March 1963
The Saratoga Hotel, Cafe and Bar (right) and other business along the south side of Superior Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues West, March 1963. (News-Tribune file photo)
I’m not familiar with the history of the various incarnations of the Saratoga, but I assume this establishment on Superior Street in the old “Bowery” district is a forerunner of today’s Club Saratoga in Canal Park. All the buildings in the photo above were razed during the Gateway redevelopment project in the mid-1960s; is that when the Saratoga moved to its present location? Post a comment if you know.
The other businesses on the block, heading east (left) from the Saratoga, are Dove Clothing and Shoes, Zien’s Grill, Green’s Crystal Terrace nightclub, the 5th Avenue Hotel and the Spalding Hotel.
Here is another view from the same day, from a different angle:
I like the Saratoga Hotel sign in the window – here’s a close-up view:
I think it says a lot about a hotel when “Yale locks on every door” is a selling point – but that’s just me.
For more photos of Duluth’s long-gone Bowery, click here. For more about the Spalding Hotel, seen in the top photo, click here, here, here and here.
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I loved the old club Saratoga on Superior St. I once worked at webc radio and we would walk there from the station on 4th avenue west & Superior Street. There was a very long bar, stretching from the front to the rear. Many seamen frequented as their boats were docked in the harbor. The place was always packed. We would sometimes have to wait for a stool at the bar.It was a place straight out of a Daymon Runyon novel. We could smell the beer on the sidewalk as we approached.No one ever asked for our ID. Good thing.
“The final answer Regis is…The old Club Saratoga was owned by Bob Garasha until his death in 1980. It was purchased by Jim Bujold, a retired Duluth Police Officer, from Bob’s widow. It was located on the current site of the Endion Station to the North of the previous Canal Park Inn (now Canal Park Lodge). Due to highway construction the business was moved to it’s current location in or about 1986 with most of the decor, including the original bar, following it. Of particular note are the glass backlit panels above the office that are from Green’s Crystal Terrace, scavanged by Bob Garasha prior to its demolition in the late 60′s or early 70′s. The business was closed for approximately 1 year prior to re-opening in 1987 as construction of the new Club was done by Jim & two of his sons.
I came to Duluth in 1968 with the US Air Force and still live here in downtown Duluth.
When I got here, one of the guys was going with a go-go dancer from the original Mr. Pete’s, on the Lyric block (Holiday Inn now). She and her roommate had an apartment down on Park Point and he and I used to meet her at the Saratoga, where her roommate danced, and give his girlfriend a ride up to Mr. Pete’s.
Deb’s post is right. The Saratoga at that time was next to what was the Holiday Inn, later the Park Inn. I believe the club was co-owned by a Mr. McNamara who was a liquor salesman and a Duluth Police officer, perhaps Jim Bujold? I don’t recall that for certain, though. I don’t recall exactly when the ‘toga moved to where it is now, but it has a great tradition of jazz over the years.
One other place that used to have some great country jam sessions at that time was Freddy’s, or the Town Pump, on First Street.
John McNamara was my Dad and he never owned the Saratoga. The Saratoga was owned by Bob Garasha for man, many years.
There was that oldtimer who drove a pickup truck with a flashing lighted sign “Girls Girls Girls” downtown on superior st and as far as 26th ave east on london road – we threw our share of snowballs at that truck. I was in the Old Saratoga when the ship Socrates ran aground in the mid 80s the floor was flooded and yes it sat at the bottom of 1st ave east below michigan st. across the railroad tracks and moved to its present location shortly after.
As long as I can remember, the Saratoga Club has been in or near its present location. At least since the mid-60s. It has always been in the business it is still in — dancers. I don’t believe there was any connection with the Saratoga Hotel and Bar. I say that because I vaguely remember the Saratoga Club being where it is now, way back in the late ’50s and the early 60s when I accompanied my father to various wholesale food and business suppliers located in that area on the old Masabi Street (I believe it was replaced with I35) and Railroad/Commerce Street. In the mid-1960s I worked in the building that was bordered by Superior Street, Michigan Street, and Lake Avenue, and the Saratoga Club was there at that time.
I don’t exactly remember when the buildings on Superior Street west of 5th Ave., west, and below Superior Street, but that whole area was torn up for quite some time. It was still torn up when the “new” buildings were being built in that area.
Many people lived at the Saratoga, just like they did at many other hotels in Duluth and Superior until sometime in the 60s. There were a number of rooms with kitchens. I can’t remember what some of the other similar hotels were in Duluth, but in Superior there was the Androy and another at about 5th and Tower — and I think that is where Superior’s Saratoga Cab Company (mentioned by Jon W below) operated from. In East End Superior there was the Almo Hotel at 23nd and 5th Street (where the Super One is now located) that was home to many families.
I don’t know anything about the Saratoga….but I do have a story or two about Duluth.
I have a very old photo of my great-grandparents in front of their log home. It sat right in the heart of what is now down-town Duluth! Back then it was the country….
Also, back in the late 1930′s, grandpa lived ‘up the hill’ in Proctor. My Aunt Lorraine’s appendix burst, it was snowing and my grandparents had aboodle of kids and NO car. My grandpa carried Lorraine in his arms down the hill to Duluth. And she lived!
I remeber when it was by the Park Inn and the bar inside was Schooner’s Beach club.
I remember when it was by the Park Inn which had Schooner’s Beach club.
The original Club Saratoga was in the Canal Park area in the 70′s and 80′s, then was torn down to make room for a Hotel, (I don’t remember which one), they then opened the present one including moving the old antique wooden phone booth in the corner. I don’t remember the one on Superior Street as I was too young in the 60′s.
The Saratoga were it sits now is the old duluth spring co. The Club or (office or ballet) as we know it use to be down by Holiday Inn or Park Inn. I think it closed 85 or 86 to make room for the freeway. The new Club opened about a year later.
I don’t know about the bowery and the sixties location, but in the mid 80′s the club saratoga was located approximately where they relocated endion station in canal park now sits (east of lake avenue). that building was torn down due to the freeway expansion, i seem to recall a story in the news tribune (mid 80′s) about them saving the bar (and some other decor) from that location for placement in the new (present day) location.
Don’t know anything about the Saratoga Hotel or its link if any to the current Club Saratoga. However that was a fairly common business name. There was a Saratoga Cafe in Superior and my Grandfather owned the Saratoga Cab Company in Superior. The Saratoga Cab Company was no related to any of the other businesses carrying that name. Saratoga Cab was sold in the late 60′s to Yellow Cab in Superior and the name was used for awhile but faded out sometime in the 70′s.
Hi Jon:
When I was a toddler I took Sunday drives with my mother and her parents. We’d stop in Superior where my grandpa would take me into the Saratoga Bar where he’d have a beer and I’d get an orange soda and a pickled hotdog. The ladies would wait out in the car (maybe not pc, but old school). I recall it was right on tower next to some railroad tracks. You recall/know anything about the place?