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Location: I live between Myrtle Beach SC and Raleigh NC.
393 posts, read 652,318 times
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Oh who enjoyed partying at the old Hilton Underground? They had some great live bands, the bars were good, the ladies beautiful, and after all it was the early 80's. It was a good time for all. I had many great times there, dancing the night away and I fell in love on several occasions, of course I fell out the next day but hey, this was the 80's right?
Hilton Underground? Don't you mean the Velvet Cloak? Or are you talking about the underground at Cam Village (where the Pier was)? I don't remember a Hilton on Hillsborough.
There was a Hilton Underground. The location eventually became the Brownstone. I went there on several occasions, and it was a very popular night spot in it's day.
Yep, it was the Hilton Underground (club). Now is the Brownstone or maybe has changed names again. It's at 1707 Hillsborough St if I recall correctly? I worked in the hotel at the front desk for maybe a year( or 6mts ?) and left to go to school. I remember it was very popular! And when I'd go to work first shift (7am) I could tell how rowdy the previous night had been from what I found scattered about. big names rockers doing a show nearby would stop by and play for the crowd. You never knew who you'd see. I think CD has a thread about this? And the Elton John story about his band going there one night after a show...don't remember if he was with them? I think he was. Anyhow, his guitarist (Nigel?) ended up marrying one of the cocktail waitress there who he met that night. She was a real sweet girl. he moved her to England with him.
My memories of that hotel are of the wrestlers who filmed at WRAL TV stayed there. Most of them seemed rude and crude. Andre the Giant used to throw his sweaty towel on the counter in front of me after coming from the "Y" (I think) and wanted me to get rid of it for him. His hand seemed about as big as my head! I always found myself staring at it as it was so close to my face the Sheik was my favorite. He was a gentleman and used to hang out and chat with me while he waited for the guys. i was trying to learn Farsi at the time and he'd try to teach me some words.
One morning, the lobby was so quiet, only me and the bellman were in there. i kept telling him I could hear someone snoring. He didn't believe me until I found the source of it...under a draped table we found a man sleeping. I said it was a homeless guy, the bellman say no, it's one of those drunken bums from the club
Location: I live between Myrtle Beach SC and Raleigh NC.
393 posts, read 652,318 times
Reputation: 424
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaleighLass
Yep, it was the Hilton Underground (club). Now is the Brownstone or maybe has changed names again. It's at 1707 Hillsborough St if I recall correctly? I worked in the hotel at the front desk for maybe a year( or 6mts ?) and left to go to school. I remember it was very popular! And when I'd go to work first shift (7am) I could tell how rowdy the previous night had been from what I found scattered about. big names rockers doing a show nearby would stop by and play for the crowd. You never knew who you'd see. I think CD has a thread about this? And the Elton John story about his band going there one night after a show...don't remember if he was with them? I think he was. Anyhow, his guitarist (Nigel?) ended up marrying one of the cocktail waitress there who he met that night. She was a real sweet girl. he moved her to England with him.
My memories of that hotel are of the wrestlers who filmed at WRAL TV stayed there. Most of them seemed rude and crude. Andre the Giant used to throw his sweaty towel on the counter in front of me after coming from the "Y" (I think) and wanted me to get rid of it for him. His hand seemed about as big as my head! I always found myself staring at it as it was so close to my face the Sheik was my favorite. He was a gentleman and used to hang out and chat with me while he waited for the guys. i was trying to learn Farsi at the time and he'd try to teach me some words.
One morning, the lobby was so quiet, only me and the bellman were in there. i kept telling him I could hear someone snoring. He didn't believe me until I found the source of it...under a draped table we found a man sleeping. I said it was a homeless guy, the bellman say no, it's one of those drunken bums from the club
I worked down the street at Arthur Murray Dance Studios so myself and a couple of the other dance instructors would go down there after we closed at 10pm. We would dance the night away and I wish I had a dollar for every dance I danced while going there. I met so many nice people there and it was the early 80's so things were very, how shall I say, loose at the time. I woke up quite a few times not really knowing where I was or who I was with. I am sure the ladies thought the same thing. I remember once waking up in Spring Lake with a nice girl and asking her how the heck I drove there. She told me she drove! What? Like I said it was the early 80's you had to be there!
I can tell that you definitely worked there lol. You are right it was Nigel who met the waitress ( I used to know her name but its been so long ) and moved her to England with him. I remember her as being one of the best waitresses who worked the floor. I was there the night Elton's band came down, Elton did not come with them. The patrons including myself were star struck. They were the nicest guys you could ever meet.
I also remember the wrestlers coming down too. I met many of those guys and had drinks with Wahoo McDaniels, Rick Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Gene and Ole Anderson, Blackjack Mulligan, Pretty Paul Jones ( He was a lush ), Dusty Rhodes and more than I can remember. Some were very nice, like Rick Flair. I know he was married at the time but his reputation was correct. He always had 2-3 women with him and they weren't just friends if you know what I mean!
Ole Anderson was very nice also. One evening he and I met a couple ladies ( they were there together ) and the 4 of us went down to the Greek Restaurant on Hillsborough St ( I cannot remember the name ) and had a great time. He introduced me to Ouzo, the Greek national drink is what he called it. I was lucky enough to sit with Rick several times, and all his friends, in the far back corner upper level, and we had a couple nice conversations. He treated me like he knew me. He was a very nice guy. Paul Jones was always chasing around the big beautiful ladies and for the most part would have nothing to do with him. Even his wrestler friends would make fun of him. He was a hoot!
I remember once I was dating this girl I met there. Her sister had been dating Jimmy Snuka for a couple months. We went over to her apt off Poole Rd and we were all drinking. Jimmy Snuka could drink more than any person I ever met. Well after a while I left and went home and found out the next day that after the girl passed out he had taken her car without her permission. She had woke up with no way to work and called Jim Crockett Promotions and complained about what Jimmy had done. They asked her not to call the police and she got her car back the next day, it wasn't long after that that Jimmy Snuka was working up north for the WWF organization. Funny how things happen isn't it!
The Hilton Underground was the place to be back in the day. I miss that place very much and the times I had there. Wish I could go back but alas all things must change. I am just glad I have the memories and places like this to share them.
Location: I live between Myrtle Beach SC and Raleigh NC.
393 posts, read 652,318 times
Reputation: 424
Here are a couple pictures from yesteday when I stopped by The Brownstone Inn. I talked to a couple employees who told me they have just finished renovating the old Undergound club that was there in the 80's. I was able to get a couple pictures of where you entered the club, the bar area, not the original bar but it was on the same wall, and the walkway that was on an incline when you entered from the side parking lot.
If anyone has old pictures of the inside from back when it was open please post them!
I worked there around 1979-1980's. We all had such a great time working there!! Great bands and great customers!! As a cocktail waitress I made great money too!!
I remember it! I never spent much time there and had forgotten it until you mentioned it, though. For some reason the name Joyce Hawley popped in my mind--was she a performer there?
I don't recognize or remember that name, Joyce Hawley.
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the Sheik was my favorite. He was a gentleman and used to hang out and chat with me while he waited for the guys. i was trying to learn Farsi at the time and he'd try to teach me some words. 
Hilton Underground
