Help with Chicago discos in the 70's (Downers Grove, Lombard: house, elementary school)

[Sifujohnny]

The Nimbus which was located in Dolton, Il was part of the Ramada Inn. The bouncers were Shaolin Disciples. The Nimbus was reviewed and rated by Playboy Magazine in 1979 as being one of the top three Discos in the World along with Studio 54 and Xenon. It had these spinning glass pyramids that were situated on the stage and a flashing dance floor with multicolor lights. This was by far the most elegant of the discos in the Chicagoland area. Let me know if you need a contact for photos of the place or some more history. There were private rooms and various levels to the place. Another great place was the Charlie Club in Chicago. I believe it was the top four floors of the Ambassador hotel, but I could be wrong, it was so long ago. The Doorchester Senior Center is where the Nimbus used to reside in Dolton. The person who was in charge of maintenance and security of the building then is the same person that is in charge of it now. He can tell you everything you need to know about this fabulous club. He has several photos of the interior.

[Pink Shirt]

My boyfriend of 3 years was the owner of Bubbas Zone one disco. It's nice to hear positive things about his old place. He is still a good dancer, and we love to go dancing to the old disco tunes which are usually only played these days at class reunions and dinner dance benefits, like for "Paws" humane society in Rockford recently.
I can't wait to show him this! Lot's of people still call him Bubba. I just call him John. He still lives in that neighborhood.

[countrycityboy]

Man i just stumbled on this site today, but as a kid from the 70's i remember Blinkers Disco on Broadway and Briar which was called New Town back then. the front of the place had a tilted square frame glass front with a bubble window.

[Charlotte76]

Hi, I am writing a book and I need some information on disco clubs in the Chicago area, I need one that was around in 1976 and I'm looking for one that was a little Saturday night feverish and also a little Studio 54ish, or one similar to the one in the movie Thank God it's Friday. Any information given would be so helpful!

[LGREEN6960]

Originally Posted by DwsinTxs

Hey everybody,
I'm working on a novel, and I need to know the name of any disco club that was located in Chicago, in the 1970's....specifically, in 1974

All I need is the name of the club, but if you have firsthand knowledge of it, I'd love to know any other details, the location, names of owners, looks of the club interioir or exterior, if they had any particular 'theme' as far as decor etc etc.

Thanks!

dws

I am trying to find the videos of some urban dances of the 70's that i did back then, particularly the "Spank". But, there was a disco call "Dingbats" that was just north of downtown and slightly east, Mr. T was the bouncer at the door, it catered to pulling people there before they left downtown for home, it opened at 4pm. Mirrored walls, 2 long bars and a lot of fun. Mr T's first name was Tero. There was a disco very far north on Broadway called "The Machine" completely dark, you never saw outside and it was open till 5am, constant music. Another disco called The 32 Fusion, I believe it was on Clark and maybe Division, maybe a few blocks south of that, very sophisticated. Attire, was dress to impress, $3.00 cover charge
Lee Green
[EMAIL="lgreen6960@aol.com"]lgreen6960@aol.com[/EMAIL]

[Pink Shirt]

Sat. night feverish, Bubbas Zone 1 disco had a lighted dance floor. . .the owner always had an entourage of people around him. He is very charismatic. There are a lot of good stories involved, but heck. i am going to write that book. Pink

[Barb B]

Originally Posted by SURGEDS

SASAFRAS - It was located ate harlem and Irving - - across the stree from a records store.

The Giraffe - on Mannheim Rd in Schiller Park in the holiday Inn

SOPs on River Rd and in Arlington Heights

The Nickel Bag - Schiller Park

Thirsty Whale - River Grove

PS Chicago - Division

BBC - Division

Faces - Rush St

Snuggery

Runions

S.O.P.'s in Glenview (Some Other Place) was huge and drew a great crowd. Chicago Bull players and others as well as some great dancers and regulars. Name was changed around 1976 to McGreevey's and remained a good spot for a few years. I believe it later became another Butch MaGuire's.

Banana's on Clark? Great DJ

Coconut's same street? Had a great floor show, but was heavily a known Gay hangout.

BBC I believe is the place Mr. T is really famous for working at

Snuggery was sort of a snob crowd and poor dancing, more for pickups

Nickel Bag and The Thirsty Whale were never disco's. I went to school with the Whale's owner's kids. It always was a live "rock" venue

123 on Diversey from the beginning and now into it's 3rd name and still in biz, same owner for all 3, always had a great Dj, fun entertainment, special nights and the best Ladies Nights around. Not to mention the awesome bartenders.

Cinderella Rockafella- cool place, overpriced, either so crowded you couldn't move or totally empty

Club Kisses, the best of the best, champaigne was always flowing and not any cheap stuff. The awesome live entertainment sometimes big names, randomly showing up (like the Little People), comfy couches in front of the dance floor, great food aka Duck L'Orange, Shrimp Cocktail in an attached room. Brought in the likes of Chicago Bears Walter Peyton, Noah Jackson, Dave Williams, Chicago Sting's Rudy Glenn and others. It was multicultural at it's best too. Tightly run by manager Tony Pedone, it was never boring and the floor was always crowded. So much fun we are still talking about it to this day.

[Barb B]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

The 123 on Diversey near Central
Hespers on Belmont near Austin
Bananas on Broadway near Foster
Studio 31 on Fullerton near Hamlin
Xanadu on Broadway near Devon

The 123 was and is great though now called Stereo

Xanadu, was pretty cool, but very dark

Studio 31 Where are Ralph and Jimmy these days???

[Barb B]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

That place has been a Polish nightclub (Jedynka) for several years now.

Pete stills owns 123> Jedynka> Stereo (there is a forum on FB for it)

[Barb B]

Originally Posted by voodoochild138

Hey. My fiancee's father used to own a club called The Devil's Palace, in Harvey. I've been looking for some information about it...does anybody remember anything? Most of the stories she has about the joint are anecdotal, as she was really young when he sold it. It also went by the name The Image Palace at some point. She'd love to hear some stories of what the place was like and who performed there.

Don't know of it.
Harvey was a no man's land back in the 70's. Nobody even lived out there yet except for a few farmers, but it may have drawn people from Schaumburg and Rockford areas.