Palumbos

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Palumbo’s
Type Restaurant
Founded 1940, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Headquarters Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Key people Frank Palumbo
Industry Entertainment
Products Food and beverage

Palumbo’s was an entertainment complex in Italian Market section of South Philadelphia, Palumbo’s included a banquet hall, Nostalgia’s Restaurant and the legendary Click Club.[1] The club was owned by local celebrity/businessman/humanitarian Frank Palumbo. Amid unsubstatiated rumors[2][3] of mafia connections, Palumbo expanded a boardinghouse started by his grandfather, Antonio Palumbo into the entertainment complex.[4]

In the 1940s and 1950s, Philadelphia was an important pop music center, with many bands and singers being made or broken in the city.[5] The opulent, art deco Click Club was a significant element in the scene.[5] Frequent performers at the club included Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Louis Armstrong, the Clooney Sisters, Jimmie Durante and numerous others.[6][7][2][5] [8][1] A nightly radio series broadcast concerts from the club, many of which were later released as albums.

Well beyond the club’s heyday, the restaurant remained popular. Sinatra visited the “black tie saloon” frequently[5] and mayor Frank Rizzo spent most evenings there during his rise to power, years in office and beyond.[9]

Palumbo’s was destroyed by fires in 1994. The fires were determined to be arson.[10] The site, marked by an unofficial historical plaque, is now occupied by a chain drug store.[11]

[edit] External links

Philadelphia Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Danny Cedrone. Rockabilly Hall of Fame website.
  2. ^ a b Clooney, Nick. "Saluting 50 years of songs from Rosie", The Cincinnati Post, E. W. Scripps Company, 2003-04-08. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. Archived from the original on 2005-12-04. 
  3. ^ Tomlin, David. "Frank Sinatra, A Thrown Fight, & The Rise of Pop Warner Football", 2007-04-29. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  4. ^ Guerrieri, Matthew J.. "The Neglected Market", 1997. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  5. ^ a b c d Clooney, Nick. "Nightclub debut didn't suit Funsy", The Cincinnati Post, E. W. Scripps Company, 1998-07-15. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. Archived from the original on 2004-11-27. 
  6. ^ Ralph's Has Been A Celebrity Destination for over 100 years. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  7. ^ quotes. The official web site of Louis Prima.
  8. ^ Recommended Rosie...and The Clooney Sisters.
  9. ^ Mitchell, Andrea. "Me and Frank", Philadelphia Weekly, 2005-09-07. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  10. ^ Cipriano, Ralph. "3D ARSON RULED AT PALUMBO'S", The Philadelphia Inquirer, 1994-09-13. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  11. ^ Dubin, Murray (June 1996). South Philadelphia; Mummers, memories, and the Melrose Diner. Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-429-5. 


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