I came across this large bumper sticker stuck on a street light on Leonard and it jogged a long forgotten memory.
I don't remember much about the place except that it existed during the late 90s on this street... I want to say it was in the space where One Man's Junk is right now. Apparently it was a coffee bar that was sort of a teen hangout, like the West Side equivalent of "Music Expresso" or something. "Later mom and dad, I'm going to go hang out at Big Melons!"
I had never felt like going in the place myself but with a name like that, it always got my attention if I'd go past.
Why was it called that? Just to make you look? I'm thinking the sign actually had illustrations of watermelons on it. Did employees there have well-endowed breastesses? Maybe somebody can fill us in on the details. The world is waiting to know the secrets of Big Melons.
I also seem to remember hearing this place was run by the same dude who had run Club 911 before they closed. Did he happen to have large man boobs?
It's a bit sad that nobody came forth with some info on this. I know I wanted to know!
ReplyDelete-The Beckwith
It was a coffe joint with watresses sporting large assets. Kind of like the coffe bar version of hooters. It didn't last long. Controversy over the discrimination of hiring only large endowed women promptly closed the doors.
ReplyDeleteThe owners closed it due to the amount of hood rats giving everyone a hard time. There were no waitresses
Deletewell I know for sure it wasn't in the One man's junk building (Tim's my friend)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure it was in 474 Leonard.
The girls didn't need big melons at all I knew a few that worked there
This place was started by Steve Butler, who used to be the manager of Club 911.
ReplyDeleteAre you Nick Vesota?
DeleteWasn't it also a pool hall? 9 Ball or something? I had some good times at Big Melons back then. Probably around 1995 or so...
ReplyDeleteIt was a small pool hall. I don't recall it being a coffee house of any sort. I used to frequent it in my teens (mid 90's)
ReplyDeleteI also don't remember any women with "big melons" working there.
It was a small pool hall with a coffee bar. They never hired well endowed waitstaff of wither gender. The name was just an attention getter.
ReplyDeleteI used to hang out there in 2001-2002. Steve Butler owned/managed it then. It was a pool hall/coffee bar. People played pool and listened to music on the juke box. Steve was the only person working there when I hung out there every Friday and Saturday nights after skating back in 2001-2002. It had nothing to do with discrimination or hiring big titted woman bcu that's not true. His business slowed down and there was under age drinking and people mixing booze in their pop and the owner got in trouble. I was there on the last night it was opened.
ReplyDeleteBlack Rose.. Great memories
Deletelol, I was wondering when someone would mention the Black Rose.
DeleteAround 97-98, there was an underground dance party in the back portion of the building on Fridays and/or Saturdays (usually both, but it varied). But then fighting started happening and eventually Steve B kicked us out for good.
ReplyDeleteThe end was when someone threw someone else through the plate glass at the front of Big Melons...
DeleteBlack Rose night
ReplyDeleteClub was in the back of Big Melons.. Miss those days!
Me too. I wonder if we ever actually met/interacted. I was there most nights and was bringing a huge plastic tub full of CDs. Most of it was stuff we never played, but a number of them were. I wish I had copies of the mixes we played. I only have a copy of the Purple Poppies mix because I cleaned up the silent spot between Jenny Says and Tainted Love. (Though the file I have still has the silent spot)
DeleteAny chance of sharing the mix?
ReplyDeleteMy dad bought big melons around 1997 after selling top of the rock
ReplyDeleteWith his partner Stev.B
DeleteFuck,steve*
ReplyDelete