Duke's Tavern ★★★★★

Duke's Tavern 1944-2004 Chicago, IL




Duke's was located on the corner of 2700 S. Wells Ave. If you look out the door, the sun is shining and you can see the "Wells" street sign before they built the famous Dan Ryan expressway, which plowed through the neighborhood.




I was very sad when they knocked Gramma's bar down. I went for one last filming, as a group of us watched machines demolish the structure. The actual mahogany bar shown has been purchased and shipped to a pub in Italy, where it is being served on today.




Owned and operated by Angeline Crivilare,(March 1905-November 1997) and Henry "Duke" Crivilare, it was a staple in the Chinatown-Bridgeport community. When Angie passed, it was never the same. Angie was an amazing person, South Central Unit 494 Women's Auxiliary, past President, Secretary, Chaplain, Sargent at Arms, and Treasurer of American Legion, 3rd District Poppy Chairman, and an Auxiliary member for 65 years. She donated much of her time to the unfortunate.




Many amazing people passed through this bar. This video features Babe DeSanto, Charlotte DeSanto, Genevieve "Gen" Crivilare, Angeline Crivilare, Joe "Pep" Simek his wife Frances Simek, son Richard Simek, Donald Smith, and Florence and Sam Balestri. My cousin Ferina Imparato is in here also, that many of you already know. I will add more names as I discover.




I am noting that Frances and Joe are the founders of Tombstone Pizza, and were dear friends of our family. You can't miss them, they are the beautiful blonde and cheery fellow with the blonde child Robert. They founded Tombstone Pizza in their own tavern in Wisconsin, and went on to sell to the tavern, and other local pubs. This is shot in the first year of the start of their enterprise, which would eventually grow to the the pizza giant Tombstone we know today.




Frances (1928-2010) has donated much of her money to charity, and helped put many girls through college. She was past member Klossner-Dietzler VFW Post No. 5729 of Medford. The Frances L. Simek Memorial Library, in Medford WI is named after her. Pep survives her, and I am in the process of searching for their family so Pep can see him and his wife and family in this video.




This is Babes's footage.




Beer at the time this footage was shot, was sold a dime a glass.

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[miniyeti1919]

This video made us laugh and cry at the same time!!!! It is just brilliant and beautiful!!! Thank you so much!!!! Landin & Tina Simek

[cybercharvideo]

@miniyeti1919 Thank you for appreciating!  It means a lot to me.