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Dayton Memories > Don Mendenhalls Colony Club
Don Mendenhalls Colony Club
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Cathy
4 posts
Mar 27, 2008
11:09 AM
I have a signed, numbered lithograph of Don Mendenhalls Colony Club restaurant. I remember my parents going there in the 1970's. Does anyone know the history, date in opened and closed? Also, does anyone know anything about my picture? It is very colorful and shows patrons eating, drinking and having a good time. Thanks! Cathy cwells2005@yahoo.com
edwardbreen
11 posts
Mar 30, 2008
6:16 AM
It orginally opened in the mid 1950's as I remember and it was simply called the Colony Club. It was owned by a man named Jim Sullivan. He had a popular dance band there for years and the food was always exceptional. Don Mendenhall bought it possibly in the mid 1970's and ran it until about 1990 or so. It was always a popular place to go for good music and good food. It was located on South Dixie about a block from Dorothy lane. Next door to where Wal mart currenty sits.
gil1066
1 post
Jul 11, 2008
8:54 PM
I worked there as a bus boy with a good friend, off and on from around 1964-1967. I was 14-17 at the time. Got about 10 dollars for working 8 hours on a saturday night. The live music was memorable. A real education for a teenager. I'm not sure it was really legal for me to be working behind the bar at times as a 15 year old. I looked a little older I guess. I remember it being a very high quality restaurant.
Josie
6 posts
Feb 27, 2009
7:57 AM
It was where the Los Three Amigos resturant is now.
Don65
6 posts
Jun 09, 2010
10:53 AM
MY neighbor was the chef there for many years, Then his sons also bussed tables there about the same time gil1060 did. We went there for our prom night dinner. The waitresses all knew my friend and served us what looked like real cocktails. But they were really Roy Rogers and Shirly Temple drinks for kids. But the other kids didn't know that. LOL
Monicat71
11 posts
Jul 20, 2010
7:47 PM
I remember the Colony real well. Jimmy Ross played the Drums in the band. He passed away. My mom used to sing with the band when she would come in. I used to go in with my mom even though I was young. I also lived in those apartments across the street from the Colony around 1975. We used to sneak in the Capri Motel Pool late at night :)
BobbyJ
1 post
Oct 13, 2010
9:07 AM
My parents as well went to the Colony Club throughout the 60's. Once, as a teenager, they took me along for some sort of special dinner with my dad's partner from work. I have a signed album of Vic Tooker (who often played on the Delta Queen riverboat). I believe they got the album when he played at the Colony Club. Does anyone know anything about the bands that played there, or know if they brought in other local bands, like Vic Tooker and his Riverboat Ramblers? My dad loved Dixieland, so I've always assumed he was able to hear some of it at the Colony Club. Mom and dad also loved to dance in those days, so it may have been more of a "big band" sort of music there.
supersix
33 posts
Oct 13, 2010
4:45 PM
I remember in the eighties Marvin Smith sang with a band there. He sang at the Diamond club a few years before and I believe he sang at Carvers later.
chazguitar
2 posts
Oct 30, 2010
6:41 AM
Was it the Colony Club that had a song book, with lyrics for singing along? I have one somewhere around here.
jazzmomma
1 post
Jan 29, 2011
8:24 PM
The drummer in the 80's when Marvin was with the band was Jimmy Greene. Yes, he passed away-cancer. Don Reynolds ran the band until mid 1985. Jimmy lead that band then until 1987 when Mendenhall changed bands.
RandyCCRider
4 posts
Jul 17, 2012
9:13 PM
Most of my musician friends ended up at the Colony Club sooner or later. First it was bill Coburn's Dixieland band with Jerry fuller from the Dukes of Dixieland on clarinet. Later it was Don Reynolds with pianist/multi instrumentalist Jeff Black, and Marvin Smith. I worked with Jeff and Marvin for a long time in "Cold Sweat" at the Diamond Club.
luv my dayton
93 posts
Jul 24, 2012
3:53 AM
The last time I went to Colony Club was New Years eve of 1988 or 89. Remember dancing but honestly can't vouch for the food. Not too long ago a problem came up with that location when they tried to slip in a strip club. Results were that it hit a brick wall as part of the property was Moraine and part owned by Kettering. That area was way more residential than at this date so it didn't stand a chance of opening.
Chris Haines
1 post
May 12, 2013
6:50 AM
I just made arrangments with the current owner/managers of the restaurant in the old Colony Club to play a dance on June 18th with my big band the Hauer Swing Band! The band features 16 great musicians in town and several voalists....it is free with donations accepted and the restaurant is encouraging folks to come at 6:00 for dinner. The Dancing is from 7 to 9....come back and see how the place looks today!...and check us out at HauerSwingBand@FACEBOOK.com
Greg Wagner
1 post
Dec 16, 2014
3:42 PM
My Grandfather is Jim Sullivan and my Uncle is Jimmy Ross. My mother sold the Colony Club in either 79 or 80. My Grandfather also opened the Pine Club and Sullies,
joey m
288 posts
Dec 17, 2014
9:51 AM
Greg Wagner Small world. My dad was friends with your grandfather and not many people knew that The Pine Club had another name and I thought it was called Sully's and your uncle was a good friend of mine and my father. We knew him through the Di Pasquale family also knew Jimmy's dad Frosty. Here was the thing I think of when I think of Jimmy and that was when he played drums at the colony and he did the act where he put the Gorilla get up on and played his drums. He was a great drummer and well known around Dayton. "GREAT MEMORIES"
olds88
290 posts
Dec 17, 2014
3:25 PM
Great place and great Royal ribs.Last of an era that drew people from all over southern ohio until it closed.Dance floor full every night and very seldom any issues.Wait staff was excellent and well trained.Miss that place as much as any that have gone bye-bye.Stan the bar keep worked at Oakwood club after closing.


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