General Ohio University Discussion/Alumni Events Topic
Topic: Tell me about The Red Room
Page: 1 of 1
akamilkcat
General User
A
Member Since: 12/20/2019
Post Count: 1
person
mail
akamilkcat
mail
Posted: 12/20/2019 12:38 PM
My parents met while attending OU in the late 60s and I'm collecting stories and photos for their 50th wedding anniversary. My dad always talks about The Red Room where he tended bar for a while. I can't find any info online, but wonder if anyone can tell me about it or has photos/stories to share from that era? Thanks!
rpbobcat
General User
R
Member Since: 4/28/2006
Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
Post Count: 3,659
person
mail
rpbobcat
mail
Posted: 12/20/2019 1:04 PM
This is going purely from memory.

When I was O.U. in the early/mid 70's,there was a building on the
road that went around the New South Green.

Looking at an old campus map it calls it Lakeview Community Center.

It had a Pizza Hut and a couple of other stores.

I think it also had some type bar.
For reason "Red Room" comes to mind.

Hope this points you in the right direction.
shabamon
General User
Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 7,298
mail
shabamon
mail
Posted: 12/20/2019 2:28 PM
According to this page, there was a bar called the Red Ram.

http://athensohiobars.com/defunct-bars
Alan Swank
General User
AS
Member Since: 12/12/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,375
person
mail
Alan Swank
mail
Posted: 12/20/2019 2:32 PM
akamilkcat wrote:expand_more
My parents met while attending OU in the late 60s and I'm collecting stories and photos for their 50th wedding anniversary. My dad always talks about The Red Room where he tended bar for a while. I can't find any info online, but wonder if anyone can tell me about it or has photos/stories to share from that era? Thanks!
Lou can tell you all about it. He and some of his friends have occassional Red Room reunions.
Spid71
General User
S71
Member Since: 12/29/2019
Location: Navarre, OH
Post Count: 2
person
mail
Spid71
mail
Posted: 12/29/2019 4:25 PM
I was at OU in the late sixties. The Red Room was in a building past the Lakeview Apartments. I believe the building recently has been owned by a church. Fraternity brothers were in a bans called Harper January St Joan. They played there every week, Wednesday night I think. Played until one finals week when they assumed they were not scheduled, but management had other ideas. Did not play there after that. The bar and dance floor were at the top floor.

The Red Ram was a great but short lived bar that was located in one of the alleys in town.

Hope this helps.
rpbobcat
General User
R
Member Since: 4/28/2006
Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
Post Count: 3,659
person
mail
rpbobcat
mail
Posted: 12/29/2019 7:11 PM
Spid71 wrote:expand_more
I was at OU in the late sixties. The Red Room was in a building past the Lakeview Apartments. I believe the building recently has been owned by a church. Fraternity brothers were in a bans called Harper January St Joan. They played there every week, Wednesday night I think. Played until one finals week when they assumed they were not scheduled, but management had other ideas. Did not play there after that. The bar and dance floor were at the top floor.

The Red Ram was a great but short lived bar that was located in one of the alleys in town.

Hope this helps.
Did that building have a Pizza Place in it too ?
Spid71
General User
S71
Member Since: 12/29/2019
Location: Navarre, OH
Post Count: 2
person
mail
Spid71
mail
Posted: 12/30/2019 9:19 AM
I don't remember a pizza place, but that doesn't mean there wasn't one.
oldkatz
General User
O
Member Since: 12/22/2004
Post Count: 1,461
person
mail
oldkatz
mail
Posted: 12/30/2019 9:53 AM
There was a Pizza Hut, a bank, a convenience store called the Short Stop, and the grand dame was the Red Room upstairs (both a restaurant and a bar). In addition, upstairs there were bowling lanes, pool tables, and a number of foosball tables.
Alan is partially correct; we've had Red Room reunions consecutively for the last 19 years in town. Next year will be our 20th. It's attended by those of us who worked there and friends who frequented the place.
Seventy cent pitcher nights, Taco & tequila nights, spaghetti nights all made it an interesting place.
OhioCatFan
General User
Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 15,663
mail
OhioCatFan
mail
Posted: 12/30/2019 1:40 PM
oldkatz wrote:expand_more
There was a Pizza Hut, a bank, a convenience store called the Short Stop, and the grand dame was the Red Room upstairs (both a restaurant and a bar). In addition, upstairs there were bowling lanes, pool tables, and a number of foosball tables.
Alan is partially correct; we've had Red Room reunions consecutively for the last 19 years in town. Next year will be our 20th. It's attended by those of us who worked there and friends who frequented the place.
Seventy cent pitcher nights, Taco & tequila nights, spaghetti nights all made it an interesting place.
Initially I had not remembered much about this place, but after reading these posts, especially this one by my mud crawling Army friend, it all comes flooding back to my memory. I went there occasionally, but was not a regular. I should have remembered it better, though, because I actually interviewed Dwight Rutherford about his planning for this building, initially called the Rumac Center, before construction started. This was for the Messenger when I was doing my internship class there in the summer of 1963. Somewhere I actually have that clipping. Have to see if i can find it.
MikeE
General User
ME
Member Since: 2/11/2023
Post Count: 1
person
mail
MikeE
mail
Posted: 2/11/2023 8:27 AM
I was at OU from 1970-1974. I do remember the Red Room. I lived on New South Green in 1972-73 and Red Room was within easy walking (stumbling) distance. It was indeed red and in a new complex.
BSC 91
General User
B91
Member Since: 4/22/2022
Post Count: 29
person
mail
BSC 91
mail
Posted: 2/15/2023 12:05 PM
Can anyone help me find the Red Room building on Google Maps (if it still stands)? I'm fascinated by stuff like this.

Did Red Ram become Longbranch Saloon and then Gee Willikers?
greencat
General User
Member Since: 3/13/2005
Post Count: 2,835
mail
greencat
mail
Posted: 2/17/2023 5:55 PM
Wasn't the Frontier Room where the guys who used to be Pure Prairie League (?) played at times? Six Shooter?

Now, the frat house that went out of business and became the Plasma place down stairs and studio apartments upstairs? Had an A&P out the back door? Stimson?

Having an apartment there was not so good.
Last Edited: 2/17/2023 6:00:06 PM by greencat
Joe McKinley
General User
Member Since: 11/15/2004
Post Count: 486
mail
Joe McKinley
mail
Posted: 2/18/2023 3:45 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Wasn't the Frontier Room where the guys who used to be Pure Prairie League (?) played at times? Six Shooter?

Now, the frat house that went out of business and became the Plasma place down stairs and studio apartments upstairs? Had an A&P out the back door? Stimson?

Having an apartment there was not so good.
I was the Frontier Room booking agent during the 1980-81 school year. It was a blast. Thanks for coming in! I booked Six Shooter a couple times. Deke Davisson was the band leader. He and his brother Jimmy played/toured some with Pure Prairie League. They played in/around Chillicothe for years. Not sure about the other band members.
Last Edited: 2/18/2023 3:46:26 PM by Joe McKinley
greencat
General User
Member Since: 3/13/2005
Post Count: 2,835
mail
greencat
mail
Posted: 3/2/2023 9:18 AM
Joe McKinley wrote:expand_more
He and his brother Jimmy played/toured some with Pure Prairie League. They played in/around Chillicothe for years.
Did their catalytic converter ever get stolen by addicts in Chillicothe?
Bobcatbob
General User
Member Since: 12/21/2004
Location: Coolville, OH
Post Count: 1,350
mail
Bobcatbob
mail
Posted: 4/1/2023 10:16 PM
oldkatz wrote:expand_more
There was a Pizza Hut, a bank, a convenience store called the Short Stop, and the grand dame was the Red Room upstairs (both a restaurant and a bar). In addition, upstairs there were bowling lanes, pool tables, and a number of foosball tables.
Alan is partially correct; we've had Red Room reunions consecutively for the last 19 years in town. Next year will be our 20th. It's attended by those of us who worked there and friends who frequented the place.
Seventy cent pitcher nights, Taco & tequila nights, spaghetti nights all made it an interesting place.
.
This is how I remember the Red Room, but didn’t it also have the advantage of being one of the few or only bar(s) open on Sunday in Athens? I don’t remember being there much but there were times…. Much, much closer than Club 33.
OhioCatFan
General User
Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 15,663
mail
OhioCatFan
mail
Posted: 4/1/2023 10:38 PM
Bobcatbob wrote:expand_more
There was a Pizza Hut, a bank, a convenience store called the Short Stop, and the grand dame was the Red Room upstairs (both a restaurant and a bar). In addition, upstairs there were bowling lanes, pool tables, and a number of foosball tables.
Alan is partially correct; we've had Red Room reunions consecutively for the last 19 years in town. Next year will be our 20th. It's attended by those of us who worked there and friends who frequented the place.
Seventy cent pitcher nights, Taco & tequila nights, spaghetti nights all made it an interesting place.
.
This is how I remember the Red Room, but didn’t it also have the advantage of being one of the few or only bar(s) open on Sunday in Athens? I don’t remember being there much but there were times…. Much, much closer than Club 33.
oldkattz, you always struck me as more of a Club 33 type of guy. Lot's old Army vets out there.
Showing Messages: 1 - 16 of 16



extra small (< 576px)
small (>= 576px)
medium (>= 768px)
large (>= 992px)
x-large (>= 1200px)
xx-large (>= 1400px)