of cherries. Oh, it went down so smooth, but the bounce came when you tried to walk down the steps on the way out.
Margaret’s was considered a great trysting place for those who wished to hide their little clandestine affairs. Margaret was very discreet, but one always took the chance that someone they knew was doing the same thing they were doing — or, worse, that their married friends would suddenly decide to go slumming that night.
The Caribou Club on Caribou Road was a great dance hall, and the young adult crowd flocked there. Ernest Hunnicutt ran a strict joint: Ladies were not allowed to wear pants (a new fad); it had to be either a dress or a skirt. But since this meant that most wore high heels, once inside they would change into little folding dancing slippers that they carried in their purse.
Ernest sort of subsidized this place with a little bookmaking and tip board sales in the front office.
In the late ’30s and ’40s, there was a swimming pool at the southwest corner of Beaver Lake. They had a pavilion there with a rocking jukebox, where folks danced and drank a little beer. I think pollution shut down the swimming pool, and the neighbors shut down the bar.
Jake Rusher ran the Royal Pines for many years, a very popular dance hall and swimming pool off Sweeten Creek Road. I remember that most of our Lee Edwards senior class went there after graduation. I don’t know what the legal age for alcohol was, but I am certain that we big-shot high school graduates exercised our rite of passage that night.
The Grove Park Inn terrace was elegant, popular with tourists and the carriage trade. They featured very good bands and expensive food. But if you wanted a drink, you still had to inelegantly carry in one or more bottles of liquor in a brown bag.
The most famous black nightclub was Doll’s on Beaumont Street. Black people were, of course, not admitted to white clubs, but white folks flocked to Doll’s as she had the best fried chicken in the kingdom. If by some chance you forgot to go by the ABC store or ran out of booze, Doll could always be counted on as a source of reliable supply.
The ABC enforcement officers knew she was selling and periodically raided the place, trying to find her stash of hooch, without success. Finally an undercover officer made a couple of buys and noticed that the bottle was always extremely cold: Doll was keeping it under the false bottom of her freezer box. BUSTED!
But if one wishes to stagger further down memory lane, one might also recall some of the other clubs and honky-tonks that kept us from getting bored here in “Sin City.”
There was the Casa Loma club, on top of the Plaza Theater downtown, which rocked all night. There was The Cat and the Fiddle and the Rathskellar, in the Tunnel Road shopping center. Buck Buchanan opened a great club with outstanding food next to his famous restaurant on Tunnel Road.
The Battery Park Hotel also had fine dining, and if one forgot his bottle, a subtle negotiation with a bellman would make one magically appear.
In response to my writings about our pristine Sin City, many kind readers have told me some great stories about our golden days of debauchery.
One of the best came from a friend who told me he went with his daddy to the Smoko gas station on Patton Avenue, where Ingles is now. He noticed a bunch of old, worn-out ladies’ purses hanging on the wall and, below them, a rack of worn-out automobile tires. After they left the store, he asked his daddy why they had those old pocketbooks and tires for sale and who would want to buy them.
His daddy told him that lots of people bought them because there was a gift inside. Each pocketbook contained a pint of moonshine, and each tire had a quart of it.
Now, I don’t care who you are: That is creative marketing.
Next time, we’ll talk about the world-famous Sky Club that many of you have been asking about.
Until then, Happy New Year.
During my senior year at Asheville High I went on a first date with Jane Montgomery [her father was mayor of Asheville then] to the Royal Pines and it was a place I loved. They did not check ID for age and also had many great bands and dancing was encouraged. Their deal was that they did not sell alcohol they sold “mixers” which were non-alcoholic different kinds of sodas and ice for high prices for the time. Thanks ,for this piece it brought back some fond memories.
Delightful. When I moved to Westrt in 1965 a big drinking town but by law ladies were not allowed to sit at the bar. And all bars had to have picture windows so the cops could check that no ladies were at the bar without coming in. Crazy stuff!
Happy New Yer!
I remember all those places described by Jerry Sternberg. I thought he might have left out a few, including one big rocking supper club for brown-baggers way out in Fairview, the Riverboat Lounge way down on the French Broad between Asheville and Marshall, and the Trail’s End up on Beaucatcher. I remember the Sky Club well too, and chef Nino Bergamo and his two pretty daughters. The Chez Paul on Merrimon was another great debauch. Country boys called it the “cheese paul.”
I can also recall some great true stories about those places, including a brawl at Doll’s on Beaumont, and Pete Cole shooting up the Casa Loma, and some gamblers sticking up a card game and running off with Forrest Beachboard’s legs. When you were growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, you knew where all the naughty places were; you knew about Water St. and the other bootlegger on 25-70, and the Glenrock Hotel on Depot St. and the Town Tavern downtown owned by the little old lady, Mrs. Jones, at the wrestling matches, who would rush the ring and throw her purse when a dirty blow was struck against her favorite wrestler. You knew about all the AmVets clubs where nobody ever got carded, and where the whisky was hidden. And you knew where all the card games were. Some of those sinful attractions existed on up into the 70’s. Lots of “growing-up” stories in those days.
I remember back in the early 60s, if some of dad and mom’s drinking friends dropped in on a Sunday, he knew where several bootleggers were. One bootlegger lady lived in Newbridge just past Beaver Lake, behind the Greek Restaurant, I think they called her Vilula…also Roy’s Package store on Riverside Drive sold it and baseball pool tickets in the back. lol
My friend and I used to go to the Casa Loma Club from Valdese NC . We would meet up with our friends from Roan Mountain TN and the party was on . What great memories we all ways had a great time dancing , drinking making new friends . Of course there was all ways some body looking for trouble . You know the kind 3 beers and they where supper man , but it didn’t take long to put him out the door with his noise a little to one side . but all in all what a great place . Thank You , this article has brought back some great memories , even though most of my old friends are no longer with us you have brought a smile to this old mans face . Thank You
I remember going to the Casa Loma Club drove from Valdese NC with a friend to meet up with a crew we knew from Rome Mountain TN . What a time we would have , dancing and sampling the local brew . All in all just a great bunch of people having a good time . Once in a while some body would try to ruin the atmosphere , you know there is one in ever crowd , but a quick trip to the rest room and his noise bent a little to one side he was ready to go . I have to say I made many good friends , but I am sad to say I am the only one left of our old crowd . A good friend is some one to cherish . Life is a blessing that goes all to fast I have lived my life to the max with out causing anyone any grief to the best of my knowledge . I miss the old days .
I’m a native of Asheville, grew up in North Asheville. I remember those clubs, even though I was too young to attend them in their day…I remember Margaret’s restaurant being called, “Margaret’s Supper Club”. My mother was told by her father in law, who was a locksmith back in the day, that Margaret’s Supper Club had a hidden room for gambling. Was probably in the 1950s. I do remember going to Royal Pines Pool when I was little and my older brother went to the Pines dance hall quite a bit.
back in the 60s and early 70s I went to the caribou club a few times seems like every time I went someone got shot or stabbed or getting into fights guess that’s tipical for a rough night club wasn’t that nice either pretty rough police were there all the time but it was like that at most of the night clubs docs rock shop and cozmic ball room etc don’t live in Asheville anymore got tired of the politics and constant annexation for one thing now you practically have to be a millionaire to live there no thanks not interested
My Grandfather Cass Miller owned the Casa Loma before and during WW II, My dad Bill Miller also worked with his dad there for a few years after the war.
Jerry,
When I was a little kid in the 40’s, my mom worked at a supper club, I think just South of town
up on top of a little hill. I thought the name was something like Oosterhout’s. Can you or
anyone confirm. A couple owned the place and I remember my mom loved them. She was a
cashier and occasionally sang with the band. Maybe I have the name wrong. Thanks.
Very nice article! Thank you!
Anyone remember the Hideaway Club? Was on Tunnel Rd., close to Babe Maloys.
Aw yes! Wondered what happened to it. Kinda rough club though. Knives. Stabbings. Only went few times and once got thrown out for certain dancing. Would sure like to connect some of those who also lived in the Moorehead house with me in the early ‘70’s
Those were all great clubs back in the day.
Who recalls a club named “Captain Billy & The Bulls”?
It was on 19/23 west just before it goes under I-40