Pudge’s
Pudge’s Cocktail Lounge and Supper Club opened on October 15, 1968, underneath the Lucky Lanes Bowling Alley at 2155 Ford Parkway (at Cretin) in Highland Park, St. Paul.
The bowling alley had opened in 1953 with 16 lanes; 8 more were added in 1958.
“Pudge” was Kit Hymanson, who opened the place at the tender age of 25. Pudge also/eventually owned the bowling alley as well, with his brother Dennis S. Hymanson.
In December 1969, thanks to a report of a robbery, we learn that the manager’s name was Ron Lancett. Details of that incident were sketchy, with reports of the take ranging from $6,500 to $8,000 to $25,000. Also, did Pudge get hit on the head once or four times by the robber? Were there two or three of them? And first reports gave Ron’s name as Robert. Take your pick!
One thing we do know is that in 1969 the club had jazz jam sessions on Sundays, and on the night of the robbery the place was filled to capacity (the paper said 400 people), which is pretty good for jazz. In 1970, the Bobby Lyle Express was a frequent entertainer.
The rest of the week the club featured local rock groups; some of them mentioned in the paper were Sterling, Kalidescope, and Sterling. Fans especially remember two of Jiggs Lee’s bands, Cain and Fragile.
The club was remembered by “Drink and Sink” Monday nights: for a $3.00 cover, drinks were a dime!
DISCO DAYS
Disco hit town and Pudge’s was right there with lessons, light shows, and a stainless steel dance floor. Here’s a combination dance exhibition/fashion show put on by Powers at Pudge’s:
More on this when I read the articles…
ALL THINGS MUST PASS
In 1973 the drinking age was reduced to 18. Pudge’s eventually became maybe too popular, served too much alcohol, and its patrons became too rowdy – if not in the bar, in its environs. All sorts of bad behavior was making the neighbors angry, from public urination, public copulation, littering, fighting, window-peeping, and just plain late night noise. Police were called to the club, and finally the jig was up.
On August 11, 1982, the St. Paul City Council revoked the liquor license of Pudge’s, effectively putting it out of business. Pudge claimed that this action would wipe him out – with no liquor license he couldn’t sell the place, and he estimated a potential loss of $500,000. He took the action to the Ramsey County District Court for review of the decision. A temporary restraining order allowed the club to stay open while the action was reviewed. On October 15, 1982, the Court upheld the Council’s decision, ruling that the Council’s action “was not arbitrary or capricious and was supported by substantial evidence.” Pudge’s attorney appealed the decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
But before the Minnesota Supreme Court reached its decision, tragedy struck. On November 10, 1982, Pudge, still only a young man at 39, was found dead at his home on Kenwood Parkway. The autopsy determined that he had committed suicide by ingesting two kinds of barbituates. He lived alone and his belongings were sold at an estate sale.
On January 24, 1983, the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the decision of the lower court. The club had to close.
Pudge’s legacy, the club that had meant so much to so many young people for the past 14 years, closed as its liquor license expired on January 31, 1983. Lines were long that January day as people waited in line to get in for their last chance to see the site of so many adventures. From the comments on Facebook, there must be thousands of people out there with fond memories of “Drink and Sink,” Cain, and those disco nights. Let’s lift our glasses and drink a toast to Pudge.
The bowling alley stayed open until 1985. The building is now owned by Fairview.
2016 Photo