Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-28


of food supplies, which are prob
ably much higher than in the
pre- prohibition era
The ladies of that day did not
know much about free lunch
from personal experience, which
doubtless explains why they
never could understand the at
traction of the saloons to the
gents.
TIE ladies were not permitted
i in the saloons AS they are
now. nj least not in the main
barroom, so they did not get to
see much Of the banquet tables.
They were allowed in the
back rooms. which they entered
Via the family entrance.
They could sample the free
lunch from plates brought them
by obliging bartenderS, but that
did not give them the wide
range of the counter.
OUR southern free lunch eX-
pett@Mr@John D Penne-
kamp, managing editor of the
Miami Herald. throws some in
teresting light on the economic
phases of the old time free
lunch.
He says the explanation of
the fabulous feeds is that the
saloonkeepers of that period did
not have the nut or overhead,
of the present day operators.
Brcwcries set many of them up
in business in the old days.
This was 10 assure exclusive
and continuing outlets for the
beer produced by the financing
brewery which would under
write the losses Of a saloon until
1t commenced to pay
This might take a long time.
Any name fellow, especially a
sports figure, had no difficulty
setting himself up IN business
with a brewery rs sponsor.
The brcwerieS owned, or had
under 99-year leases, then called
perpetual, many OF the choice
corners in almost every COM
munity and controlled the SUBJ
leasing so as 10 prevent more
bar competition than a given
area could bear.
DENNEkAMP says the saloon
L keepers rent was adjusted
10 the saloons volume. and adds
that at least one of the larger
oil companies leases its filling
stations 10 the operators under
much the same arrangement to-
day.
The saloon was not the only
income produced by the prop
CrtN. either. Often the saloon
was only ono Of several stores on
the ground floor while lodges
paid rental for the use of halls
on the second floor
Other spaces would he rented
out 10 tenement families and for
office purposes and all these
supplied bar customers.
DEER was 50 or $3.50 A barrel.
- compared with todays naX
included $40 81 500. Good
whisky sold for Sl.50 a quart
which meant that the bottle
contained 20 per cent nfbrer than
today'S So-callcd fifthS.
Beer cost the consumer ;
cents a glass. whisky usually -
cents. two for 25. and real high
brow stuff % cents a crack
Thus, Pennekamp points out.
while tho selling prices of drinks
q have increased about 100 per
cent the cost has Increased 600
per cent or more for beer and
nearly as much for whisky. And
this takes no account of the
matter Of licenses and other
expenses.
In those good old days many
saloons served One-plate lunches
a noon for Is cents and -
cents. the drinks extra. and adj
dltional food. purchased IN guam
tily and cheaply with that in
tended for these lunches went
10 the free lunch counters.
Pennckamp says We must not
forget that the food helped eX-
pand the drinking capacity be-
cause II was Spiccd and favored
10 make for larger thirStS and
that the combination of food
and beer made for a bar front
comaraderle that Skyrockctcd
volume He docs not think TO-
days peanuts and popcorn could
stand up IN that kind of COM
petition.
s"NHE bars themselves were
not tinseled and mirrored
show places redecorated with
the seasons" reflects Kenne-
kamp. although there was usu-
ally n great mirror behind the
bar IN which was reflected tho
painted reclined nude art Of the
Opposite wall"